Out of a ride at the start of the year, Ryan Briscoe is in position to pull off a prestigious motor racing double.

Chip Ganassi Racing last week hired Briscoe to run the Indianapolis 500 next month, giving him a seat in one of the biggest races in the world.

He’s also scheduled to run the 24 Hours of Le Mans in June and a sweep would allow the Australian to join A.J. Foyt as the only drivers to win both races in the same year.

The opportunities have left Briscoe optimistic about his future and not dwelling on not having a full-time IndyCar Series ride.

“I am definitely a very positive natured person and this gives me the opportunity to do Le Mans this year which is a huge event and otherwise I wouldn’t be able to,” Briscoe said.

“Every time I am in a race car, every time I am with the team, whoever it is, I just want to do my best and make my best impression and move forward.”

Briscoe had been in talks with the Ganassi team for Indianapolis earlier this year but sponsorship was a problem.

Still available two weeks ago, Ganassi decided last year’s pole winner needed to be in the race and a sponsor was found.

“What Chip Ganassi Racing has always been about, truthfully, is trying to have drivers at the calibre of Ryan drive our race cars,” team manager Mike Hull said.

“So with that itself it is important to us to have an accomplished, and very, very well-represented race car drivers. And now we have a fourth one for Indy 500.”

Briscoe, who drove for Ganassi for one season in 2005, will join past race winners Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon, along with Charlie Kimball.

Then it’s back to the American Le Mans Series, where Briscoe is running the full season for Level 5 Motorsports who won their class last month in the 12 Hours of Sebring.