Danica Patrick Picks Up Speed Ahead of Nationwide Series Start

Danica Patrick gained speed from Friday but will start Saturday's New England 200 NASCAR Nationwide Series far behind front-row qualifiers Brad Keselowski and Carl Edwards.

Patrick, the IndyCar Series' most popular driver, qualified 23rd with a lap of 125.736 mph in JR Motorsports' No. 7 Chevrolet. Though way off the pace set by pole sitter Keselowski (129.657 mph) and Edwards (129.533), it marked a huge improvement from Friday's practices, her first official times behind the wheel of a stock car since March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

"Yesterday, the car felt really solid and I felt like I could get some time on it," Patrick told Speed TV following her qualifying lap. "I actually thought maybe today, like, a 30(-second) flat (lap) would've been a big step for me. But it was just more slippery out there.

"To go quicker than yesterday I guess is a good thing, and it's always nice when your quickest lap of the weekend is in qualifying. We're still taking steps and in the 20s, so that's all right for me. That's a good position to start the race; the farther we can stay from going a lap down is a good thing. Hopefully we can have a good day."