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Mario Andretti has personally congratulated Will Power after the Queenslander broke his all-time pole record with the 68th of his IndyCar/Champ Car career.
Power tied Andretti’s longstanding benchmark two events ago at Gateway and has now qualified in first position for the final race of the 2022 IndyCar season at Laguna Seca, extending his series lead to 21 points on a day when his key rivals had shockers.
The 41-year-old was greeted in pit lane by the 82-year-old, who was glowing in his praise.
“Awesome, awesome,” said Andretti of Power.
“I know how much I loved qualifying and I can see that he’s the same.
“It’s just trying to reach and trying to just do the lap that you know that you cannot repeat and that’s what puts you on pole.”
The Toowoomba native’s first pole came in his home race on the streets of the Gold Coast in Champ Car in 2006, and he started this season with 63 to his name before adding more at Indianapolis on the road course in May, two at Iowa, and then the record-equalling pole at Gateway.
Asked if he expected the record to fall to Power, Andretti, who retired from IndyCar in 1994, said, “Absolutely, I mean, it was coming, and that’s beautiful, that’s great for the series, great for the sport.
“Records are made to be broken and it’s with a good man.”
Something special.@MarioAndretti congratulates @12WillPower on passing him to take sole possession of the record for most @INDYCAR poles. pic.twitter.com/c0v0iwgRUq
— INDYCAR on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) September 10, 2022
Team owner and nowadays IndyCar Series owner Roger Penske was also on hand to congratulate Power
“Well, I tell you, to see Mario Andretti walk up the pits and shake his hand is really something,” said ‘The Captain’.
“I remember watching Mario over the years, and what a class guy he is.
“To see Will, over the years, just put it down, put it down, and today when it counts, he was the winner, and to get that pole is terrific for the team and Chevy and Verizon and all our sponsors who have been with us so long.
“But, wow.”
Penske added, “I think that what we’ve done this year has been terrific.
“Obviously disappointed at Indianapolis, but I just can’t believe how well all three drivers [including Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin] have done, the team together, and I tell you, it shows what he’s got in him so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
Power has now taken a big step towards sealing a second IndyCar series title, given Newgarden qualified 25th after a spin in Round 1 of Qualifying.
Chip Ganassi Racing’s Scott Dixon, who is tied for second with Newgarden in the series standings, failed to advance from that group and is set to start 13th.
Neither of the other mathematical title contenders made the Fast Six either, with McLaughlin qualifying eighth and Marcus Ericsson (Ganassi) 10th.
The Warm Up starts on Sunday at 12:00 ET/Monday at 02:00 AEST, followed by the final race of the season later in the day at 15:30 ET/05:30 AEST.
Stan Sport’s live and ad-free coverage resumes on Monday morning at 05:00 AEST.
