Will Power focused on winning Indianapolis 500

For a time the knock on Will Power was he couldn’t win anywhere but on a road course. Victories at Texas, Fontana and Milwaukee, along with becoming consistently competitive on the variety of tracks comprising the Verizon IndyCar Series schedule, erased the narrative that the Team Penske driver was some kind of one-trick pony.

Then there was the “always the bridesmaid, never the bride” label put on Power after he finished runner-up in the championship three consecutive years (2010-12). But any talk of not possessing the patience needed to secure a series title vanquished when he won last season’s championship, convincingly over teammate Helio Castroneves by a 62-point margin.

Thus, Power’s attention turns to something else that’s continually vexed him -- the Indianapolis 500.

“I definitely have more focus on Indy than ever before,” Power said. “It’s a big focus of mine to win this race.

“The first thing for me to accomplish was winning a championship, just because it’s the best driver over a whole season. I mean, that was a big deal to me to have won that. Now it’s just absolutely the 500.”

Though it’s not a prerequisite, and there are some notable exceptions -- most prominent, Michael Andretti who went winless in 16 career starts -- generally to be regarded as a great North American open-wheel driver, an Indianapolis 500 victory is almost a must. Which explains Power’s mindset entering this year’s race.

“I’m just thinking about it all the time,” he said. “How can I win it? What can I do to be better? How can I make the car better? How can I race better? You’re just thinking about all the time.”

Sunday will mark Power’s eighth Indianapolis start. In the seven previous races he has an average finish of 13.6 with a best of result of fifth. But the finishes don’t necessarily reflect his performance at the fabled track.

Not since his very first race has Power started worse than ninth. (This year he qualified second to pole-sitter Scott Dixon.) And a year ago he had one of the best cars, leading 22 laps early. A pit road speeding penalty under green-flag conditions dropped him well behind, however. He had to scramble just to finish eighth.

Power says his confidence has never been higher heading into an Indianapolis race. He’s gone back and analyzed areas where he can be better, and after last year’s slipup he’s committed to being mistake-free and avoiding falling back in traffic Sunday.

If he sticks to his game plan and puts himself near the front late in what should be a wide-open race that resembles a NASCAR restrictor-plate event, Power can add another accomplishment to an already impressive open-wheel resumè.

“I know I can do it,” Power said. “If I’m in that position I know I will have a shot at it. Where in previous years I felt like I couldn’t quite get there. Now, I feel like I can be there. And if I’m there, I know I’ll have a chance.”