Coming to a brand new track for the first time should always be the ultimate equaliser, especially when there’s been no testing on that track and a simulator is the only preparation for it.
However, there is one driver you can pick out as an easy option for a pre-qualifying and race favourite ahead of the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville, and that’s Will Power.
The last new street circuit on the calendar was Houston in 2013. Power won one of the two races that weekend along with Scott Dixon.
The previous new street course, Baltimore in 2011, Power took pole, victory and the fastest lap. The last new street course before that? Power won at Sao Paulo. Seeing a theme developing here?
Asked about if he arrives here with more confidence knowing his and his Team Penske’s record at new circuits, he said: “Yeah, I’ve certainly been good at it in the past.
“It’s a tough group right now.
“All the teams are good these days, so you don’t really have any advantage.
“But, yeah, always look forward to it.
“I feel like we can have a pretty good weekend here which would mean winning. Basically anything else, just be pissed off!”
The last example of winning on a new street course, in 2013, may seem like a long time ago. But since then he’s scored four wins and seven poles on street circuits since. The stats certainly say he’s a safe bet.
However, it’s not been an easy year for Penske. Josef Newgarden broke the team’s winless streak last time out at Mid-Ohio, meaning Power nor his team-mates won at St Pete or in two Detroit races, the street circuits on the calendar so far in 2021.
This is a lesson in how the stats can skew though, as Power was robbed of a win after a car issue restarting after a red flag in which he was in the lead in the first Detroit race, and Newgarden led the second race in the closing stages before a late Pato O’Ward move. Newgarden was second at St Pete, too.
Perhaps more of an issue for Power is the lack of a pole anywhere in 2021. Power had three after 10 races last year, and Newgarden has three this year. So the team is capable, but arguably IndyCar’s best ever qualifier Power has struggled to pull everything together this year.
At the moment, his qualifying average is in double figures, something that’s not happened at the end of the year since 2008.
His average starting position has dropped below six only once in the last 10 seasons, including 2021 so far.
It seems Andretti’s Colton Herta could take over as the series’ qualifying star of the future.
He is against a tough field as he alluded to, but Nashville would be a great chance for success given his record at new tracks and street circuits.
However, Nashville also provides an even playing field which could favour a more inexperienced IndyCar driver to take advantage.
It’s one of the reasons today’s qualifying session is set to be a corker. But don’t be surprised if the original street fighter Power puts the little blue sticker for pole on the back of his car by the end of the day.
