updated 1:09 p.m. ET July 18, 2005

EDMONTON, Alberta - Look out Danica Patrick, Katherine Legge is on your heels.

Legge showed Sunday that her victory in April at Long Beach in her Toyota Atlantic debut was no fluke, racing to a win on the new road course at City Center Airport, near downtown Edmonton.

It is only the second major open-wheel win for a woman since Desire Wilson won an Aurora Formula One race at Brands Hatch in Legge’s native England in 1980, the year Legge was born.

Legge started third in the 14-car field and, after passing second-place starter Tonis Kasemets, she drove to the front. She overtook pole-winner Charles Zwolsman for the lead on the 19th of 32 laps on the 1.973-mile, 14-turn temporary circuit.

She dogged Zwolsman for several laps before finally taking advantage when he was slowed slightly by a lapped car. Legge moved to the inside and barely pulled off the tough pass.

“The backmarker didn’t move out of the way like I thought he would and Katherine was able to get beside me,” Zwolsman said. “Our tires were nearly touching and I knew if I didn’t back off we’d probably both crash out. She was really quick and it was a great move by Katherine.”

Legge led the rest of the way, holding off a final lap challenge after a late race restart from Zwolsman, who finished 0.220 seconds — about three car-lengths — behind.

For Legge, who turned 25 on July 12, it was sweet redemption as she has struggled to get back on Victory Circle while living in the shadow of Patrick, who is making headlines and chasing her first victory in the Indy Racing League after graduating from Atlantics without ever finishing better than second in two seasons.

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“I really got down and got frustrated after Mexico,” Legge said, referring to the race after Long Beach, in Monterrey, where she finished sixth after a month between races. “I thought I should be in the front all the time. It’s not being arrogant. Every driver has to have that self belief. I think it’s just getting strategies to deal with what’s going on in your head.”

At that point, Kevin Kalkhoven, co-owner of the Champ Car World Series, a team owner and Legge’s sponsor, sat her down and told her to start having some fun again.

“I did get some good advice from Kevin and I realized it is fun,” she said. “I really just took a bit of a lighter approach to it and not getting so frustrated and just going out there and driving rather than thinking too deeply about driving.”

Her biggest problem this year has been crashing in qualifying and putting herself in a hole at the start of the races. Her best finish since Long Beach had been a third-place last month in Portland, Ore.

Of course, Legge was asked how Patrick’s strong showing in the IRL, including a pole and two fourth-place finishes, has affected her.

“Every question I get asked by the media is about Danica and I’ve been misquoted so many times, I’m not really answering any anymore because I think she’s a fantastic driver and I really wish her well,” Legge said. “You know, I’m doing my thing and she’s doing her thing and I hope we can both be successful.”

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Legge’s strong showing this season has been helped in part because she is one of up to 12 rookies who have been running in the Champ Car developmental series — but the only woman. She is currently fifth in the season points.

Asked whether she feels ready to move up to Champ Car or the IRL, Legge said no.

“For sure, I’m not ready right now,” she said. “I’m still making rookie mistakes. I’m still not on the podium every race. I’m hoping I will be getting there, but I think it’s going to take another year in Atlantics because, realistically, I’ve only done about 21 of 22 car races in my whole career. I just need experience.”

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