Curt Cavin

Continued U.S. sanctions against supporters of Russian president Vladimir Putin apparently will cost an impressive Verizon IndyCar Series driver a chance to race in this country another season.

Sam Schmidt, a co-owner of Indianapolis-based Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, told The Star this week that Mikhail Aleshin's financial contributions to the race team are not only behind, they're frozen.

"There's a clear road block in terms of the transfer of money," Schmidt said. "We can't seem to get any."

The U.S. government placed sanctions on SMP Bank, along with other Russian institutions connected to Putin, beginning last spring amid tensions in Ukraine.

The situation is unfortunate for all motor sports parties – Aleshin, the team owned by Schmidt and Ric Peterson, and IndyCar – given the competitiveness of the No. 7 entry and how popular Aleshin became.

Despite being a first-time U.S. visitor and new to racing on oval tracks, Aleshin finished 16th in the point standings, beating IndyCar veterans such as Takuma Sato and Graham Rahal.

Aleshin, 27, finished second in a street race in Houston, led a lap in the Indianapolis 500 and registered as many top-10 finishes (seven) as Formula One veterans Sebastien Bourdais and Justin Wilson.

Not even a horrific crash at the season-ending event slowed Aleshin down. Schmidt said Aleshin has sufficiently recovered from injuries suffered Aug. 29 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif.

"He's been a joy to work with on and off the track," Schmidt said. "But the writing on the wall is ugly there (in Russia)."

Aleshin, who is believed to be in Russia, could not be reached for comment.

Aleshin's absence will create a new two-driver lineup for the IndyCar team, which will test 2012 GP2 Series champion Davide Valsecchi, an Italian, at Sebring (Fla.) International Raceway on Dec. 16. He will test alongside recent signee James Hinchcliffe.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports previously tested Indy Lights champion Gabby Chaves, Rodolfo Gonzalez and Rocky Moran Jr. on the road course at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Schmidt said the team's second driver must have ties to funding.

"We're not going to be able to fund it internally," he said. "The driver must have full or at least partial (funding)."

FOYT REMAINS HOSPITALIZED

A.J. Foyt remains in a Houston hospital, his IndyCar Series team said Thursday, due to a post-operative complication which has been resolved.

Foyt, who turns 80 on Jan. 16, had triple bypass surgery Nov. 12 at St. Luke's Medical Center in Houston. The catheterization two days prior showed blockages in several stents from past procedures, most recently in March 2010. He was expected to remain in the hospital until Nov. 17.

"He's getting better," Foyt's son, Larry, told The Star in a text message. "(He's) still in the hospital but improving every day."

Larry Foyt said his father is expected to make a full recovery.

ETC.

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