Will Power is obviously focused on IndyCars for now, but the Team Penske racer admits he has had thoughts about coming to NASCAR and trying stock cars.
“Yeah, I have,” Power said earlier this week. “It has to be the right opportunity for the team; I’d love to do it, think it would be cool. Love to drive a stock car. But focused on IndyCar right now and trying to get the most out of that.”
The practice of ride swapping has been a big topic of conversation across the motorsports world the last few years. Kurt Busch, the 2004 Cup champion, competed in the 2014 Indianapolis 500 before flying to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the longest race of the NASCAR season, the Coca-Cola 600. This year, Fernando Alonso has been the headline maker by passing on running the Monaco Grand Prix for the Indianapolis 500.
There are plenty of drivers Power could go to for tips on making the transition from IndyCar to NASCAR, including former champion Dario Franchitti. Of course, if he wants to hear from someone who did so recently, one of Power’s teammates went from IndyCar to NASCAR and back to IndyCar.
Juan Pablo Montoya spent seven full years in the Cup Series from 2007 to ’13, earning two career wins and 2007 Rookie of the Year honors. Montoya returned to the IndyCar Series in 2014 and will drive for Penske in the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday.
That is where Power’s immediate focus is as well. In nine previous attempts, Power finished a career-best second in 2015 after leading 23 laps. A win at Indianapolis would be another crown jewel for Power’s career after winning the 2014 series championship.
And, perhaps, winning the Indianapolis 500 could also move Power closer to one day getting in a stock car. According to Power, when he brought the subject up to team owner Roger Penske, there were two things he said Power needed to do first.
“I asked him a long time ago about going to NASCAR, and he said you need to win a championship and (the Indy) 500, then we’ll talk,” Power said with a light laugh. “We’ll see.”
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