Mikhail Aleshin Scores First Podium of Season

For the ABC Supply 500 at Pocono Raceway Mikhail Aleshin, driver of the No. 7 SMP Racing Honda, scored his first podium finish for the season.     

The Russian started off the weekend well qualifying for the pole for his first time in IndyCar. 

Once the race started on Monday after being postponed due to rain at the track on Sunday, Aleshin was fast. However, he was dealt with his fair share of challenges as the track changed from Saturday and drivers would have to contend with issues with wind.  

“Obviously the track changed definitely,” he said. “It was a bit green at the beginning, but also temperature changed. The wind was actually a factor.

“You’re coming there, you expecting what happened like last year. You had some understeer, fine, we’re going to live with this. You don’t change everything. No weight jacker, nothing. You’re coming there, everything is the same, then the wind started to blow more. “

Aleshin was able to overcome all the changes and rocketed his car around the track, leading the most laps of the race with 87. Unfortunately, he would not be able to overtake leader Will Power in the closing laps, finishing second.

“Well, day was definitely great,” he said. “Could be greater if I would be standing on the top of the podium. But today I think, to be fair, Will deserved it more because he was just faster. “I catched him, but it was just impossible to overtake. I was like going sideways, almost lost my car couple times. I just wanted this win so bad, but it wasn’t the case this time.”