ELKHART LAKE, Wisc. -- It was like losing an old family friend.

That was the reaction of the Champ Car drivers when Road America got axed from the CART schedule earlier this year when a contractual agreement couldn't be reached.

"I was really mad when the race was no longer on the schedule because it's my favorite track and I was big-time disappointed," recalled Bruno Junqueira, who scored his initial CART victory here in 2001.

Added point leader Paul Tracy: "I couldn't believe we weren't going to run anymore at Elkhart Lake. It's the best road course in North America and losing it was devastating."

Although he no longer had the pleasure of driving on the daunting four-mile, 14-turn circuit nestled in the Wisconsin countryside, Mario Andretti nonetheless felt just as deprived. And angry.

Then he went into rescue mode.

Following several meetings with CART and Elkhart Lake officials, he managed to get them to hammer out a deal and the race was restored to this weekend. Appropriately, it's been renamed the Mario Andretti Grand Prix.

"It would have been a tragedy to lose Road America because it's the truest challenge in American road racing," said the motorsports legend, a three-time winner here during his unparalleled open-wheel career.

"I felt very strongly about it and I wasn't happy it got dropped so that's why I got involved. I'm glad I did and I know the drivers are too because there's nothing like running Road America. Nothing in this country."

He'll get no argument from any CART veterans.

	A road course like this at Eklhart Lake, Wisc., is a treat for drivers and fans alike.

"It's a big drivers track and the most difficult track of the year in my opinion," said Junqueira, who was leading last weekend at Vancouver before being ordered by CART officials to pull over and let Tracy pass for jumping the start.

"It has long straightaways and the length of the course is very long so it is very difficult to put one complete lap together in qualifying where you get every corner right. The corners are really fast I just love driving there and I think the track brings out my best. I really, really enjoy every lap, every moment that I spend at Road America."

Ditto for Tracy, a two-time winner here and three-time pole-sitter who leads the standings by 20 points after his back-to-back sweep of Toronto and Vancouver.

"I've had everything happen to me in the 11 years I've raced Champ cars at Road America, from smacking the walls at Kettle Bottoms to flying over the fence and almost into a motorhome," said the 33-year-old veteran, recalling his charge from 23rd to first in 2000.

"That win doesn't top the one in Toronto a few weeks ago, but I still consider it my most dramatic win, considering the circumstances."

Roberto Moreno, the oldest driver (43) on the CART roster who spent several years in Formula One, considers the 49-year-old track a classic.

"In my opinion, Road America is the best overall road course in the United States because it has all types of corners -- slow, medium, fast, kinks -- so you must work very hard there," said Moreno.

	Andretti played a major role in getting Elkhart Lake back on the schedule.

"It's such a pleasure to drive it -- it reminds me a lot of the classic European circuits. It takes a different kind of touch to be fast there; the driver must be more delicate with the car in some ways. It's great fun for me to race there."

Junqueira and Tracy are the only former winners here this weekend but rookie Sebastien Bourdais already owns three victories this season and had an impressive test last month.

"We were the second fastest behind Bruno and I felt very comfortable in the car," said the 24-year-old Frenchman. "Last year Newman/Haas Racing had a strong setup at Road America with Cristiano (da Matta) and it looks like we have a very solid baseline.

"It is a neat place and it's a lot of fun to drive but it's unbelievably quick. It's a track where if you put a wheel off in the grass it's over -- you crash. It's a tough place and I can see how the drivers who have won here say it's a real accomplishment."

But Alex Tagliani summed up the feelings of most of his competitors.

"I just want to say thanks to Mario for working so hard to get Road America back for us," said Tags. "We all owe him because this is the highlight of the season for road racers."