Will Power was back in a race car Monday for the first time since breaking his back in the IndyCar Series finale last month at Las Vegas.
Power ran 115 laps at Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama, and said he felt fine and had no soreness in his back. He was scheduled to test again Tuesday.
"Physically, I felt absolutely fine, great, no soreness at all where I hurt my back," Power said. "I felt bloody good."
Power had been sidelined since sustaining two compression fractures in his thoracic vertebrae in the Oct. 16 race at Las Vegas. Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon was killed in the 15-car accident.
It's the second time Power has broken his back in an IndyCar accident, but the Team Penske driver had no reservations about returning to the car Monday.
"I was very much looking forward to getting back in the car, just getting back in the swing of things," the Australian said. "It was quite nice, and there were no problems at all. We got lots of miles in and that's basically all we're doing, just putting a lot of miles in."
Power tested the new IndyCar for Chevrolet, and Simon Pagenaud tested for Honda. Four-time series champion Dario Franchitti will test for Honda on Tuesday -- the third time Franchitti will drive the new IndyCar since the season ended.
Power tested the new car once before, at Mid-Ohio, but has yet to drive it on an oval. Franchitti and Tony Kanaan tested at Indianapolis Motor Speedway two weeks ago.
But Power thinks the car is good on road courses.
"On the road courses, the car is quite nice," he said. "The car no question is faster and has more grip. But it still needs some work. It still needs to get working a little better."
The car is scheduled to debut in the 2012 season opener, and has been touted as being safer, faster and an upgrade in technology. Wheldon was the primary test driver for Dallara during the design phase.
