Power pads IRL series lead

Associated Press

SONOMA, Calif.

Back broken, front teeth scattered somewhere, head ringing, Will Power left the 2009 race at Infineon Raceway in a helicopter.

A year later, he walked away, a bit of payback and a trophy in hand, his first series title well within reach.

Shaking off a touch of early anxiety, Power returned to Infineon Raceway with a dominating win on Sunday, padding his IndyCar Series lead on a course that nearly ended his career.

“Unbelievable. I watched this race from a hospital bed last year,” Power said. “I said it all year, I’m coming back to win this because I thought this track owes me because of what happened.”

Power was admittedly nervous when he first hit the gas pedal at Infineon this week and felt a touch of anxiety every time he saw dust fly over the hill where his back-breaking wreck took place in 2009.

He showed no fear once the racing started, though, setting an IndyCar record with his eighth pole of 2010, then leading 73 of 75 laps over the technically demanding 2.303-mile circuit through the hills of the California wine country.

Rarely challenged over the 12-turn, elevation-changing course, Power has 59-point lead over defending series champion Dario Franchitti heading into the season’s final four races. Ryan Briscoe was fourth.