When Will Power arrived in the American open-wheel racing scene nearly 15 years ago, some didn’t take him seriously. They though he was using a stage name; like a wrestler or circus performer. But from those early wins in Champ Car, to a partial season with Penske in the IndyCar Series, people started to notice Power. Some laugh at his off-track antics, but he also gained respect with his on-track ability.
Here are three of Will Power’s biggest fans explaining why they cheer for the 2-Time IndyCar Series Champion.
Daniel: “He Keeps Coming Back”
There’s something truly inspiring about a guy who can get knocked down as many times as Will yet keeps coming back. He broke his back in the last race of 2009, then came back to win the opening round of 2010! He’s had near misses for the title years where things just seemed to never go his way.
Watching his career from when I was a little kid has been a testament to perseverance and has guided me in my own racing career. Whenever things go sideways, be like Will Power and figure out a way to get yourself back in Victory Lane. In all of motorsport, there’s nobody who has more resilience, determination, and willpower.
Daniel Demaras, No 12, Demaras Racing
Michelle: “He’s Cool”
He’s just a cool guy. We’ve all met him a couple times and gotten him to autograph race souvenirs and mementos. Every time we’ve met him, he was very nice. My brother Daniel would nervously ramble on that he also races with the No. 12, and Will would patiently listen, then ask how Daniel’s racing season was going.
When we were in Pocono for the 2019 ABC Supply 500, we even bumped into Will and his little son Beau at the playground. Will was just a regular dad pushing his kid on the swing, but it was such a weird moment because Daniel was wearing a Will Power shirt while pushing me on the swing, and hadn’t even noticed the guy next to him was his racing hero! Will won that race, and it was so exciting to watch him beat some of the best racers in the world.
Michelle Demaras, No. 29, Demaras Racing
Chris: “He’s the Rocky Balboa of IndyCar”
‘It ain’t about how hard you can hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit, and keep moving forward. It’s how much you can take, and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!’
I’ve never seen a racer experience more setbacks, failures, and crushed dreams…and still kept going. When they make a movie of Will Power’s life, it will be the Rocky Balboa of IndyCar racing. A road-course specialist who would always lose the championship at oval races…and now he’s an Indy 500 winner. From a guy who used to publicly beat up on himself in post-race interviews, to a veteran who acknowledges how fortunate he really is. The 2022 season was something different; he’s become mentally stronger. Power is now the COMPLETE racer capable of winning on short ovals, super speedways and street circuits like Exhibition Place. I’ve never seen a racer evolve so much in the course of a career. And to see a guy over 40 still performing at such a high level is inspiring.
