Team Australia’s Will Power has claimed his third Champ Car pole position for the season after stunning lap on the demanding Edmonton Airport circuit in Canada today.

Today’s pole gives Power an extra championship point and means he now rests just one point behind series leader Robert Doornbos heading into tomorrow's eighth round of the 2007 Champ Car World Series.

The last time the points were this close in the championship after seven rounds was back in 1999 when Dario Franchitti and Juan Pablo Montoya ended the season tied on points.

Power’s team-mate Simon Pagenaud has qualified seventh, which is the eighth time this season he has qualified seventh or better.

Power set a track record with a time of 58.40 seconds and was looking to go even quicker late in the session when he jumped a curb and took off his front wing.

Power, who is chasing back-to-back wins after clinching victory in Toronto two weeks ago, will start from pole ahead of yesterday’s provisional polesitter Sebastien Bourdais and English driver Justin Wilson.

Wilson actually protested Power for an alleged “block” late in the session, but the protest was dismissed and the original qualifying positions stand.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY ...

Will Power - #5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01

“We have had the speed here all weekend, I just hadn't been putting laps together,” admitted Power.

“We haven't had a clear run. That was pretty much my first clear lap and we did what we needed to do.

“It's a good deal to pick up the extra championship point, but we have to do it in the race tomorrow. I have to say that Canada's been quite friendly to us the last three races, so I am looking forward to the race tomorrow.

“It will be interesting in the race tomorrow. I think in qualifying and practice, everyone's pushing a lot harder and that's why they're going off, trying to find a limit.

“In the race, it's a little bit different story, people saving fuel and being a little bit more conservative.

“The race for the championship basically starts this weekend and hopefully we can keep the momentum going and he right there at the end.

“It is always great to claim the pole for Team Australia, Aussie Vineyards and all our other sponsors and fans, but we have a lot of work ahead of us.”

Simon Pagenaud - #15 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01

“It has been a rough day,” said Pagenaud.

“We’ve had a good Aussie Vineyards car all day long and I guess qualifying didn’t go the way that we had wanted. We had a good car in the first stint with red tyres.

“I did a decent lap, a 58.8, which was a P4, and when we went back out on track the red tyres worked really well on one lap and then I got blocked in the last lap by Mr. Doornbos.

“I guess he still doesn’t get the rules of Champ Car.

“I don’t know what to say, it’s just very disappointing because obviously we had a better car than seventh, because the car was much quicker than that.

“The whole crew has done a great job and we have a great race car for tomorrow. I expect that we will do good in the race and we can get back up there.”

Derrick Walker - Team Australia Co-Owner

“This is what we needed,” said Walker.

“Every point is going to count in this championship. The car was right on the money and Will Power did the rest.

“It is a great starting position for tomorrow. Everybody in the team is pumped and we are looking for a good race.

“Seventh position was probably not what Simon was hoping for, but as we have seen at all these races, unless we have the whole package just right there are too many good cars out there that can get in the way.

“Despite that, P7 is a good place to start and the race is a completely different game.

“With some good luck, good cars and Smart driving we will have two good finishes with our boys.”

Craig Gore - Team Australia Co-Owner

“What an awesome result for Will and the Team Australia crew,” said Gore.

“Will and the team just go from strength to strength and seem to be gaining in confidence every time they hit the track.

“Will knows he is a chance of winning this year’s championship and he is focused on nothing else, which is what you want from a driver at this level.

“Hopefully we can get the luck we need in the race tomorrow and get back into the lead of the series.

“It is a big weekend for the Team Australia organisation with our Champ Cars in Edmonton, Marcos Ambrose in the NASCAR Busch race in St Louis and our two V8 Supercars on track at Queensland Raceway in Australia.

“Will’s pole certainly helps the moral and momentum of the whole organisation.

“The great news is that Australia fans will have the chance to watch the Edmonton race on Channel 7 tomorrow night. Hopefully we will have an Australian winner to cheer for.”

Press Conference Transcript – Will Power (#5 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia DP01)

THE MODERATOR: Our polesitter for tomorrow is Will Power. Will set a track record here at the Rexall Speedway with a time of 58:403.

Will, you were really pushing even harder there on your last lap where you took off your front wing.

WILL POWER: Yeah, I think I did a similar thing to what Sebastien did this morning, except he spun and I corrected it, and jumped the curb, took off the front wing, did a bit of damage. But I did a time good enough earlier on in the run. So, you know, it was good.

We had the speed there all weekend. I just haven't been putting laps together. We haven't had a clear run. That was pretty much my first clear lap. And, yeah, we did what we needed to do.

THE MODERATOR: And with the point you earned today, you've regained sole possession of second place in the championship standings. It seems like ever since we've announced this Triple Crown initiative, the Team Australia team has really kicked it into gear.

WILL POWER: Yeah, it's a good deal. Got to do it in the race tomorrow, though. But, yeah, I have to say that Canada's been quite friendly to us the last three races. So looking forward to the race tomorrow.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you, Will.

Now we'll open it up to questions from the media.

Q. A lot of incidents out there, kind of a risk/reward type of deal. What kind of race of we going to expect tomorrow?

WILL POWER: Yeah, it will be interesting in the race tomorrow. I think in qualifying and practice, everyone's pushing a lot harder, and that's why they're going off, trying to find a limit. But in the race, it's a little bit different story, people saving fuel and being a little bit more conservative.

In the past, yeah, there haven't been so many yellows. But going off this season, there has been a lot of mayhem in the races. We should check the weather forecast for tomorrow (laughter).

Q. Talk about how close the points are in the championship.

WILL POWER: I'd like to be in the lead at the end (laughter). But it would be nice for the fans to see a last-race showdown. But, yeah, it basically starts here, the championship.

THE MODERATOR: A quick note for the media. The last time the points race was this close after seven races was 1999 when the season championship actually ended in a tie between Dario Franchitti and Juan Pablo Montoya.

RESULTS: Final Qualifying (Combined)
1. #5 Will Power 58.403
2. #1 Sebastien Bourdais 58.596
3. #9 Justin Wilson 58.410
4. #2 Graham Rahal 58.485
5. #21 Neel Jani 58.762
6. #19 Bruno Junqueira 58.846
7. #15 Simon Pagenaud 58.868
8. #28 Ryan Dalziel 59.256
9. #8 Alex Tagliani 59.483
10. #4 Dan Clarke 59.503