It feels like Christmas already to Will Power.

The 29-year-old racing driver from Toowoomba leads America's IndyCar open-wheeler series by a commanding 41 points with five races remaining.

He's already bagged the new Mario Andretti Trophy, named in honor of the legendary Italo-American driver who has been perhaps the most versatile in the history of motor racing.

The Andretti trophy was created to recognise the top driver on the street and road courses in the IndyCar series.

Power could hardly have envisaged himself as the inaugural winner of it after the crash a year ago in which four vertebrae in his back were broken.

That was in practice before the IndyCar round at Infineon Raceway in northern California's Sonoma County.

He had crested the blind Turn 3A in that hilly circuit at 160kmh, blissfully unaware that over the rise sat the stalled similar car of Nelson Philippe, a Frenchman little known despite having won the 2006 Indy race on the Gold Coast.

Power could do nothing to avoid crashing into Philippe.

"I didn't know there was a car there until I hit him," Power recalls.

"I was conscious, but I was in excruciating pain. It knocked out my front teeth.

"The back pain was unbelievable, but the first thing I did was move my legs to make sure I could still feel them."

Power was rushed to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, then flown in the private jet of his boss, automotive billionaire and American open-wheeler racing's most successful team owner Roger Penske, to Indianapolis - the Queenslander's adopted home and the centre of Indy racing.

During months of rehabilitation, unable to sit up for more than a few minutes at a time because of the pressure on his spine, Power wondered whether he'd ever race again.

Whether he'd be as quick as he had been, having just won his first race for Penske at Edmonton in Canada, while retained part-time as a thank-you for having filled the breach while Penske's three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves faced tax evasion charges.

And, irrespective of how well he came through physically, Power worried most of all whether he'd even get another gig as a race driver.

But Penske kept the faith with him.

The man known as "The Captain" stretched his IndyCar team to three full-time entries for this year, assuring Power of a drive as teammate to fellow Australian Ryan Briscoe and Castroneves.

And not only has Power returned but he's overshadowed Brazilian Castroneves and Sydneysider Briscoe, who came close to winning the IndyCar series last year, and - usually - the drivers in the sport's other top team, Scotsman Dario Franchitti, this year's Indianapolis 500 winner, and New Zealander Scott Dixon, the reigning series champion, with Chip Ganassi Racing.

Power has won four races, finished in the top five in all but three of the 12 rounds so far, and scored a series record-equalling seven pole positions.

This weekend the series is back at Infineon Raceway for the last road race of the season.

There was a test day there for the IndyCar troupe last week - and Power was the fastest driver on the track.

"I was a little bit nervous heading up over that hill a couple of times at first," Power admitted.

There were warning lights on the approach to Turn 3A last year in case there was a car or debris over the hill.

Power had not seen them then because they were too dim, but much brighter lighting has been installed since.

Two extra strobelights have been added, making four.

There are now black backboards to further improve visibility, and sets of LED lights facing the track.

There has always been a flag marshal's stand at that point, but now in-car caution lights, spotter radio communication and race control audio should ensure no driver is unaware of potential danger ahead.
"It's like a Christmas tree up there now," Power said.

"It's that bright you can't miss it.

"The track people have done a fantastic job of making sure that everyone is aware if someone does spin.

"If there is a car sitting up and over the top, there's a lot of warning before you get there now.

"I enjoy this track actually. It's one of the better road courses we come to, so it's nice to be back - and I'd love to win."
And if Power is to take the overall IndyCar title he may well need to win at Infineon - it is the last road course on the calendar, before four oval tracks - in Chicago, Kentucky, Japan, and Florida - to conclude the season.

Like another Aussie racing in America, Marcos Ambrose, Power is yet to master the black art of oval racing.

Ambrose's future remains unclear.

Having announced recently that he will walk away from the JTG Daugherty Racing outfit that he's been with for five years in American stock car racing, there has been no confirmation of a new deal.

Speculation is rife though of Ambrose joining Richard Petty Motorsports, a team that would reunite him with Ford - with which he won two Australian V8 Supercar titles - after two years driving a Toyota Camry.