Owner/driver Peterson joins Infiniti Pro Series.

Off-road and open-wheel racing veteran Gary Peterson will drive the No. 27 Automatic Fire Sprinklers entry in the 2002 Indy Racing Infiniti Pro Series, the first driver/owner to commit to the new development series.

"I am very excited to become a part of a brand-new series with the IRL and confident that with Roger Bailey's experience, the Infiniti Pro Series will be a great success," Peterson said.

Peterson, from Huntington Beach, Calif., competed in the Baja 500 and 1000 events before switching to open-wheel racing. His resume includes stints in the SCCA Formula Continental, Super Vee and Toyota Atlantic series.

Peterson, the founder and president of Automatic Fire Sprinklers, Inc., will turn his first laps in an Infiniti Pro Series car during open tests scheduled for June 22 and 24 at Gateway International Raceway and Chicagoland Speedway, respectively.

The inaugural, seven-race season of the new development series will begin July 7 at Kansas Speedway and culminate with the season finale Sept. 14 at Texas Motor Speedway.

The 100-mile Infiniti Pro Series "sprints" will take place at the same track and on the same day as Indy Racing League events except for the Texas race, which will be conducted the day before the IRL's season-ending Chevy 500.

Drivers such as A.J. Foyt IV, Arie Luyendyk Jr., Cory Witherill, Ed Carpenter and Aaron Fike will compete for a $100,000 purse at each Infiniti Pro Series event.