A clean-cut Will Power was presented today in The Captain's colors and with hopes of an extended stay in Helio's seat. (Penske Racing)
Will Power could be in Roger Penske's car for a couple tests, one race, no races or the whole 2009 IndyCar season. But he figures it's all good.
"No matter what the outcome is, I'm happy to be here and it's going to be great for my career," said Power on Tuesday after officially being named as the stand-in/replacement for Helio Castroneves at Team Penske.
"I'm really looking forward too helping these guys and learning from them. When you come to America to race open wheel cars, obviously Roger Penske is your dream and I feel very privileged."
For right now, Power is the test driver of the No. 3 car, pending Castroneves' federal trial for income tax evasion which begins March 2. The trial is expected to last at least 20 business days and the two-time Indy 500 winner's career is hanging on the verdict.
"The way I look at it, we have three drivers at Team Penske," said Penske Racing president Tim Cindric, flanked at the press conference by Ryan Briscoe, Castroneves and Power. "We'll determine who drives which one of those two cars depending on how everything sorts out. We remain hopeful that Helio's situation will have a positive outcome and the team is fully behind him. While Helio prepares for his court case, we're excited to welcome Will to the team.
"The most important thing for us in 2009 -- not only is (Castroneves) our driver, but our friend -- is to do everything we can to support Helio going forward with what he's going through. But, under these circumstances, our job is to make sure that in racing you're as prepared as you can possibly be. That's what Roger (Penske) has always set a precedence for; it's what our organization is known for, is preparation. We need to be sure in 2009 that we're ready to go and we're ready to win as many races as we can for not only our sponsors and for our organization but also all those that work for us.
"If Helio is ready to go in St. Pete, then he's still our guy. If he's not ready to go in St. Pete, then obviously Will's going to be ready to go in St. Pete. Anything after that really is a matter of how everything plays out day to day."
