Power races through pack for victory at Long Beach

LONG BEACH, Calif. -- It doesn't seem to make a difference where Will Power starts an IndyCar race anymore.

No matter how far back in the field he goes, he's finding his way to the front.

Power earned his second consecutive victory Sunday -- keeping Penske Racing perfect this season -- by picking his way through the field to drive from 12th to first in the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach.

Even though Power drove from ninth to the victory at Barber two weeks ago, the Australian didn't think he could do it again.

"I go into every season thinking that there's no way I can win another race," Power said. "I don't know why I feel like that, but I do. I guess I have an insecurity or something or I don't believe in myself enough."

That seems sort of silly considering Sunday's win was the 17th of Power's career and moved him into the points lead. He pulled it off by working his way through traffic on a street circuit where passing is difficult, conserving gas over the final 31 laps -- three laps past his fuel window -- and holding off hard-charging rookie Simon Pagenaud at the end.

Power had started on the pole the last three years and failed to win at Long Beach. Not this time, as he gave Penske its first victory at Long Beach since 2001 and kept the team perfect in three races this season. Helio Castroneves won the opener at St. Petersburg, Power won the last two races, and they've combined with teammate Ryan Briscoe to win all three poles.

But their starting positions were scrambled Sunday because all 11 Chevrolet teams were penalized by IndyCar after the manufacturer decided to yank all of its engines as a precautionary measure. The punishment is the loss of 10 spots on the starting grid, so Chevy officials did not make the engine change lightly because they knew it would put rival manufacturer Honda in strong position to win its first race of the year.

Instead, Chevrolet drivers claimed 10 of the first 14 positions and had six of the top seven spots.

■  TRUCKS -- At Rockingham, N.C., Kasey Kahne celebrated NASCAR's return to Rockingham Speedway with a win in the Truck Series race.

The track was purchased at auction by Andy Hillenburg, and he successfully brought NASCAR back. The truck race was the first NASCAR-sanctioned event at The Rock since 2004.

Kahne held off James Buescher for the victory.

■  NHRA -- At Concord, N.C., Robert Hight became the fifth Funny Car driver to win four straight NHRA national events, beating John Force, Cruz Pedregon and Ron Capps in the final of the Four-Wide Nationals.

Hight had a 4.076-second run at 314.83 mph in his John Force Racing Ford Mustang in the unique event that features racing in four lanes instead of the traditional two.

Spencer Massey (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) won their divisions.