New sponsor has Kelley in Kruse control.

Kelley Racing have been bolstered in their bid to field a third Dallara-Toyota for Tony Renna later in this year's IRL IndyCar Series by confirming that Kruse International will stay with the team as an associate sponsor for 2003.

After sponsoring the #78 Kelley Racing entry in the final four races last season with American Tony Renna, Kruse International logos will feature on both the #31 and #8 Dallara's of Scott Sharp and Al Unser Jr for the entire 16 race 2003 IRL IndyCar season.

"I've had a long association with Kruse International," Kelley Racing team boss Tom Kelley stated. "Their auctions and museum facilities have always been first-class and we're pleased that Kruse International is going to align its collectible auction properties with Kelley Racing."

"The partnership with Kelley Racing and the IRL is a natural fit for Kruse International because my business is centred on incredible cars, fast action, and excitement, and so is theirs," added Kruse founder and CEO Dean Kruse. "This is the first full year of what I think will be a long and successful relationship wit
Kelley and the IRL."

Headquartered in Auburn, Indiana, Kruse International is the world's largest collector car auction firm with 52 years of experience, selling more vintage and collector cars than all other auction firms combined.

The addition of Kruse International to Kelley's primary sponsors Delphi and Corteco is not only a boost to both Sharp's and Unser Jr's title ambitions but also to the teams' third driver, Tony Renna. Renna is set to drive a third Kelley entry at this year's Indianapolis 500 and the team are hoping to complete the season as a three-car outfit, budget pending.

The Kruse/Kelley partnership will be unique. Kruse International will be leveraging their sponsorship to drive traffic to their exotic and collectibles car auctions held in the race markets that coincide with the race weekends. The first of these combined efforts will coincide with this weekend's Toyota Indy 300 in south Florida. Kruse International will host the 31st Annual Ft. Lauderdale Collector Car Auction at the War Memorial Auditorium in Fort Lauderdale on March 1 and 2 and will also have 15 to 20 exotic cars on display at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Throughout the season, fans that attend the IndyCar Series races can register at the Kelley Racing merchandise unit to win a classic Mustang that will be given away by Kruse International at the end of the season.