Tagliani sets Rio pole.

Alex Tagliani followed up his impressive morning practice session by also topping the later qualifying session for tomorrow's CART Rio 200.

The Canadian rookie managed to outpace reigning champion Juan Montoya for the second time in a day to become the first newcomer to take pole this season. A points finisher in both of the opening two races of the year, the Player's/Forsythe driver looks odds-on to maintain his streak in tomorrow's event after comfortably staying with the pace all weekend.

''I'm very happy,'' he beamed after the session was over, ''My Player's/Forsythe team really deserve this. The guys did a great job. It's all a matter of having a good car and putting the pieces of the puzzle together. It was easy to stay up front, and the car has got better and better every time we've been out this weekend. I owed them this one.''

Reigning champion Montoya maintained his strong performance from the practice days, holding on to second spot in the face of some stiff competition. The Colombian was also the winner in Rio twelve months ago, and is confident that he can repeat the feat on Sunday.

''I just got a little too excited,'' Montoya admitted, ''I was really loose in turn one and I knew that that lap was gone, but this was the first time all weekend that we've run on new tyres and we were quick. Tomorrow should be good.''

Championship leader - and winner of round two at Long Beach - Paul Tracy lines up in third spot, ensuring that the same trio from morning practice fills the front three positions for the race. The burly Canadian had also been on the pace on Friday, and will no doubt be happier starting where he can see the green flag despite winning from the back last time our.

Rookie Kenny Brack also held on to his place from the morning session, having adapted to the unusual Rio 'roval' better than a lot of his veteran rivals. The Swede heads last year's pole sitter Christian Fittipaldi, who could only repeat his fifth spot despite huge backing from the local crowd. They roared him on from the minute he left pit-lane but, although he set the pole time on his best lap, it was not enough to keep him there after the top guns emerged.

Jimmy Vasser was sixth in the second Ganassi car, unable to match team-mate Montoya's pace, but in the hunt nonetheless, heading up second Brazilian Helio Castro-Neves in seventh. Both Penske drivers had hoped for better after running near the front on Friday but, while Helio broke back into the top ten, team-mate Gil de Ferran continued to slide down the order.

A relieved Dario Franchitti broke into the top ten in qualifying for the first time all season, but had had to rely on one of his team-mate's set-ups to get put him there as he struggled to find the right balance.

''We're getting there,' he admitted, ''but we haven't had much testing so we're just building up mileage in the races. Paul's doing a great job out front, while I'm just getting back up to my level.''

Tony Kanaan was ninth, edging out good friend - and round one winner - Max Papis. The pair had contrasting tales to tell at the end of the session, with the Brazilian decidedly more upbeat than the Italian. Stand-in Memo Gidley put in another sterling performance in the second Player's Reynard in only his first oval qualifying session, to wind up ahead of his predecessor as 'SuperSub' Roberto Moreno. Like Patrick team-mate Adrian Fernandez, the Brazilian just could not enough of a handle on his car to steer it into the top group. Fernandez finished a disappointing 16th, one place behind an equally bemused Michael Andretti (Newman-Haas)

PacWest pair Mauricio Gugelmin and Mark Blundell were also at a loss to explain why they could match earlier performances when it mattered, sinking back to 21st and 23rd respectively.

''It's just got so much understeer,'' the Briton moaned, ''We either hit the concrete or go backwards. I did a 39.5secs lap on old tyres in practice, but when we put on new tyres and we're screwed. I don't know what to do and I'm really upset about it.''

Qualifying times - CART - Rio.

1. Alex Tagliani Forsythe Reynard-Ford 38.587secs
2. Juan Montoya (spare) Ganassi Lola-Toyota 38.696secs
3. Paul Tracy Team Green Reynard-Honda 38.843secs
4. Kenny Brack (spare) Team Rahal Reynard-Ford 38.876secs
5. Christian Fittipaldi (spare) Newman-Haas Lola-Ford 38.879secs
6. Jimmy Vasser Ganassi Lola-Toyota 38.943secs
7. Helio Castro-Neves Penske Reynard-Mercedes 38.985secs
8. Dario Franchitti Team Green Reynard-Honda 39.026secs
9. Tony Kanaan Mo Nunn Reynard-Mercedes 39.101secs
10. Max Papis Team Rahal Reynard-Ford 39.227secs
11. Memo Gidley Forsythe Reynard-Ford 39.246secs
12. Roberto Moreno (spare) Patrick Reynard-Ford 39.265secs
13. Gil de Ferran Penske Reynard-Mercedes 39.298secs
14. Oriol Servia PPI Reynard-Toyota 39.306secs
15. Michael Andretti Newman-Haas Lola-Ford 39.340secs
16. Adrian Fernandez (spare) Patrick Reynard-Ford 39.391secs
17. Cristiano da Matta PPI Reynard-Toyota 39.419secs
18. Norberto Fontana Della Penna Reynard-Toyota 39.504secs
19. Takuya Kurosawa Dale Coyne Lola-Ford 39.590secs
20. Bryan Herta Walker Reynard-Honda 39.620secs
21. Mauricio Gugelmin PacWest Reynard-Mercedes 39.682secs
22. Michel Jourdain Jr (spare) Bettenhausen Lola-Mercedes 39.856secs
23. Mark Blundell PacWest Reynard-Mercedes 40.073secs
24. Luiz Garcia Jr Arciero Project Reynard-Mercedes 41.053secs