Power expands championship lead with Milwaukee win

Will Power wrapped up the perfect race weekend in Milwaukee winning the 250 mile event from pole to surge his point lead ahead heading into the final two rounds of the championship.

In a race that had a very green feel to it, only one caution flag fell for a mechanical failure on the car of Carlos Munoz.

The win was his first on a short oval, and the first oval win since the final round last year. “It's a race I had in my mind all year that I wanted to come and win, definitely.I thought last year I had a very strong car. I was at a point where I really wasn't in the championship hunt. I had Helio in front of me, so I didn't want to make a move,” said Power.

“Just one of those days. A perfect day. Really good car. Worked hard on it in the test, then came back here. I was just really determined to have a very good racecar and this is what we got.”

Power added that this year feels different than previous years because he has now won on every type of track.

“I've been in this situation before. The difference is that I don't have a weakness anymore. I said it before we went to the past few races, in past years of the ovals have been, I don't know. Last year ovals were very strong for me, and this year even stronger."

Power beat Tony Kanaan and team mate Juan Pablo Montoya to the line.

Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing driver Josef Newgarden, who finished 5th ,said he was happy with the result on a tough track.

"(Milwaukee) is just a tough place. It's very dependent on aero, so when you get behind someone with the same mechanical grip and you're limited by aero, it's kind of what you got,” said Newgarden.

“I thought we had a really good car today relative to the cars around us. We took a gamble, and it didn't work out for us, but I'm happy we got back in the top five because I think we deserve that." The win vaults Power to a 39 point lead over Penske team mate Helio Castroneves heading to the penultimate round at Sonoma Aug. 24.