Briscoe to drive for Panther in Detroit
IndyCar News/Releases, IndyCar team PR — By More Front Wing Staff on May 30, 2013 3:18 pm[Source: Panther Racing press release]
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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – (May 30, 2013) – Two-time IndyCar Series champion Panther Racing announced today that Ryan Briscoe will drive the team’s No. 4 National Guard Chevy for this weekend’s Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit. Briscoe, a seven-time IndyCar race winner, spent most of the past five seasons with Team Penske after making his IndyCar Series debut with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2005. The open-wheel veteran most recently made his return to the series with Ganassi for the 97th Running of the Indianapolis 500, where he finished 12th in the No. 8 NTT DATA entry.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Ryan Briscoe join Panther Racing this weekend,” Panther Managing Partner John Barnes said. “He’s a championship-caliber driver who’s proven he can win races on any type of track in the IndyCar Series. We have no doubt he can jump right into our program and put the No. 4 National Guard Chevy at the front of the field. In his career he’s gone toe-to-toe with the best drivers in this series and won a lot of races. We’re all very excited that he’s going to become part of our family here at Panther and look forward to getting him on the track this weekend in Detroit.”
Briscoe’s seven career IndyCar Series race wins have been spread across every type of track configuration on which theseries runs; street courses (St. Petersburg, 2009), permanent road courses (Mid-Ohio, 2008; Sonoma, 2012), short ovals (Milwaukee, 2008) and superspeedways (Kentucky and Chicagoland, 2009; Texas, 2010). Briscoe also has 13 career poles, including capturing pole position in last year’s Indianapolis 500. He has spent a majority of 2013 racing for Level 5 Motorsports in ALMS, where he’s captured P2 class victories in the 12 Hours of Sebring and at Laguna Seca earlier this month.
“I’m unbelievably excited to be back in the IndyCar Series with Panther Racing and to have the opportunity to drive the National Guard Chevrolet this weekend,” Briscoe said. “I’ve competed against this team for a long time and it will be great to have the opportunity to work with John Barnes and the Panther guys. I’m confident we’ll all work well together and be able to hit the ground running this weekend in Detroit.”
The 31-year-old will become the fourthdriver to drive Panther’s National Guard-sponsored entry, following Vitor Meira (2008), Dan Wheldon (2009-2010) and JR Hildebrand (2011-2013).
The Chevrolet Indy Duel in Detroit will be the first double-header race weekend on the IndyCar Series schedule. The races will be held each day of the weekend at 3:30 pm (ET) and broadcast live on ABC, with additional coverage provided by the IMS Radio Network, XM/Sirius Channel 211. Practice, qualifying and race coverage is also available on the IndyCar Mobile app from Verizon.
Tags: Panther Racing, Ryan Briscoe