Press releases were expected at the conclusion of the 2025 IndyCar season; contracts had officially expired and changes were imminent. The saddest announcement of all was Will Power leaving his racing home for the past 17 years, Team Penske.
Power is one of the best IndyCar drivers ever, and the single greatest qualifier in the century-long history of American open-wheel racing. However, what the articles on Racer and Autosport don’t grasp is Will Power’s impact on his fans, on young racers growing up with him as their hero.
Power was brought into Team Penske in 2009 as a temporary replacement driver. He impressed on debut and soon won races. Yet, for several years, Power was an incomplete driver, coming so close to championships repeatedly. It was heartbreaking to see his championship aspirations unravel at the superspeedways that marked the end of the season.
But he never gave up. Power improved, adapted and persevered. He mastered the oval tracks that had been his foil. Those difficult early years for Power were an inspiration to young racers following him. When he clinched both the IndyCar Series Championship and Indianapolis 500 in subsequent years, he solidified his legacy.
Time waits for no man, and at 44-years-old, the Australian is in the twilight of his career. It is bitterly ironic that in 2025 Will Power ended the season as the top driver at Team Penske, including a pole position on the oval at Gateway, and a win on the road course at Portland.
Just like Doc Hudson in Pixar’s “Cars” veteran racer Will Power still has a lot of stuff left in him.