Will Power is focused on taking his third pole position of the year as the first step toward rejuvenating his IndyCar season. Following bitter disappointment in the inaugural IndyCar Classic at COTA, the Aussie is hoping a ‘three-peat’ of pole awards can re-ignite a misfiring start to the 2019 NTT IndyCar season.

“It would be really cool to go three-for-three in P1 awards for the year”, said Power ahead of this weekend’s Honda Grand Prix of Alabama at Barber Motorsports Park.

Power: another hole at the beginning of the season

Following a DNF at COTA the Team Penske driver sits 46 points adrift of teammate and championship leader Josef Newgarden after just two races of a scheduled 17.

“I’m still really disappointed”, said Power of the lap 46 input drive failure that cost him a potential podium finish. “I think we had a great shot at winning”, concluded the reigning Indianapolis 500 champion who finds himself in “another hole at the beginning of the season” much like his unsuccessful 2018 championship bid.

Although it was another case of heartbreak at the Circuit of the Americas two weeks ago, Power remains confident heading into the next round at Barber. An enviable track record at the Alabama circuit combined with the early-season pace of his Verizon Penske Chevrolet means the 38-year-old expects to run at the front of the field on Sunday.

“We’ve shown to be strong at two different types of tracks to start the year – a street course and a permanent road course. So we just want to keep that momentum going”, he said.

Pace and pedigree run in Power’s favour at Barber

Power is a two-time former winner at Barber (2011 and 2012) and has recorded a further five top-5 finishes in nine visits to the 17-turn road course. Strong results have however been hard to come by in recent seasons.

A late-race puncture in 2017 denied Power victory despite leading 60 of 90 laps. Last year’s rain-affected, two-day race was also a bitter one for Power as he spun and crashed on restart in tricky conditions.

At a track that is notoriously difficult to pass on it is no surprise that since 2010, the race winner has qualified inside the top 3 on seven occasions. But as Power himself knows all too well, anything can happen at Barber Motorsports Park.

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IndyCar racing at Barber starts with practice Friday, April 5 from 11.15am (local) and qualifying for the Firestone Fast Six on Saturday, April 6 from 3pm (local).

The green flag drops on the Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama for 90 laps at 3.15pm on Sunday April 7 with live and exclusive coverage on NBCSN.

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