Curt Cavin

curt.cavin@indystar.com

Verizon IndyCar Series rookie driver Alexander Rossi had never competed on an oval prior to his experience at Phoenix International Raceway in April. He called that debut “a little bit terrifying,” but 10 days of running at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May gave him the seat time he needed.

The former European-based road racer has turned that limited amount of experience into not only an Indianapolis 500 victory but a sixth-place finish last month at Iowa Speedway. He will be on the lead lap when the postponed Texas Motor Speedway race resumes Aug. 27 on Lap 72.

Before that, he has Thursday’s test at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway, site of IndyCar’s next race, to be held Aug. 21.

“I think the only time I was out of my comfort zone this year was Phoenix,” Rossi told IndyStar during a telephone call on Tuesday. “I don’t know if it was the nature of the (short) track compounded with the fact it was my first oval or whatever, but I wasn’t comfortable through the whole process.

“But, I haven’t had that feeling since.”

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Rossi linked his increased confidence with the fact the team's cars have been better on the ovals than the road and street circuits. That helps explains why 18 of the 19 laps Rossi has led have been at oval tracks.

Rossi will see the 2½-mile Pocono track for the first time Thursday.

“I know there’s no Turn 4, so I won’t be looking for that,” he said dryly before turning serious. “All I know is that all three corners are very different and that the front straight is pretty wide. That’s about it.”

Rossi will return to IMS for Monday’s test, the last oval session before the races at Pocono and Texas.

“At Texas, it was no secret that the (first) race was going to be hard on tires, and I think there was a couple of things that happened that we now understand that made it worse than it should have been,” he said. “So, I’m going back there pretty confident with what we have. I’m looking forward to it.”

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That’s not something he expected to be saying in February, but he has come a long way.

“I don’t know what I really expected in the first place,” he said. “But it’s not been anywhere close to good enough in my mind.”

Follow IndyStar reporter Curt Cavin on Facebook and Twitter: @curtcavin

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