HOMESTEAD, Fla. — Will Power returned to the IndyCar Series on Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, although not in a race car.

Except for being stiff from a back brace that protects still-healing vertebrae from an Aug. 21 crash in Sonoma, Calif., he looked ready to go. He might be in six weeks.

Power said Dr. Terry Trammell was so pleased with the review of X-rays last week that he thinks Power could be back in a car by late November.

“He said it almost looks too good,” Power said of Trammell’s assessment. “It’s healing fast. All the cracks are gone.”

Power was injured when he plowed into Nelson Philippe ’s stalled car after cresting over a blind corner. Power had at least three fractured vertebrae.

Philippe suffered a broken leg and a fractured foot. He, too, was at the track this weekend, although he remains in a wheelchair.

Power was signed for 2009 to be Helio Castroneves ’ stand-in during the latter’s federal tax evasion trial. Power finished sixth in St. Petersburg, Fla., in Castroneves’ car, then stepped into a third Team Penske car after the Brazilian was cleared and returned to the team.

Power was moved to a third car, No. 12, and had four top-five finishes in succession, including a win at the race in Edmonton, Alberta.

He hasn’t been signed for 2010, but team owner Roger Penske and team president Tim Cindric continue to say the plan is to retain him.

“I’m sure it will be something,” Power said.

Helio, girlfriend expecting

The Indianapolis 500 winner is about to become a daddy.

Castroneves and his girlfriend, Adriana Henao , are expecting a child, a girl they will name Mikaella . She is due Jan. 6.

“We thought about calling her ‘Indy,’ but we thought that might be a little too much,” said the Brazilian who won his third Indianapolis 500 in May.

Castroneves, 34, got the news two days prior to winning the pole for the 500 but kept it a secret until telling his Team Penske crew this weekend.

Power joked that the timing coincides with Castroneves’ acquittal.

“He must have been in a happy time,” he said.

Castroneves said marriage “is the natural next step.”

This has easily been the most emotional year of Castroneves’ life. He was cleared of federal tax evasion charges in April, became just the ninth driver in history to win three 500s in May, and now this.

“Oh, my god,” he said of the excitement. “This year started very difficult, the middle was kind of a ‘Wow!’ and now this,” he said. “This is a great ending.”

Etc.

Raphael Matos finished 14th to claim the league’s Rookie of the Year award in the first full season for Luczo Dragon Racing. He won the Indy Lights championship last year. . . . Dario Franchitti ‘s win was the 34th in the IndyCar Series for Ganassi Racing, tying it with Andretti Green Racing for second place. Team Penske has won 35. Chip Ganassi’s team won 10 this season, five each by Franchitti and Scott Dixon . . . . Danica Patrick , who was knocked around on pit road through contact from Dan Wheldon , held on to finish fifth in the standings, earning a $75,000 bonus. Each of the top five finishers earned a bonus.