Pocono IndyCar: Mikhail Aleshin fastest in crash-filled practice

The Russian driver was the first in only a handful of drivers to set a 40-second lap with a 40.5530s time, equating to 221.932mph.

He set the lap in the first 15 minutes of the 100-minute practice (extended by 10 minutes accounting for a number of yellow flags), and managed to hold his lead throughout.

Despite the Chevrolet dominance so far this year, it was the Honda runners that set the pace, with James Hinchcliffe completing the session 0.3s adrift of team-mate Aleshin in second.

A late lap from Josef Newgarden left him as the highest Chevy in third, ahead of the Honda-powered Andretti pair of Alexander Rossi and Carlos Munoz.

Ryan Hunter-Reay was the first man to prove why Pocono is nicknamed the 'Tricky Triangle' after losing the rear of his Andretti Dallara-Honda and collecting the wall.

Yellow flags were waved again with an hour to go to allow marshals to inspect the track, before a lengthy caution came as a result of Charlie Kimball hitting the outside wall at Turn 1.

Juan Pablo Montoya completed the disrupted affair by making contact with the Turn 2 wall in the last five minutes.

All three drivers were unhurt but their crews face substantial work to repair the cars for qualifying, which starts less than three hours after the end of practice.

Montoya's Penske team-mates had a largely anonymous session. Championship leader Simon Pagenaud only managed 14th, while Will Power's best effort was only good enough for sixth, despite clocking in the most laps of anyone.

PRACTICE TIMES