Dreyer & Reinbold Racing announced July 10 it has signed Ryan Briscoe to drive the No. 5 Dreyer & Reinbold Racing Honda-powered Dallara in three of the remaining six events in the 2006 IRL IndyCar® Series season.

The 24-year-old native of Sydney, Australia will race in the Firestone Indy 200 at Nashville Superspeedway on July 15, the ABC Supply Co./A.J. Foyt Indy 225 at the Milwaukee Mile on July 23 and the Grand Prix of Sonoma at Infineon Raceway on Aug. 27.

“At this point and time, we are working towards building for the 2007 season,” said team co-owner Dennis Reinbold. “With this in mind, we want to try different things with our team during the remainder of the season to see what we can learn for the future.”

Added team co-owner Robbie Buhl: “We are continuing to grow as a team, and we can’t stop learning. Ryan will be in the car for us at Nashville, and that will allow us to get to know him better. We are always working to build the team and Ryan will have a hand in that.”

Briscoe, who finished a season-best eighth at Nashville while driving for Target Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005, finished a career-best third driving for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing at Watkins Glen in June.

A noted road-racer, Briscoe has driven in the Grand American Road Racing Series and A1GP this season and will drive endurance events with the Holden Racing Team in the Australian V8 SuperCar Series.

“I’m very excited to get back in the car for the Dreyer & Reinbold Racing team—especially with the success we had together in Watkins Glen earlier this year,” Briscoe said. “It will also be exciting to be competing on an oval again. I will be running select races because I have prior commitments in Australia. I am doing what I can to do both.”

The team has yet to confirm plans for the events that Briscoe will not compete. Reinbold said Buddy Lazier, who has started seven races for the team this season, remains an option.

“Buddy (Lazier) is the ultimate professional and did a great job for us this year,” Reinbold said. “We will certainly continue to consider him for the future.”

Bookmark to: