'%3e%3cpath%20d='M34.1406%205.85938C30.3906%202.10547%2025.3047%200%2020%200C14.6953%200%209.60938%202.10547%205.85938%205.85938C2.10938%209.61328%200%2014.6953%200%2020C0%2025.3047%202.10547%2030.3906%205.85938%2034.1406C9.61328%2037.8906%2014.6953%2040%2020%2040C25.3047%2040%2030.3906%2037.8945%2034.1406%2034.1406C37.8906%2030.3906%2040%2025.3047%2040%2020C40%2014.6953%2037.8945%209.60938%2034.1406%205.85938ZM37.0117%2023.543H31.1602V13.5391H27.6328V19.9414C28.1211%2020.6914%2028.3711%2021.582%2028.3711%2022.5625V22.625C28.3711%2023.668%2028.1172%2024.6055%2027.6328%2025.4297V26.6094H36.082C33.4883%2032.9375%2027.2891%2037.3789%2020.0039%2037.3789C10.3711%2037.3789%202.62109%2029.6289%202.62109%2020C2.62109%2010.3711%2010.3711%202.62109%2020%202.62109C29.6289%202.62109%2037.3789%2010.3711%2037.3789%2020C37.3789%2021.1484%2037.2617%2022.2656%2037.0508%2023.3477C37.0391%2023.4141%2037.0234%2023.4766%2037.0117%2023.543Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M22.3086%2018.5352C20.4336%2018.125%2019.9531%2017.8398%2019.9766%2017.1836V17.1406C19.9766%2016.6992%2020.3477%2016.2148%2021.4023%2016.2148C22.582%2016.2148%2023.8867%2016.6797%2025.0781%2017.4766L26.8516%2015.0195C25.4453%2013.8906%2023.707%2013.3398%2021.5547%2013.3398C18.5195%2013.3398%2016.4375%2015%2016.4063%2017.4766V17.5352C16.3633%2020.2617%2018.5859%2020.9805%2021.293%2021.6016C23.0391%2021.9766%2023.5703%2022.3164%2023.5703%2022.9609L23.5469%2022.9766C23.5469%2023.3906%2023.2578%2023.7031%2022.7852%2023.8359C22.5742%2023.9062%2022.1289%2023.9727%2021.5156%2023.9727C20.7617%2023.9727%2019.7539%2023.8633%2018.6328%2023.4844C18.0898%2023.2891%2017.4727%2023.0039%2016.8047%2022.6133L20.1406%2026.625C20.2813%2026.6602%2021.0977%2026.8516%2021.7734%2026.8516C25.0039%2026.8516%2027.0859%2025.2461%2027.1094%2022.6328V22.5703C27.1602%2020.1133%2025.2148%2019.1719%2022.3086%2018.5352Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M5.24219%2013.5664V26.6133H8.75391V23.7578L10.2969%2021.9531L14.2031%2026.6133H18.3867L12.3555%2019.5195L17.4023%2013.5664H13.4531L8.75391%2019.0586V13.5664H5.24219Z'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/g%3e%3cdefs%3e%3cclipPath%20id='clip0_97_2430'%3e%3crect%20width='40'%20height='40'%20fill='white'/%3e%3c/clipPath%3e%3c/defs%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
LE MANS, France (AP) — Kazuki Nakajima's Toyota No. 7 took pole position at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, giving the Japanese manufacturer a head start in its bid for a first win in the famed endurance race.
Nakajima became the first Japanese driver to set the fastest time in qualifying at Le Mans, clocking 3 minutes, 21.789 seconds on Thursday on the 13-kilometer (eight-mile) circuit. Toyota's chances look good as Sebastien Buemi's Toyota No. 8 will start from third on the grid.
In its return to Le Mans after a 16-year absence in the top category, Porsche will start from second and fourth. At the wheel of Porsche No. 14, Romain Dumas set the second best time, 0.357 off the pace.
Audi showed a lack of pace in qualifying. Its three cars will start from fifth, sixth and seventh.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
