0 0 ) ▁shared ▁the ▁car ▁for ▁the ▁remainder ▁of ▁the ▁year . ▁▁ ▁For ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁Hin ch cl iffe ▁and ▁A les hin ▁( who ▁drove ▁a ▁third ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁car ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁season ▁finale ▁at ▁Son oma ) ▁would ▁return ▁to ▁SP M . ▁While ▁neither ▁driver ▁scored ▁a ▁victory , ▁Hin ch cl iffe ▁would ▁lose ▁a ▁close ▁battle ▁in ▁Texas ▁to ▁Graham ▁Rah al , ▁while ▁A les hin ▁would ▁win ▁his ▁first ▁pole ▁at ▁Po cono ▁Race way ▁and ▁Hin ch cl iffe ▁sat ▁on ▁pole ▁for ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 th ▁Indian apolis ▁ 5 0 0 . ▁The ▁No . ▁ 7 7 ▁would ▁return ▁for ▁Ind y , ▁with ▁Jay ▁Howard ▁driving ▁with ▁support ▁from ▁Tony ▁Stewart . ▁The ▁team ' s ▁line up ▁would ▁remain ▁un changed ▁for ▁ 2 0 1 7 . ▁While ▁Hin ch cl iffe ▁would ▁win ▁at ▁Long ▁Beach , ▁A les hin ▁would ▁struggle ▁heavily ▁his ▁second ▁year . ▁During ▁the ▁Road ▁America ▁week end , ▁A les hin ▁was ▁delayed ▁by ▁vis a ▁issues ▁coming ▁from ▁France ▁( Where ▁he ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 4 ▁H ours ▁of ▁Le ▁Mans . ▁Deutsche ▁Tour en wagen ▁Masters ▁driver ▁Robert ▁W ick ens ▁filled ▁in ▁for ▁A les hin ▁during ▁practice , ▁though ▁A les hin ▁later ▁arrived ▁at ▁the ▁track ▁and ▁rac ed . ▁Toronto , ▁A les hin ▁was ▁park ed ▁by