KANSAS CITY, Kan.  - Ryan Briscoe, who closed the 2009 IZOD IndyCar Series season with a victory and runner-up finish in two of the final three ovals, will start at the front of the 27-car field in the first oval of the 2010 season.

Briscoe, the penultimate qualifier, ripped of a four-lap average of 212.145 mph on the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway to earn the PEAK Performance Pole Award for the Road Runner Turbo Indy 300. He unseated Target Chip Ganassi Racing's Scott Dixon (211.298) -- who led a field-high 134 laps in winning at Kansas Speedway last year.

Dixon, who started from the pole at Kansas in 2008 and '03, extended his series-record streak to 37 races in the top 10. Teammate Dario Franchitti (211.236 mph) in the No. 10 Suave car and Hideki Mutoh (211.039), driving the No. 06 Newman/Haas Racing entry, will share Row 2.

Dan Wheldon, driver of the No. 4 National Guard Panther Racing car, had qualified third (211.242) but the effort was disqualified because he drove beneath the white line ringing the inside of the track. Marco Andretti in the No. 26 Team Venom Energy car for Andretti Autosport also was sent to the rear of the field for the same infraction.