NOTEBOOK: FAST TIMES ON SOFT TIRES IN QUALIFYING.

Byline: Tim Haddock Staff Writer

LONG BEACH - The Champ Car Series teams in the Grand Prix of Long Beach will be required to use a soft-compound tire during Sunday's race.

However, the teams are not required to use them in qualifying, even though it could translate into faster times.

When the top three qualifiers - Bruno Junqueira, Paul Tracy and Alex Tagliani - were asked who was using the softer-compound tires, they quietly waited for someone to answer first.

Apparently no one wanted to tip his hand and let the other drivers know if his car was going as fast as it could.

--Something's amiss: Driver Oriol Servia's car did not pass inspection after qualifying Friday for the Grand Prix of Long Beach.

A Champ Car Series official said Servia will have to qualify into the race during today's second and final qualifying session.

Servia is making his fifth Grand Prix of Long start. He finished eighth in last year's race driving for Patrick Racing. His best finish at Long Beach came in his rookie season in 2000 when he was sixth.

--Celebrity fever: Tony Potts, a correspondent for ``Access Hollywood,'' turned in the fastest lap (1:48.364) to qualify on the pole for today's Toyota Pro/Celebrity event.

The top professional driver was Lexus-powered Grand-Am driver Max Papis with a lap time of 1:46.883.

The celebrity field includes ``Bachelor'' Andrew Firestone, Frankie Muniz, Sean Astin, Melissa Joan Hart and Lil' Kim.

--Unser-mania: The Unser family returned en masse to the Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach on Friday.

Six-time LBGP champ Al Unser Jr. joined his son, aka ``Just Al,'' on what turned out to be an uncharacteristically dismal day for the Unsers in Long Beach.

The 21-year-old was plagued by mechanical problems and finished 19th out of 21 cars on the first day of qualifying in the Toyota Atlantic division.

``He's just learning,'' said the elder Unser. ``I told him some days are good. Other days are bad. As far as mechanics go, this wasn't a good day.''

Unser completed 10 laps between practice and qualifying because of his car's issues.

Just Al follows in the footsteps of Little Al (Al Unser Jr.) and Big Al (Al Unser Sr.). Big Al competed in three Grands Prix, including the inaugural race in 1975, before his son became known as the ``King of Long Beach'' after his string of victories.

The younger Unser - who also was joined at the race by his mother Shelley - said he tries not to think much about the ties his father and grandfather have to the race.

``It's a mental thing. I don't want to add any more pressure to myself,'' Unser said. ``I really don't try to think about it.''

Unser was added to P-1 Racing just a week ago. The team, co-owned by baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount, will only run in Long Beach unless a sponsor is found. Its late addition to Toyota Atlantic - a series that serves as Champ Car's main developmental program - meant the team was limited to just two days of testing.

Staff writers A.J. Perez and Ben Villa contributed to this story.