Luyendyk joins Mo Nunn for Indianapolis 500.

Two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Arie Luyendyk will partner Mo Nunn Racing's full-time IRL squad of Felipe Giaffone and Tora Takagi to form a three-car team entry at this year's 87th running of the Indianapolis 500.

A veteran of 17 previous Indy 500s - and with victories in the 1990 and 1997 editions of the prestigious 500-mile event - the 49-year old Dutchman will pilot a Toyota-powered Mo Nunn entry with sponsorship from Meijer.

"I'm really looking forward to the race this year and being back with Morris and our sponsors Meijer and Coca-Cola," Luyendyk said, "I'm really impressed with the team, and they have a strong motor programme with Toyota. The last time I ran Indy with Morris, I started on the pole and finished second, so this time I hope to reverse those positions. "

Luyendyk's third-place Indy 500 finish in 1991 with Vince Granatelli Racing, and runner-up finish in 1993 with Ganassi Racing, were both engineered by fourth-year team owner Morris Nunn. Consequently, Mo Nunn Racing team manager Peter Parrott was also at Granatelli in 1991, when Luyendyk also scored CART race victories at Phoenix and Nazareth, and finished sixth in the driver championship.

"The 500 has always been a very special place to be for me, and everyone knows what a special place it is for Arie," Nunn said, "Both Arie and I have pretty good records at the Speedway and we have worked well together in the past. We have a tremendous amount of confidence heading into May, and I am very pleased with the team that we have assembled."

Luyendyk contested his last six Indy 500s with Treadway Racing, a run that included the 1997 victory and a third start from the pole position in 1999. He has completed 2957 laps in 17 Indy 500s, leading 188 laps in all. His 1996 qualifying speed of 236.986mph still stands as the track record, as does his average speed of 185.981mph for the race distance in his 1990 Indy 500 victory.

Mo Nunn Racing fielded a pair of Indy 500 entries last year for the first time in its brief history, the team's first year in the IRL IndyCar Series. Giaffone's #21 Hollywood-sponsored team car qualified fourth and led eleven laps late in the race. The Brazilian was in contention for the victory all day and made a move for the lead in the closing laps, only to be foiled by a lapped car and finish third. Later in the season, Giaffone scored the team's first-ever race win at Kentucky en route to fourth in the driver championship.

Takagi, meanwhile, will be making his first Indy 500 start, having joined Nunn after two seasons in the CART series with Derrick Walker's eponymous team. The 29-year old previously rose through the Formula Nippon and Japanese F3 ranks either side of a short and unsuccessful career with Tyrrell and Arrows in Formula One.