Race on a triangular oval (oval or triangle) at Pocono organizers moved from Sunday to Monday August 22 due to bad weather. To conduct races on oval tracks in the rain can not be coated must be dry in order to avoid mass accidents and injuries.
On the eve of the race the local press and social networks were filled with photos and comments dedicated to pole position holder. The first Russian driver Mikhail Aleshin SMP Racing won the pole in IndyCar. It is not only his debut victory in qualifying US formulaic series, but also the first in the history of Russian motorsport. The hash tag #MadRussian — nickname Michael obtained with a light hand the famous Canadian driver Paul Tracy — flashed in the reports constantly.
Saturday was a day of joy. None of the players was not able to show more speed than Mikhail Aleshin, which clearly surprised and the fans and the press.
NBC Sport: «Mad Russian» led the squad talent of representatives from the six countries, which will occupy the first six places at the start. " Autoweek about emotions Michael: "It was not a person without emotions, it was a Russian face". One of the largest US USA Today news portals Aleshin devotes great stuff, describing briefly the history of the Russian driver in IndyCar. The author Kurt Kevin quoted the pilot IndyCar Nyugardena Joseph: "He (Aleshin — DT) — a great pilot, daring, especially on ovals. Not so many things that it can scare... It just keeps getting better and better. " In general, our driver was "front-page" news occasion for many publications covering motorsport.
«This is my first pole in the IndyCar, and I am very glad that this got behind the wheel of SMP Racing machine. The team worked perfectly. I had a couple of critical situations in the 1st turn, but I decided to keep up the gas and see what happens. The wall is not caught, and won the pole — incredible! », — Said Mikhail Aleshin at the end of qualifying.
The main event of the weekend, in fact, the race «ABC Supply 500» started late in the day. The pilots had to start twice. The first time the judge decided that the riders did not survive the operation before the start of the match to progress. The three leaders seemed so: Mikhail Aleshin, Joseph Nyugarden, Takuma Sato. At the end of the combat round Sato eliminated from the fight, breaking his car. Before the first wave of pit stops Nyugarden Aleshin and repeatedly exchanged positions. Then the fight came Ryan Hunter-Reay, who appeared «out of nowhere», starting from the very tail of the field. At the 49th lap Aleshin concedes Hunter-Ray lead and 62 m calls in on his second pit stop. On lap 64 the pit lane happen big accident, but fortunately, the Russian driver to the point already visited mechanics.
Faced once three cars, with one of the other cars moved literally from the top. The accident in the picture looked terrible, but no injuries were reported. The pilots did not receive any injuries.
At the 70th lap restart was given. Up to 121-th round Aleshin and Hunter-Reay contested leadership. At the same time Michael was in the lead longer — 87 laps (200) on the basis of race.
By the middle of the second hundred laps it became clear that Russian pilots have to exert more effort to stay among the leaders. At its 4 th pit stop Aleshin stopped, is in fourth place in the race.
In the shadow of the fight in the top five is the leader of the series Simon Pagenaud. By the end of the championship then had four races, and Simon even win was not necessary to hold the first position. However, a series of setbacks in recent races allowed Will Power to think seriously about reaching the title. Pagenaud was very important to score points at Pocono, but at 158 meters it is the circle, barely pulled out of the pit lane, he crashes his car, and Power is among the leaders of the race.
In the area of a circle 174 Ryan Hunter-Reay suddenly slows down, making some confusion. Who followed them, the pilots slowed down, and Mikhail Aleshin slipped forward. Hunter-Reay drove through the pit lane and returned to the track with a lag of a circle, it seemed that he was already there to dream about. Save can only ordinary yellow flags that allow the rider to come back in one round with the leaders. And this is happening on the 176-lap because of debris on the track. Drivers rushed at the last refueling and changing tires.
The last pit stop was again the team Schmidt Peterson Motorsport stumbling block. Mikhail Aleshin lost three positions at once, and timings at the time of exit from the pit lane, he was fifth. Regarding the mechanics «debriefing» after the race was the Mid-Ohio.
This writes Mikhail Aleshin, in his column on F1News.ru: «After a stage in Mid-Ohio in the team meeting was held, which was attended by the chief mechanic, released under my Nyugardena the pits during the race. There, I said absolutely grief-stricken man, that he had not steamed himself that everything would be fine and we will show them at Pocono! It is very important in a difficult period for the team not to panic. Shouting can fool everyone. It is necessary to support the team, pointing out the mistakes that guys have worked on them. »
Then began simple miracles performed by the Russian rider. Over four laps from the fifth place he moved into second and began to press Will Power, who was the first. «I understand — now or never! And I just overtook, as he could, where he could, inside, outside. „The visor has fallen,“ as we speak », — wrote Aleshin.
Similar miracles happened and over. Hunter-Reay, get a second chance, he did not miss. For three laps to go he was a quadruple (from the 12th place after the failure), and finished the third race.
Power's overtake Aleshin failed. To finish behind Michael 1.1 seconds, but it was quite a comfortable lead over his pursuers almost five seconds. As a result, Mikhail Aleshin on the podium and for the weekend won: Verizon P1 Award prize, a bonus for an increasing number of leading laps, and, in fact, the second step on the podium in the race.
Aleshin: «How would a shame however, in that situation, I did everything I could. Hats off to Power TD: although the motor had been better, but a couple of times it possessed the same mighty well in the corners, but he held the car. So everything, almost, to be honest. »
By the end of the championship only three races, one of which (the next) was canceled in June, again due to the weather. Simon Pagenaud still leads the championship, but Will Power from him 20 points behind. Joseph Nyugarden behind by 100 points, but he has a chance at the title under certain circumstances.
The next race will take place on the oval in Texas on the night from Saturday to Sunday (GMT), or rather, will begin at 4 am. Qualifications will not. Start will be given according to the positions at the time of stopping the race. The first three: Hinchcliffe, Hunter-Reay, Aleshin.
Further more interesting: Power will be the fourth and Pagenaud — 15th. It will be an interesting battle for the podium, not only in Texas, but also for winning the championship.
Photo: Broadcast, SMP Racing account, IndyCar's press service.
