Tagliani wants bragging rights for second home.

Alex Tagliani will be looking for bragging rights when the Champ Car World Series debuts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway next weekend - but knows that he will face stiff opposition from fellow Vegas residents Paul Tracy, Jimmy Vasser and Patrick Carpentier.

Tagliani moved to Las Vegas from his hometown in Montreal to take advantage of the tax breaks and real estate investment opportunities, but found that the move was beneficial for him physically as well.

"We were testing in Phoenix and down in Florida, and living in Montreal," he explained, "We were going back and forth from Montreal to the testing sites, and it was difficult. There's about a 60-degree difference in temperature between those places, and it was hard on my body. Las Vegas is a nice place for training and the temperature is about the same as the places we test."

When not training or testing on the tracks, Tagliani can be found doing some personal training on his bicycle in Red Rock Canyon. A popular exercise destination for all four drivers, Tagliani will usually make 30-mile journeys in the canyon. However, he recently purchased a new house in Las Vegas, and says a lot of his free time at home is spent working on it.

"When I have the time at home, I just like to chill," he smiled.

The Rocketsports team is only in its second year and entrusted its rookie season to Tagliani. He didn't disappoint, taking two pole positions, three podiums and led the team to a top-ten finish overall - but the only thing that still eluded him after a five-year Champ Car career was a trip to victory lane. That changed at Elkhart Lake on 8 August 8, when Tagliani recorded his first career win in the Grand Prix of Road America. He currently sits fourth in the championship standings.

"Our season has gone good so far," he said, "We have our ups and downs just like everyone, but we are trying be to more consistent in our races. We're still building our team. It is only a year-and-a-half old and we are fourth in the points. There are still a lot more things to learn and a lot more to do. The goal now is to try to score as many points as we can in the races we are quick in, and try to save the day in the races where we may struggle."

Racing at home will have its perks for all four drivers. Family and friends will be in the stands cheering them on, and they will be able to wake up in their own bed on race day. Tagliani thinks the Champ Car race at LVMS already has great intensity behind it.

"I think Champ Cars is just another way to be entertained in Vegas," he said, "It's a good city and a great race to add to our schedule. I'm excited to be racing here - and I intend to win!"