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DETROIT - Danica Patrick would be ecstatic with another strong run at Detroit Indy Grand Prix.

After starting 11th at the Raceway at Belle Isle Park, Patrick worked her way up to fifth late in the race when the cars running second, third and fourth were involved in an incident with two laps to go. Patrick sped past the wreckage and held on for a second-place finish behind Andretti Green Racing teammate Tony Kanaan.

"I remember it like it was yesterday," said Patrick, fifth-fastest in practice Friday with a lap at 100.100 m.p.h. "I'm very fortunate that I didn't get caught up in it. It was great to stand next to Tony Kanaan on the podium, first and second. Hopefully we can do something similar again."

Despite winning her first IndyCar race earlier in the season at Twin Ring Motegi, nothing has come easy this year for Patrick. She has finished in the top 10 in nine of 15 races this year, but only three times in the top five, including a fifth-place showing Sunday in Sonoma, Calif.

"It's been a year of ups and downs, and drama," Patrick said. "It's either been something on the track drawing attention or something off the track. It's just been like that this year.

"(Winning) hasn't lessened the pressure to win again. We're shooting for No. 1 every week. It's the other drivers who are making it hard on me."

The success has been accompanied by some distractions. The most notable one occurred during practice for the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio when Patrick marched over to driver Milka Duno's pit box to complain to her and Dreyer & Reinbold crew members that Duno was too slow on the course and blocking faster drivers. Duno responded by twice snapping a white towel at Patrick before eventually yelling at her to leave.