VANCOUVER, B.C. -- If anybody in open wheel racing is due for a visit to victory lane, it's Alex Tagliani. Make that overdue.

Since becoming a Champ Car regular in 2000, Tags has always been plenty quick. He nearly won in his third start at Brazil but, after leading 76 laps, spun out with eight laps remaining.

He had Elkhart Lake in his pocket later that season only to suffer gearbox failure while holding a large lead.

In 2001, he started this street race in Vancouver, B.C., on the pole and led the first 68 laps before being KO'd by another mechanical gremlin.

Last year, he was out in front for 79 circuits at Chicago before an untimely caution on a pit stop relegated him to seventh.

Running up front has never been an issue with Tags, he's simply never led the most important lap.

"I know I should have won at least two or three races by now but it hasn't happened for one reason or another," he said.

"All I can do is keep pushing and I think we'll get the results."

The 30-year-old native of Quebec lost his seat on the Player's/Forsythe team this year in favor of current CART point leader Paul Tracy and was farmed out to Paul Gentilozzi's new Rocketsports Team.

Despite having no teammate or previous experience with a Lola chassis, plus the fact it's a brand new operation, Tags and Rocketsports have been pleasantly competitive in 2004.

	Tagliani has finished a season-best third-place twice this season.

Tags finished third at Monterrey and Portland and had a sure second two weeks ago at Toronto before breaking his suspension after tangling with another car.

"We've come on strong since the beginning of the season," said Tagliani, who is still being paid by Player's this year. "We always have fast cars and we're very confident on street courses.

"I've always run good in Vancouver and I enjoy racing on street circuits."

He's also adapted nicely to his Johnson Controls Lola/Cosworth.

"We're a first-year team collecting data on the Lola, which is new to us. It's hard work and a constant learning experience but I'm happy with our progress."

Tags harbors no ill-will toward Player's, who retained Patrick Carpentier to team with Tracy and is being forced out of motorsports after 42 years on Oct. 1 because of tobacco legislation.

"They (Player's) helped my career so much and they're the reason I'm in Champ Cars," he said. "They've done so much for Canadian drivers and for motorsports in our country.

"They made a business decision (to hire Tracy) but they honored my contract and I'm enjoying this experience with Rocketsports."

Tracy, who leads Bruno Junqueira by 15 points and Michel Jourdain Jr. by 24 heading into the 11th of 19 races, will be trying to take Canada's Triple Crown. He dominated Toronto two weeks ago for his fourth win of '03 and already owns a victory here (2000). CART runs Montreal next month.

"I like the idea of having back-to-back races in Canada. It's almost like having a homestand, the way it is in other sports," said Tracy, who led 45 laps here in 2002 but had to settle for second place.

"It's even more fun having a second straight race in Canada when you're coming off a victory in the first one. With this being the final year for Team Player's, we want to be successful in all three of the Canadian stops on the schedule."

Junqueira, runner-up to Cristiano da Matta in the 2002 CART standings, continues to rack up strong finishes but has yet to win in 2003.

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