Will Power Claims Baltimore Pole Again, IndyCar Series Championship in Sight

Will Power knows his best shot at winning the IZOD IndyCar Series title is this weekend at Baltimore. He won from the pole here last year and looks to do the same again this weekend.

Power won the pole for tomorrow’s Grand Prix of Baltimore, the last non-oval race on the 2012 schedule. If he leaves Maryland with at least a 54-point lead in the standings, he can clinch the championship without even showing up at the season-ending race in Fontana, Calif.

Five different teams were represented in the Firestone Fast Six. Those drivers included Will Power, Scott Dixon, Sebastien Bourdais, James Hinchcliffe, Mike Conway and Dario Franchitti.

Power destroyed his previous track record from last year by 2.7 seconds. He was nearly a full second faster than Scott Dixon. Conway was second quickest but will move back 10 spots due to an engine-change penalty. That will move Dixon up alongside Power on the front row.

This is the third straight pole for Power and his fifth of the season. He claims yet another bonus point for the championship. Ryan Hunter-Reay will be starting 13th on Sunday.

Qualifying was filled with multiple drivers having problems through the chicane. Graham Rahal had a scary crash that was reminiscent of Mark Martin’s crash at Michigan a couple of weeks ago. Nearly a third of the field lost control through this area of the course. All drivers were okay.

The Grand Prix of Baltimore can be seen live at 2 p.m. ET on NBC Sports Network. You can also listen to the race on IndyCar Radio. The green flag will waive around 2:45 p.m.