Patrick Claims Third Pole of Season

Danica Patrick was awarded the pole for today’s PEAK Antifreeze Indy 300 after fellow rookie Ryan Briscoe failed a post-qualifying inspection Saturday at Chicagoland Speedway at Joliet, Ill.

Patrick claimed her third pole, tying Tomas Scheckter for the IRL rookie record. The fourth driver to take to the track, she turned a fast lap of 215.970 mph.

Briscoe now has the 23rd spot, while Target Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Scott Dixon and Jaques Lazier were dropped from ninth to 22nd and 10th to 21st, respectively. Details of the infractions were not clear.

Patrick, trying for her first victory, was the second woman to win a pole Saturday, joining Sarah McCune, who led qualifying for the Infiniti Pro Series Chicagoland 100.

*

Kimi Raikkonen won a front-row spot for the Belgian Grand Prix behind teammate Juan Pablo Montoya, boosting his chances of preventing Fernando Alonso from becoming Formula One’s youngest world champion today.

Montoya edged his McLaren-Mercedes teammate for the pole position during qualifying at Spa-Francorchamps, Belgium. Alonso set the fifth time but will move up to the second row because Renault teammate Giancarlo Fisichella was penalized 10 places after replacing his engine earlier in the day.

Raikkonen must finish within four points of Alonso to prevent the 24-year-old Spaniard from winning the world title. Raikkonen, however, needs a big victory over Alonso to keep a realistic chance of capturing the championship. Races remain in Brazil, Japan and China.