PORTLAND -- As the Champ Cars make their annual stop at Portland International Raceway this weekend, Bruno Junqueira finds himself in a familiar position -- second in the point standings -- but in some unusual circumstances: winless and without a pole position.

Considering the 26-year-old Brazilian was runner-up to Cristiano da Matta in the 2002 CART championship and the only consistent challenger to his good friend and countryman, it seemed likely "Junky" would rule in 2003.

Especially since he took over da Matta's seat at Newman-Haas Racing and CART's depth had been depleted with several big team defections to the Indy Racing League.

But, heading into the eighth race of this season, Bruno has amassed 83 points on the strength of two seconds, a pair of thirds, a fourth and a fifth.

"Yeah, it's kind of strange," said Junqueira, who trails Michel Jourdain Jr. by six points following his runner-up effort at Laguna Seca last Sunday. "Everybody thought I would be winning a lot of poles and races. I think in at least half of the races so far I've been fast enough to win but it didn't happen.

"I've finished second and third and had some unlucky things or lost very close races like this one (Laguna Seca)."

The ex-test driver for the Williams Formula One team scored two wins and four poles last year (plus taking the pole at Indianapolis) and figures it's only a matter of time before he's back in victory lane.

"If stay consistently fast and keep finishing races we're going to win some races and get some poles," he continued. "I think we might have had the quickest car (on Sunday) and I only got beat by a few car lengths but I could never get a run on Patrick (Carpentier) to give it a shot.

"We've just got to stay focused and keep pushing. Our primary goal is to win the championship."

Patrick Carpentier became the fourth different winner of '03, joining three-timer Paul Tracy, rookie Sebastien Bourdais (two) and Jourdain.

But, until Max Papis was announced as the driver for PK Racing, the 20th annual G.I. Joe's 200 at Portland this weekend did not have a previous winner in the field.

Papis, who triumphed here in 2001 from the pole position, will replace rookie Patrick Lemarie at the wheel of Craig Pollock's Lola-Ford/Cosworth the remainder of 2003.

"I tried my best to stay in Champ Cars but when nothing became available I kept in contact with people in the CART paddock and when this situation arose, they kept me in mind," explained the 33-year-old Italian, fresh from finishing fifth at the 24 Hours of LeMans for Don Panoz.

	Papis returns to CART at Portland, where he has won before.

"It's nice to know people haven't forgotten me and that my 11 podiums and three wins are worth something."

Like veteran Bryan Herta, who drove the PK Racing entry last week at Laguna Seca, Papis hasn't tested or even sat in a Champ Car this year.

"We are fitting the seat and pedals as we speak and our first time out will be Friday morning's practice," he continued. "We have some hurdles to overcome but this is a good team and I'm looking forward to working with (engineer) John Ward.

"I still have a lot of fire inside me and I feel I can get some satisfaction so don't count me out."

With Player's/Forsythe earning its first-ever two-man podium, the point race has really tightened up. Tracy sits third, eight points out of first, while teammate Carpentier moved into fourth -- 19 points behind Jourdain.

Ganassi says he's staying
Chip Ganassi claims that Internet rumors of his leaving the IRL are erroneous.

"I'm not leaving Indianapolis or the IRL, I'm fully committed to the IRL," said Ganassi from his Pittsburgh office. "Target isn't going away either. Somebody said people within my team are going to buy me out and I can assure you that ain't happening either.

"I don't know where this stuff comes from but it's bull ..."

Asked about a report in Autosport that Scott Dixon (one of his IRL drivers) would be testing Toyota's F1 car later this summer, Ganassi responded: "He can test all he wants, I've got him under contract."

Robin Miller covers open wheel racing for ESPN and ESPN.com.