V8s: Indy 500 winner joins HRT for GC600

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon is the latest IndyCar driver to sign up to October’s running of the ArmorAll Gold Coast 600, one of the highest profile events on the V8 Supercars calendar.

The round at Surfers Paradise pairs 28 international drivers with the series’ regular drivers, and the Briton will join the likes of Will Power, Ryan Briscoe, Helio Castroneves, Scott Dixon, Alex Tagliani and Simon Pagenaud as North America’s open-wheeler representatives.

Wheldon famously won this year’s Indy 500 when, in his only scheduled IndyCar drive of the year driving for Bryan Herta Racing, Wheldon snatched victory on the last lap from rookie JR Hildlebrand when the then-race leader crashed in the final turn.

The 33-year-old has an impressive motor racing pedigree, including winning the 2003 Indy Racing League Rookie of the Year title, the 2005 IRL Championship, 16 IRL/Indycar race wins and victory in the 2006 Daytona 24 Hour. He finished tied on points with Sam Hornish Jr in the 2006 IndyCar championship, losing the crown on countback.

Wheldon has been confirmed as the co-driver for reigning V8 Supercars champion James Courtney at the Holden Racing Team factory outfit, who is enduring a wretched season trying to defend his title.

Fellow IndyCar driver Ryan Briscoe will be driving the #2 HRT Holden Commodore alongside former V8 champion Garth Tander. “A few of my friends raced V8 Supercars in last year’s Gold Coast event and all have great memories. It seemed that with some of the names included in this year’s race that it was going to be even bigger and better and I just had to be part of it,” Wheldon is quoted as saying.

Wheldon’s sole IndyCar outing at Surfers Paradise was the series’ last visit to the street circuit. He finished 11th driving for Panther Racing.

“I’m delighted to be driving for the Toll Holden Racing Team, it’s the most successful and famous team in V8 Supercars. It’s a team that has an ethos in winning, something I’m really passionate about.”

The ArmorAll Gold Coast 600 takes place on the streets of Surfer’s Paradise on October 21-23. The event is the third of three endurance races on the 2011 V8 Supercar Championship calendar and comprises two 300km, two driver races.