LEXINGTON, Ohio -- It was during the July run in 2002 that Bruno Junqueira lost any hope of beating buddy Cristiano da Matta for the CART championship.

"Last year I lost the championship in three races -- Cleveland, Toronto and Vancouver -- because I didn't score any points," recalled Junqueira, who finished runner-up to da Matta by 73 points.

"This year I had three podiums at those tracks and Paul (Tracy) still got a lead on me because he won two of those races. So I knew I had to turn the table and start to do better than him at Elkhart Lake."

Mission accomplished.

Trailing Tracy by 20 points going into last Sunday's show at Road America, Junqueira scored the maximum 23 points and his first victory of 2003 to vault into the points lead as Tracy crashed out early.

As the Champ Cars head for Mid-Ohio this weekend, the 26-year-old Brazilian owns a three-point advantage over Tracy -- and a new frame of mind.

"I think after Vancouver (which Tracy won after Junqueira was forced to give up the lead on Lap 24 because he supposedly jumped the start), I said that I lost the concentration in the race," he said. "My dad and my mom, they said, 'Bruno, come on.' I said, 'No problem.' They thought I was giving up.

"But I think through all my life, everything I go after was really, really difficult. I had really bad times. Sometimes when I have a difficult moment, I get some inspiration inside of me (and) I became stronger than before. And I think that's what happened. I think after Vancouver, something happened in me. I was a little bit shaken by everything that's happened. I said, 'I'm going to be strong.'

"And nothing's better than to have a perfect weekend at my favorite racetrack, Road America."

	Junqueira climbed into the points lead at Road America.

Because of his strong sophomore season in CART during 2002, his move to Newman-Haas and Champ Car's depleted lineup, Junkie figured to make short work of the competition this season. And, other than a crash at Milwaukee, he'd not been out of the top-five, racking up seven podiums.

But that wasn't satisfying to anybody.

"We should have won at least a couple of races before now and I was pressuring myself extra at Road America," he continued. "I knew I had to win a race this year to keep motivated and to motivate the team. I thought my best shot to do that was at this race track because I've always run good here.

"This is where I got my first win in CART and I was confident I could win."

With seven races left, Junqueira knows his work is just beginning.

"There is still a long ways to go in the championship." he said. "I think Paul Tracy is looking very strong. Michel Jourdain is very consistent. Sebastien (Bourrdais) is very fast. Now he's starting to be consistent and get on the groove.

"And then I think it's like four very strong guys for the end of the championship."

Despite his season-high five wins, Tracy's two DNFs and a pair of 12th-place finishes have hurt him against Junqueira's consistency. And the 34-year-old Canadian wishes he could have last Sunday back after starting sixth, passing two cars in the first couple corners and then throwing his car into the sand trap trying to overtake teammate Patrick Carpentier.

"I thought I was a good rain driver but evidently not," he deadpanned afterwards. "I just made a mistake and locked up the rear brakes. But there's still a lot of racing left and nothing has been decided yet."

Jourdain, who trails Junqueira by 39 points, also came up empty at Road America after being hit from behind in a melee at Turn 5 on the opening lap of green.

"It hurt, obviously, because Paul fell out and Bruno won but we've just got to come back strong at Mid-Ohio," said the 26-year-old native of Mexico City.

Bourdais, who turned the fastest lap at Elkhart Lake and already sports three wins in his rookie year, is 48 points behind his teammate but plenty quick enough to be considered an outside threat with seven races remaining.

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