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Danica Patrick takes pole

Danica Patrick, driver of the No. 16 Rahal Letterman Racing Argent Pioneer Panoz Honda, during practice for the IRL Indycar Series Argent Mortgage Indy 300 at the Kansas Raceway in Kansas City, Kansas on Saturday. PHOTO: AFP

American rookie Danica Patrick won her first Indy Racing League pole on Saturday at Kansas Speedway, becoming the second woman to take the top spot in series history.

Patrick, the first woman to lead a lap at the Indianapolis 500, turned in a quick lap of 214.688mph (345.432kph) on her second try around the 2.4km tri-oval in qualifying for Sunday's Argent Mortgage Indy 300. Sarah Fisher was the first female pole-sitter, starting first at a race in 2002 in Kentucky.

With two teammates qualifying second and third, Patrick's chances of earning her first IRL victory are even better.

"It's very satisfying," said Patrick, who edged out Rahal Letterman teammate Buddy Rice for the pole. ``I'm very proud of how hard this team has worked, how hard I've worked. I'm just proud of the whole situation for this team.''

In May, Patrick finished fourth at the Indianapolis 500, the best finish by a woman in the 89-year history of the race, and her second fourth in the IRL series.

Overall leader Fernando Alonso of Spain gained the pole position for the French Grand Prix Saturday.

Alonso, in clocking 1 minute, 14.412 seconds on an overcast day, picked up his third pole of the season and the sixth of his career.

"Last year I had the pole here, the only one of the 2004 season," Alonso said. "The whole weekend has been good. I felt the car the car had good balance and it gave me extra confidence."

The Spaniard said he is keen to please the French crowd in his Renault.

"I am pleased to do it here in France and all our supporters," Alonso said. "This weekend there are 6,000 people here from all over Renault so it will be an important race."

Toyota's Jarno Trulli was second with 1:14.521.

Kimi Raikkonen of McLaren-Mercedes was third in qualifying in 1:14.559.

Raikkonen will be penalized 10 spots on his qualifying position of third, having changed his engine following its failure on Friday.
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