European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 13, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 38 stars and strip Els Friday april 13 2007 going on a Power play aussie Driver eyes Champ car Crown by Mike Harris the associated press Long Beach Calif the Celebration after will Powers first Champ car Victory was an abbreviated one the 26yearold racer from Australia was thrilled to get the Victory under his Belt after Only 17 starts in the Champ car world series but he has bigger goals in mind than winning races or becoming the first from his country to win in the american open wheel series if s All about winning a championship Power said i feel Good about the season i think if s going to be a Good one for us and i really want to win Derrick walkers first championship Walker a Brit and a longtime team owner in the sport is co owner of team Australia along with australian business Man Craig Gore Power got off to a Strong Start in Bis quest for a title winning the inaugural vegas grand prix last sunday and giving Walker a great present on his 62nd birth Day keeping in mind that this season begins with Street races on consecutive weekends in Las vegas Long Beach and Houston Power worked particularly hard on conditioning during the of season in fitter than Ive Ever been he said in probably in the Best driving form Ive Ever been Ive got a really Good team around me if s just All working together after leading 38 of 68 laps at Las vegas Power did a few wheel smoking doughnuts in Celebration enjoyed the podium ceremony and the Champagne Bath that goes with it and then became All business in not really celebrating heaps be cause if s the Start of a Long Champion ship Power said in not going to go out and celebrate tonight or anything i just want a Good nights sleep focus on Long Beach because you know i want to go there and do the same thing you dont want to have a big High and Mark Baker left and Etc team Australia Driver will Power won for the first time fast weekend in the Champ car world series taking first in the inaugural vegas grand prix but Power who has started Only 17 Champ car races has bigger plans its All about winning a championship he says then have a big Downer in just going to keep on going about it Power grew up in Toowoomba in Queensland Australia not far from surfers Para Dise where Champ cart has raced every year since 1991 the Young Driver first drove on that Street Cir Cuit in 2001 finishing second in Australia formula Ford National championship i watched the Champ oafs on that Cir Cuit and thought that someday i would like to be doing that Power said i got my Chance for team Australia at surfers in 2005 and it was just As Good As i thought it would be Power drove two races in 2005 for what was then a firs year team and became one of its full time Drivers last year he came on Strong at the end of the season winning his first pole in first aussie to win a Champ car pole and finishing a the career High third in the finale in mexi co City he wound up sixth in Points and was voted the top Rookie in the series giving Power a big boost of Confidence in his team and in himself the team has gotten stronger every year Power said i want there for most of the first year but i think not Only did the team come on but i also came on it takes a while to learn How to drive these cars there a real Drivers car youve got to learn what makes them go Quick with the setup Walker who has worked with numerous Drivers including Gil de Ferran Robby Gordon Alex Tagliani Scott Goodyear Bryan Herta and Christian Fittipaldi was impressed with Power from the first time he saw him on the track my australian partners Gore and John fish were the ones who hired will for the surfers race in 2005 but i could see How much potential was there right from the Start Walker said Hes very dedicated and focused on what needs to be done to be successful entering the Toyota grand prix of Long Beach on sunday Power said he feels the same Way about Walker Derrick has been around the sport a Long time and he knows a lot about what you need to do to be successful Power said i want to help him get it done and give him that championship the win was great for the whole team if were going for the championship weve just got to keep doing it every week same thing race 7 Samsung 500 at Texas motor Speedway fort Worth Texas 8pm sunday get of extra last race Jimmie Johnson withstood team mate Jeff Gordons bumping and banging for much of the last 53 laps at Martinsville a and held him off by a front bumper to win for the third time in six Sextel cup races on april 1 last year Kasey Kahne became the 12th Winner in As Many Sextel cup races held at Texas yet he still managed a first by doing it from the pole Kahne sped away from the Field after the final re Start with 17 laps to go Driver to watch Texas is one of Only three Sextel tracks on which Gordon has not won if that want enough incentive his frustration Over finishing second to Johnson two weeks ago and his 24race win less Streak should do the trick Driver standings after 6 of 36 races Jeff Gordon 2 Jeff Burton 3 Annie Johnson 4 Matt Kenseth 5 by Debusch s Denny Kamin 7 co Bowyer 8 Tony Stewart 9 Carl Edwards 10 Kevin Harvick 11 Date Earnhardt or 12 Jamie Mcmurray 13 David Stremme 14 esotto Sadler 15 Marie Martin 16 Juan Montoya 17 Kar Busch 18 Ujj Yetley 19 David Ragan 19 Ryan Newman 966 938 906 836 804 776 751 726 710 687 677 650 645 639 629 625 624 616 589 589 this week Oreilly 300 at fort Worth Texas 9 pm saturday last race Carl Edwards raced to his Sec Ond consecutive Busch Victory easily win Ning the Pepsi 300 in Chilly conditions at Nash vile super Speedway to extend his Lead in the standings the Sextel cup Driver led the final 25 laps and crossed the finish line 47 seconds ahead of David Reutimann last Yean Kurt Busch became the fifth Driver in Busch series history to win in his debut leading the final 70 laps including an extra six after a flurry of late cautions at Texas motor Speedway next race Bashas supermarkets 200 april 20 Avondale Ariz this week Bahrain grand prix at Fakhir last race world Champion Fernando Alan so won the malaysian grand prix Tot and new team Mclare Mercedes its first Al Vic tory since 2005 last Yean Alonso won the season opening Bahrain grand prix holding off a Challenge from Michael Schumacher Kimi Raikkonen of Mclare Mercedes finished third next race Spanish grand prix May 14 bar Celona for More coverage last race Helio Castr Neves cruised to an easy Victory on april 1 running a nearly perfect race to win the Honda St Petersburg grand prix for the second straight year next race Andy Japan 300 april 21 Suzuka last race Mike Skinner started on the pole and stayed out front nearly ail Day at Martinsville a Speedway on March 31 leading All but seven of 253 laps to win his third consecutive race text race Oreilly Auto parts 250 april 28 Kansas City Kan a Marvlin Gars this week grand prix of Tonga Picht at Long Beach Calif last race will Power became the first australian to win a race in the Champ car or its predecessor cart in the season opening vegas grand prix last Yean Sebastien Bourdais had an Over powering Victory in the Toyota grand prix of Long Beach won at Long Beach for the Sec Ond straight year Bourdais trailed Only after a mid race pit Stop leading 70 of 74 laps on the course that threads through City streets next race grand prix of Houston april 22 standings for other series on Page 33