WILL POWER TO DRIVE VERIZON WIRELESS ENTRY FOR PENSKE RACING IN 2010 IZOD
INDYCAR SERIES
MOORESVILLE, N.C. (November 19, 2009) -- Penske Racing announced
today that winning open-wheel racer Will Power will compete in a
full-season entry for the team in the 2010 IZOD IndyCar Series, driving
the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dallara/Honda.
Joining forces with Team Penske teammates Helio Castroneves, a three-time
Indianapolis 500 winner, and Ryan Briscoe, a top contender for the 2009
IndyCar Series championship, Power will complete a powerful three-car
lineup in 2010 for Penske Racing.
Today's announcement is a key element of a multi-year program
between Penske Racing and Verizon Wireless that began in 2009. The 2010
Verizon Championship Racing platform will include the IndyCar Series with
Power, Castroneves and Briscoe and NASCAR competition with Brad
Keselowski and Justin Allgaier.
Power joined Penske Racing last season, filling in for Castroneves during
pre-season testing and at the season-opening race in St. Petersburg.
After Castroneves returned to the team, Power competed in the No. 12
Verizon Wireless car and won the pole position and finished second at
Long Beach before he earned an impressive fifth-place result at the
Indianapolis 500. Power went on to win his first race for the team at
Edmonton and produced a win, two poles and four top-five and six top-10
finishes in six races in 2009. He suffered a season-ending back injury
during a practice session at Infineon Raceway on August 22. Power
continues to recover from his injuries well ahead of schedule and he is
expected to be ready to participate in 2010 pre-season testing with the
team.
"Will did a terrific job for Penske Racing this past season and we
are excited that he will be able to drive full-time with the team in 2010
in the Verizon Wireless car," said Roger Penske. "Will proved
that he could consistently compete for wins and poles in 2009, despite
his limited time on track. We believe he can be a legitimate championship
contender next season for our team, along with Helio and Ryan. I want to
thank Verizon Wireless for their continued support of our racing
programs."
Power, the 28-year-old native of Toowoomba, Australia, established
himself as one of open-wheel racing's most talented drivers before
he joined Penske Racing last season. Power excelled in European
competition as he produced strong performances in the British F3 and
World Series by Renault championships before he moved to the United
States in 2005 to compete in the Champ Car World Series. He captured the
series Rookie-of-the-Year honors in 2006 and claimed three wins and six
pole positions in two plus seasons in Champ Car. In 2008, Power won on
the streets of Long Beach in Champ Car's final race, and after he
joined the IndyCar Series, he earned his first series pole in front of
his home crowd at Surfers Paradise, Australia.
"To be able to compete for a full season with Penske Racing is
really a dream come true for me," said Power. "Working with
the team this past season was the best experience of my career and I
can't wait to race for the IndyCar Series championship in 2010. I
really have to thank everyone at Verizon Wireless and the Penske Racing
team for this opportunity. I intend to make the most of it."
"Verizon Wireless is excited to begin its second season with Penske
Racing and we look forward to having Will Power compete and win races in
the Verizon Wireless Indy car in 2010," said John Stratton, chief
marketing officer for Verizon Wireless. "We have had a very
successful first season with Verizon Championship Racing in 2009 as we
established ourselves as a major motorsports presence in North America.
The 2010 season should be even more exciting with Will battling for the
IndyCar Series championship and with Justin Allgaier and Brad Keselowski
racing for wins and championships in NASCAR."
Penske Racing is one of the most successful teams in the history of
professional sports. Competing in a variety of disciplines, cars owned
and prepared by Penske Racing have produced 314 major race wins, 373 pole
positions and 22 National Championships. The team has also earned 15
Indianapolis 500 victories. For more information about Penske Racing,
please visit www.penskeracing.com.
-credit: pr
