Chevrolet Carries Momentum to Dual in Detroit
· Team Chevy swept doubleheader in 2016, ‘14
ᴏ Belle Isle’s 2.35-mile, 13-turn circuit is fast, tricky
· Indianapolis 500 winner Will Power is two-time winner
ᴏ He takes points lead into the twin 70-lap races
· 2.2-liter direct-injected V6 Chevy engine a proven winner
ᴏ Chevrolet drivers have won the past three races
· Tony Kanaan to mark 350th Indy car start on Saturday of Doubleheader Weekend
DETROIT (May 30, 2018) – Following his scintillating victory in the 102nd Indianapolis 500 presented by PennGrade Motor Oil on May 27, Will Power said “it was the last box to tick, to be considered as a very successful driver, but I’m not done.”
Power has set his sights on adding to his 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series (VICS) championship. Sweeping the May road course and oval races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway has put the driver of the No. 12 Verizon Team Penske Chevrolet in considerably better position to accomplishing that objective.
He’s the series points leader heading into the Chevrolet Dual in Detroit as part of the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix presented by Lear this weekend at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park. The 70-lap races June 2 and 3 on the 2.35-mile, 13-turn temporary street circuit will be telecast live at 3:30 p.m. ET by ABC both days.
Since its return to the Verizon IndyCar Series in 2012, Chevrolet has swept the doubleheader in 2016 (Power and Sebastien Bourdais) and 2014 (Helio Castroneves and Power), and Bourdais also won in ’15 in Chevrolet-powered entry.
“I want to have a great weekend there,” said Power, who started from the pole in Race 1 of the 2015 season. “It’s a challenging weekend because of the doubleheader and you’re coming off the whole month at the Speedway. It’s a very tough track. You have some pretty fast corners and it’s just a technical track with different levels of grip around the street circuit.
“It’s obviously Roger’s (Penske) home track and Chevrolet’s home track, as well. It’s one of my favorite places to go and I’m looking forward to it. I feel the team has worked very well this year with the new car and Chevy has done a fantastic job with the engine.”
Power, who collected $2.52 million for his Indianapolis 500 win, has not qualified lower than third in the six Verizon IndyCar Series races. He is tied with Al Unser Jr. for eighth on the all-time Indy car list with 34 victories.
“I still have plenty of time left to win more 500s and championships and races,” said Power, who became the first Australian to win the Indy 500. “Now I know every oval I go to, like a road course, I have a great shot at winning. That’s the attitude you have to have. It’s all about hard work in motorsports. The harder you work, the luckier you get.”
Chevrolet drivers have won the past three races, including Power on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course and reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Josef Newgarden at Barber Motorsports Park.
Tony Kanaan, driver of the No. 14 ABC Supply Chevrolet for AJ Foyt Racing, will seek to make his 350th career Indy car start and record-extending 290th consecutive start when the field rolls to the green flag on Saturday.
The career starts streak started in 2001 at Portland, where Kanaan returned to racing after sustaining a concussion in a qualifying crash June 17 at Belle Isle. Kanaan is third on the all-time starts list, trailing his boss, A.J. Foyt with 369 and Mario Andretti with 407.
Kanaan, of Brazil, won his first race in America at Belle Isle in 1996 in Indy Lights and again in ’97 en route to the series championship. He won the IndyCar race on the island in 2007.
Fans can see an impressive array of Chevrolet production vehicles, including the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1, the 2018 Traverse High Country, Corvette Grand Sport, Silverado 1500, 2018 Equinox and immersive displays at the Chevrolet IndyCar display in the Fan Zone.
Fans also will have the opportunity to interact with Team Chevy drivers in the Fan Zone: Friday – 10-10:15 a.m. Team Penske (Josef Newgarden, Will Power, Simon Pagenaud); 1:45-2 p.m. – Harding Racing (Gabby Chaves); 2-2:15 – Ed Carpenter Racing (Jordon King, Spencer Pigot). Saturday – 9-9:15 a.m. Juncos Racing (Rene Binder); 12:30-12:45 p.m. – Carlin Racing (Charlie Kimball, Max Chilton). Sunday 1-1:15 p.m. – AJ Foyt Racing (Matheus Leist, Tony Kanaan).