FanHouse Will Power

Only days removed from a hospital bed, IndyCar Series driver Will Power has spent more time than he'd like on the couch in front of the television convalescing from a horrific-looking, head-on crash that left him with a broken back.

Even given the extra opportunity, Power hasn't watched the SportsCenter highlights or checked out the You Tube video of his frightening T-bone collision with Nelson Philippe during an Aug. 22 practice session on the Sonoma, Calif. road course.

"I already know what happened," said Power in a phone call with FanHouse on Wednesday afternoon. "I saw it first-hand; I came over the hill and much to my surprise there was a car sitting there. ... There was just no time to react."

SONOMA, Calif. (AP) -- Team Penske isn't ready to rule out injured driver Will Power making a return this season.

Power was still being evaluated at a hospital Sunday, a day after breaking two vertebrae in his lower back and sustaining a concussion during a crash in practice for the Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma.

Unfortunately lost in the hoopla accompanying NASCAR's annual visit to Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend was one of the best story lines in motorsports getting even better.

In only his fifth start of the season -- in a car and with a pit crew that he can't even fully claim his own -- Australian Will Power dominated the field to win the IndyCar race at Edmonton, Alberta, on Sunday.

You don't have to be an open-wheel fan to appreciate what Power's accomplished with great opportunity and sparing chance.

He started the season as a fill-in for Helio Castroneves but in four sporadic starts since in a third Team Penske car, Power has earned more points than four drivers who have competed the full 11 races to date. He sits only 48 points out of 10th place entering Saturday's race at the high speed Kentucky Speedway oval.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The 93rd running of the Greatest Spectacle in Racing lived up to the billing on Sunday with wild action (eight caution periods), a historic finish (Danica Patrick's third place) and a popular victory (Helio Castroneves' third Indy win).

Here's a look at some other storylines from Sunday's Indianapolis 500:

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INDIANAPOLIS - The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has kicked off its 100th birthday celebration with the closest Indy 500 starting field in history, the largest crowd in recent memory and a vibe reminiscent of the race's heyday.

Even NASCAR's "King" Richard Petty will be trackside today as Jim Nabors sings "Back Home Again in Indiana" -- to wrap up a traditional pre-race show unlike anything in sports.

Sure, the Penske and Ganassi and Andretti Green teams are odds-on favorites to win today's Indianapolis 500. But with the reunification of the two open-wheel series last year, the grid boasts a legitimate 13-14 contenders and has finally put to rest the notion that Indy has lost its competitive edge.