Penske swept the front row for the 108th running of the famous race with Scott McLaughlin setting a record pole run, while Power qualified second and Josef Newgarden third.
While a front row starter has not even finished in the top three since 2020, the most obvious outcome right now is that one of the aforementioned drivers takes victory in 2024.
It is therefore reasonable to expect that team-mates will become bitter rivals as the field closes in on the chequered flag.
“It’s interesting because the race starts, in a way, slowly,” said Power, who won the Indy 500 in 2018.
“Not speed-wise, but as far as aggression. It really ramps up in the last 50 [laps].
“I think the further back you are, the more aggressive you have to be to put yourself in a position at the end.
Secure your spot today.
“It’s a pretty cruise-y start in a way. Slowly work on your car, get in the first stint.
“Yeah, I mean, every man for themselves basically when it comes down to it. Coming down to the win, it is what it is.”
To that, McLaughlin, who is yet to finish an Indy 500 any higher than 14th, interjected: “As long as we don’t take each other out, the boss is happy. That’s the main thing.”
Power then added, “It’s a good problem to have.
“I know they don’t like that. It really is nerve-racking for the higher-ups like Roger [Penske] and Tim [Cindric, team President] to watch all three cars battle for a win. Tim has said it to me before.
“What can you do? You just hate to see an incident, but that he understands it’s such a big event that it really is every man for themselves.”
An intriguing possibility on Sunday afternoon (local time) is a shortened race due to rain.
While 500 miles is 200 laps around Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the race could be declared after only 101, meaning the stakes are higher sooner.
If the rain does stay away, then the Penske trio will likely take turns slipstreaming off each other in order to save fuel for at least the first stint or two, as Chip Ganassi Racing’s drivers did in 2022.
“I think we’ve seen over the years – I think Scottie [Dixon] and Alex [Palou] have done this before – really controlled that first sort of 100-odd laps and whatnot, so it is able to be done,” said McLaughlin of Penske controlling the race.
“But we haven’t had an active discussion about it yet, but at the end of the day I’m sure there will be a sit-down with all three of us before the race and sort of analyse a few things.
“At the same time, I guess everyone knows that when you’re out in front, you’re chewing a lot of gas, so ultimately I think we’ll take turns maybe at doing that or making sure that we keep ourselves in good track position. Ultimately that’s what I’m thinking about.
“But yeah, certainly when you get back to sort of six-, seven-, eight-deep it’s quite definitely, so we need to make sure we’re up in the front.”
Race start is estimated at Sunday at 12:45 ET/Monday at 02:45 AEST, weather permitting.
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