INDIANAPOLIS — Will Power won’t be waiting around for a ride next year.
Penske Racing has hired the 28-year-old Australian to drive full time next year after giving the Indy Racing League driver a part-time gig last season. He will drive the No. 12 Verizon Wireless Dallara/Honda for a team that features three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves and Ryan Briscoe.
“It is a dream come true,” Power told reporters Thursday after Penske made the announcement. “It’s something I’ve worked very hard for my whole career, to end up in a place like this.”
Penske said the deal is a key element of a multiyear deal with Verizon Wireless that began this year. Power’s deal is only for the 2010 season, and additional years haven’t been discussed.
Power drove for Penske last season while Castroneves dealt with legal issues. After Castroneves returned, Power stayed on temporarily and finished fifth at the Indianapolis 500. Penske eventually brought him back, and Power finished third at Toronto and won at Edmonton.
“The results speak for themselves,” Penske Racing president Tim Cindric said. “We’re excited to be able to give him the opportunity to come on full time because he’s done an excellent job in a very difficult situation.”
A crash on Aug. 22 in Sonoma, Calif. ended Power’s season. He broke four bones in his back, had a concussion and chipped his left front tooth in a collision.
Power said he’s on pace to recover in time for next season.
“I’m feeling really good,” he said. “Everything’s going well. It’s actually ahead of schedule, the way my back healed. I don’t think there going to be any problem getting back in the car in January.”
Penske felt it couldn’t afford to take a chance on Power going elsewhere.
“With the result he had last year, there was probably going to be more people knocking on his door if they found out he was available,” Cindric said.
Power said he wanted to stay all along because of Penske’s quality.
“Every time I was in a car, it was a good car,” he said. “There’s no use running around in the back of the field in a team that’s not up to the job. You don’t do yourself any favors.”
Now, instead of hunting for a ride, Power is talking about winning a championship.
“That’s what I’m aiming for,” he said. “I want to be running at the front all year, and I’ll really want to be one of the contenders. I’ll be doing my absolute best.”
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