updated 4:51 p.m. ET July 31, 2005

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Katherine Legge is becoming a real force in the Toyota Atlantic Series.

The only woman driving in Champ Car’s top developmental series pulled off a difficult pass for the lead Sunday and went on to win in the streets of downtown San Jose, her second straight victory and third of the season.

The win also boosted the 25-year-old Englishwoman from fifth to second in the season standings, trailing Charles Zwolsman by 35 points after nine of 12 races.

It was Zwolsman, who started from the pole, that Legge passed for the lead on the 29th of 45 laps on the narrow, bumpy temporary circuit winding around the city’s convention center. She led the rest of the way, beating eventual runner-up David Martinez by 1.084-seconds — about four car lengths.

“It’s really tough to pass here,” Legge said. “I was lucky.”

Zwolsman lost the lead at the start to Tonis Kasemets but regained the top spot when Kasemets pitted with a mechanical problem. A few laps later, Zwolsman began to experience brake problems and then his gearbox began to malfunction.

“I don’t know whether I would have gotten past Charles if he hadn’t had the problems,” Legge said. “I feel bad for him but good for me.”

Typically, one of the first questions asked of the Atlantics rookie in the postrace news conference was about her season in comparison to Indy Racing League rookie sensation Danica Patrick, who never finished better than second in two seasons in Atlantics.

Legge reacted with a hint of irritation.

“I have a lot of respect for what she has done, but I haven’t had a single article written about me without Danica being mentioned,” she said. “I was looking through them the other day. Maybe now somebody will write one.”

Rookies finished in the top five spots Sunday, with Alan Sciuto and Andreas Wirth following third-place Zwolsman across the finish line.

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