Will Power to lead Team Penske’s push in IndyCar

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) — Will Power will lead the field to green in IndyCar’s season-opening race as Team Penske looks to extend its recent run of motorsports success.

Power and Josef Newgarden make an all-Penske front row for Sunday’s race through the streets of downtown St. Petersburg. Penske driver Ryan Blaney starts from the pole later Sunday at the NASCAR race in Phoenix, where the organization is seeking its third consecutive NASCAR victory.

Power has started on pole eight times in the last 10 years of this race.

The starting grid represents the top three teams in IndyCar as Penske, Chip Ganassi Racing and Andretti Autosport all swept a row during qualifying. Felix Rosenqvist, a rookie from Sweden, and reigning IndyCar champion Scott Dixon start on the second row for Ganassi.

Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alexander Rossi took the third row for Andretti. Rossi was runner-up to Dixon in last year’s championship race.

Colton Herta is making his debut for Harding Steinbrenner Racing and the 18-year-old has been fast all weekend. He would have qualified inside the top six, but his laps were thrown out as punishment for blocking.