Danica On Kentucky Pole After Qualifying Rain Out
Written by Josh Katinger · August 13, 2005
Danica Patrick will start tomorrow’s AMBER Alert Portal Indy 300 at Kentucky Speedway from the pole position after today’s qualifying session was rained out and the field was set by the last practice session. Patrick topped that session with a speed of 217.516mph.
IndyRacing.com: Patrick, Wheldon share front row for Kentucky barnburner
Motorsport.com: Patrick practice perfect leads to Kentucky pole
IRL-Live.com: Rain out hands pole to Patrick
MercuryNews.com: Kentucky kind to Patrick: Danica wins second pole
Starting alongside Patrick will be series championship leader and Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon, who was quickest in the morning practice, just two-thousandths of a second off Patrick’s effort. It is the sixth time this year a Honda driver had claimed the pole position, and the third time Honda drivers have swept the front row of the starting grid.
Tomas Scheckter had a third place speed on the board but both he and his teammate Tomas Enge will start from the back of the pack as the teams decided to change engines. That moved the Toyota’s of Sam Hornish Jr. and Scott Dixon into the 3rd and 4th starting spots respectively. Tony Kanaan rounded out the top five.
AJ Foyt IV was able to muster 12th fastest with his new Chevy power…
Starting Lineup
Kentucky : starting line-up
1. (16) Danica Patrick, Panoz-Honda, 217.516*
2. (26) Dan Wheldon, Dallara-Honda, 217.500
3. (6) Sam Hornish Jr., Dallara-Toyota, 217.307
4. (9) Scott Dixon, Panoz-Toyota, 217.268
5. (11) Tony Kanaan, Dallara-Honda, 217.089
6. (17) Vitor Meira, Panoz-Honda, 217.036
7. (8) Scott Sharp, Panoz-Honda, 216.993
8. (95) Buddy Lazier, Dallara-Chevrolet, 216.922
9. (27) Dario Franchitti, Dallara-Honda, 216.835
10. (15) Buddy Rice, Panoz-Honda, 216.329
11. (7) Bryan Herta, Dallara-Honda, 216.124
12. (14) A.J. Foyt IV, Dallara-Chevrolet, 215.510
13. (33) Ryan Briscoe, Panoz-Toyota, 215.487
14. (55) Kosuke Matsuura, Panoz-Honda, 215.461
15. (3) Helio Castroneves, Dallara-Toyota, 215.443
16. (24) Roger Yasukawa, Dallara-Honda, 215.373
17. (10) Jaques Lazier, Panoz-Toyota, 215.057
18. (51) Alex Barron, Dallara-Toyota, 214.990
19. (83) Patrick Carpentier, Dallara-Toyota, 214.893
20. (91) Jimmy Kite, Dallara-Toyota, 214.820
21. (20) Ed Carpenter, Dallara-Toyota, 213.425
22. (4) Tomas Scheckter, Dallara-Chevrolet, no speed (engine change)
23. (2) Tomas Enge, Dallara-Chevrolet, no speed (engine change)
*Starting lineup determined by the practice speeds from the combined practices after qualifying was cancelled due to rain.
Comments
6 Responses to “Danica On Kentucky Pole After Qualifying Rain Out”
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WHY DON’T YOU JUST RENAME THE I.R.L. THE DANICA PATRICK RACING LEAGE. HOW ABOUT CATHRINE LEGGE, SHE HAS WON 3 TOYOTA ATLANTIC RACES. I DON’T THINK DANICA PATRICK WON WHEN SHE RACED ATLANTICS.
WHO REALLY CARES WHETHER DANICA WON AT THE ATLANTICS? I THINK IT’S GREAT TO SEE WOMEN IN ALL THE MOTORSPORT’S FIELDS.
A rookie on pole (Danica or otherwise) surrounded by Wheldon Hornish and Dixon, folowed by Kanaan, reminds me of a goldfish dropped into a pirhanna tank.
Good luck kid, you’re going to need it!
Despite the hype, its her rookie season.How has she faired compared to another rookie, Ryan Briscoe? He is a Euro F3 champ & Toyota F1 contracted driver.She cant be blamed for the media promoting the “girl competing with the big boys” theme.In her shoes any driver would be making the most of the situation.Long term, Legge, will probably be a better prospect, so get used to the over exposure of a girl in the media.Quite frankly the IRL needs to attract a larger audience, you cant suggest she is hurting the series.I think her presence is a positive.
The Honcho’s at Champ Cars would give their eye teeth for the promo opportunity of a Danica.
Her background is more road racing oriented than oval, so she is entitled to some slack. Just another example of a potentialy good driver
sacrificing a career for the IRL and the chance to race at Indy. What a waste!
Any chance that Katherine might pick up a champ car ride soon? Surely one of the PKV guys have thought about it - just to get some national coverage and compete with Danica.
Although Danica is pretty cute and she’s handled things really well - until that stall.