Papis

MONTEREY, Calif. -- Champ Car veteran Max Papis is returning to CART with PK Racing.

Papis, winner of three career CART races, will take over the No. 27 car beginning with next weekend's race at Portland.

Bryan Herta, another CART journeyman, was tabbed at the last minute to run for PK Racing in Sunday's Grand Prix of Monterey. Papis ran at Le Mans, where he drove for the fifth place team.

Herta took over the Ford-Cosworth/Lola ride of Patrick Lemarie, who hit the wall during a fourth-lap melee two weeks ago at Milwaukee, leaving the PK team mired 16th in the standings.

Herta won both of his Champ Car races and three of his six poles here. He finished 11th on Sunday. The team remains 16th.

"PK Racing is dedicated to winning races, and we will continue to do whatever it takes to achieve that goal,'' co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven said in a statement.

Herta said discussions were underway to put him in a second team car.

Newman's own
The Champ Car series is joining Paul Newman in merging two of the actor's favorite offscreen passions -- charity work and auto racing.

CART announced at Laguna Seca that it was naming Newman's Association of Hole in the Wall Camps as the official charity of the racing series.

Flanked by the drivers competing in Sunday's Grand Prix of Monterey, the Academy Award winner said, "I've always believed the best part of America is its generosity. The real winner here is the kids whose lives are changed forever.''

Founded in 1988, the charity has sent more than 50,000 kids to one of its five camps that serve children with serious illness, providing medical services along with normal camping activities.

Champ Car will support fund raising for the association through its international marketing and is exploring ways to use its racing events to help promote the cause.

Newman, 78, is co-owner of the Newman-Haas Champ Car team and occasional racer. He most recently finished fifth in a Trans-Am Series event at Lime Rock Park in Connecticut.

Father's Day
Some proud papas were on hand Sunday to root on their sons at the Grand Prix of Monterey.

They included Jim Vasser, whose son Jimmy finished eighth at Laguna Seca. Jimmy Vasser grew up watching his father compete in drag racing in Southern California.

Other dads on hand were Jose Junquiera, who watched son Bruno finish a close second to Patrick Carpentier.

Rodolfo Lavin rooted on Rodolfo Jr. for 10 laps until mechanical problems drove him out of the race.