Reigning Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power has watched Team Penske teammates Helio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud top the speed chart in practice for the Indianapolis 500 Mile Race.

He’s consistently been near the top throughout the week leading into qualifications and forecasts all four (Juan Pablo Montoya, too) to be factors May 17 in the “Fast Nine Shootout” to determine the Verizon P1 Award winner and set the first three rows for the May 24 race.

“I think pole is going to be fought out between the Penske drivers, and the race,” he said.  “Obviously, the race is a much different story, a lot of mileage to go. It's all got to work for you to get pole here.”

His stated goal is sweeping the Month of May, and he’s halfway there by earning the Verizon P1 Award – the 38th of his career – in track lap-record fashion and cruising to victory in the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis on May 9. He became the fifth different winner in as many races.

Power’s best start in the 500 Mile Race is fifth in 2010; his best finish is fifth in 2009.

“I looked at (Ryan) Hunter Reay last year, and he obviously had a very strong car and a strong engine,” Power said of the 2014 Indy 500 winner. “But, in a way, it was good for him to have to chop through all that traffic, so when he got to clean air he was just absolutely solid and dialed in and understood how to pass cars.

“It was almost a blessing in disguise because when he got there, no one was going to beat him. He had so much practice at passing cars and being aggressive and in really dirty air, so when he got clean air it was just really good for him. There's that point of view.

 “And then if you don't have a good car, you'll never make it to the front.  It's really difficult in dirty air. For me, I'd definitely rather start at the front than back there.”