Verizon IndyCar Series champion Will Power provided a sneak peek of 2015 during the Sept. 30 employee day at Verizon’s New Jersey campus when he pointed to the new number on the rear wing assembly of his car on display.
Power, who had used No. 12 in all but one race since joining Team Penske in 2009 (that season’s opener in St. Petersburg, when he filled in for Helio Castroneves), will drive the No. 1 Verizon-sponsored car.
“This championship would not have been possible without the support of Dan Mead, Lowell McAdam and everyone at Verizon,” said Power, recognizing Verizon’s senior leaders. “I’ve always wanted to come back to one of these events as the champion so that I could properly thank everyone for believing in me. This year we were able to do it.”
In 2013, Ryan Hunter-Reay was the last to use No. 1, which is reserved for the series entrant (not driver) champion. According to the Verizon IndyCar Series rulebook, car No. 1 is reserved for the defending entrant (not driver) champion. Formal paperwork has not been filed with INDYCAR, though the team has officially registered No. 22 for new driver Simon Pagenaud (the same number Joey Lagano runs for the team in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series). Castroneves will continue in the No. 3 and Juan Pablo Montoya will again run No. 2.
Gil de Ferran in 2001 was the last Team Penske driver to run No. 1.
Click it: Power splits runway series with jet || Pagenaud takes next career step
Scott Dixon, the 2013 series champion, retained No. 9 on his red and white Target Chip Ganassi Racing car this past season. He ran the No. 1 in the 2004 season. Sebastien Bourdais had the No. 1 on his car in 2005, ’06 and ’07 to recognize his CART/Champ Car World Series championships.
Champions who ran No. 1 (with sanctioning body)
1982 – Rick Mears (CART)
1983 – Rick Mears (CART) except in Indianapolis 500 where he used No. 2. George Snider used No. 1 at Indy as USAC champ
1984 – Al Unser (CART) except at Indy where Tom Sneva used No. 1 as defending 500 winner (USAC champ)
1985 – Mario Andretti except at Indy where Rick Mears (USAC champ) used it and Road America where Alan Jones drove Andretti’s car
1986 – Rick Mears (CART) except at Indy where Danny Sullivan used it as defending race champion
1987 – Bobby Rahal (CART)
1988 – Bobby Rahal (CART) except at Indy where Al Unser used it as defending race winner
1989 – Danny Sullivan (CART)
1990 – Emerson Fittipaldi (CART)
1991 – Al Unser Jr. (CART) except at Indy where Arie Luyendyk used it as defending race winner
1992 – Michael Andretti (CART)
1993 – Bobby Rahal (CART)
1994 – Nigel Mansell (CART)
1995 – Al Unser Jr. (CART)
1996 – Raul Boesel (CART) driving car Villeneuve won 1995 title for Team Green
1996-1997 – Scott Sharp (IRL) except at Indy where Paul Durant drove his car and Texas, Charlotte, Loudon and Las Vegas where Billy Boat drove his car.
1997 – Jimmy Vasser (CART)
1998 – Tony Stewart (IRL)
1998 – Alex Zanardi (CART)
2000 -- Greg Ray (IRL)
2000 – Juan Pablo Montoya (CART)
2001 – Gil de Ferran (CART)
2002 – Cristiano da Matta (CART) for three races after he clinched the 2002 title
2003 – Bruno Junqueira (CART) driving car da Matta won 2002 title with (Newman/Haas)
2004 – Scott Dixon (IRL)
2004 – Paul Tracy (CCWS)
2005 – Sebastien Bourdais (CCWS)
2006 – Sebastien Bourdais (CCWS)
2006 – Michael Andretti (IRL) driving entry in Indianapolis 500 for defending race winner Andretti Green Racing
2007 – Sebastien Bourdais (CCWS)
2013 – Ryan Hunter-Reay (INDYCAR)