First IRL Pole for Danica Patrick

This was also the second time in IRL history that a woman will begin a race from pole - Sarah Fisher started from pole at the Kentucky Speedway three years ago.

Patrick bumped Rice, last year's winner, from provisional pole with a lap of 214.668 (25.491 seconds), and with Rice's second fastest time being 214.650mph - 25.493 seconds - this is one of the closest front row result in the series' history.

Patrick is still chasing her first career win and she said after today's qualifying she is ready to grab it in tomorrow's race.

"Have I learned enough to win? I hope so," Patrick said. "Am I ready to win, as in wanting it? I've been waiting 14 years for this moment. Let's do it."

Third on the grid will be Victor Meira - giving the Rahal-Letterman team the first top-three qualifying sweep since Cheever Racing did it in 2002 at Michigan International Speedway.

"We are repeating the story," Meira said. "Last year it was me and Buddy, first and second, and now we are first, second and third. It doesn't get much better."

Tomas Scheckter will start fourth, alongside Darren Manning in fifth and Dario Franchitti in sixth. IRL points leader Dan Wheldon will start from 13th.

The Indy 300 Grid:

Pos  Driver               Speed (mph)
 1.  Danica Patrick       214.668
 2.  Buddy Rice           214.650
 3.  Vitor Meira          214.546
 4.  Tomas Scheckter      214.543
 5.  Darren Manning       214.321
 6.  Dario Franchitti     214.214
 7.  Scott Dixon          213.778
 8.  Tony Kanaan          213.411
 9.  Scott Sharp          213.376
10.  Sam Hornish Jr.      213.116
11.  Ryan Briscoe         213.063
12.  Tomas Enge           212.973
13.  Dan Wheldon          212.750
14.  Helio Castroneves    212.507
15.  Kosuke Matsuura      212.212
16.  Bryan Herta          210.697
17.  Roger Yasukawa       210.682
18.  Alex Barron          210.113
19.  Ed Carpenter         209.550
20.  Patrick Carpentier   209.190
21.  Jimmy Kite           209.182
22.  A.J. Foyt IV         208.956