Ryan Briscoe’s bid to regain a full-time drive in the IndyCar championship has been given a boost.
The Australian will team up with Panther Racing for this weekend’s Milwaukee IndyFest, the second time Briscoe has raced for the outfit this year.
Briscoe was left without a ride in this year’s championship when he was let go by the powerful Penske Racing outfit at the end of last season.
But the 31-year-old has appeared for Panther at the recent Chevrolet Dual in Detroit and competed at last month’s Indianapolis 500 for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Competing at Milwaukee will bring back plenty of fond memories for Briscoe, having picked up the first of his seven IndyCar race wins at the Milwaukee Mile in 2008.
“Excited about rejoining @PantherRacing for @MKE_IndyFest this weekend!,” Briscoe said on Twitter.
“It’s my home-race-by-marriage + where I won my 1st @IndyCar race.”
Briscoe will resume his preparations to compete in the Le Mans 24-Hour endurance race following this weekend’s IndyCar event.
Oriol Servia will take over from Briscoe as the driver of the Panther Racing No.4 entry for the June 23 IndyCar race at the Iowa Speedway but team managing partner John Barnes is happy to have Briscoe on board for this weekend.
“It was great to work with him a few weeks ago in Detroit and he obviously knows his way around the Milwaukee Mile,” Barnes said.
“We feel like we’ll be able to have a good weekend in the National Guard Chevrolet.
“We’re working on getting him signed for several other races this season, so hopefully we’ll have that finalised in the short term future.”