Roth Racing steps up with Indy entry.

Infiniti Pro Series newcomer Roth Racing has filed an entry for this year's Indianapolis 500, with owner-driver Marty Roth looking to make his Indy Racing League graduation at the series biggest event.

The Canadian will join a growing list of drivers who honed their skills in the official IRL development series before moving up to the top flight, with three IPS veterans - series champions AJ. Foyt IV and Mark Taylor, and inaugural Freedom 100 winner Ed Carpenter - racing full time in the IndyCar Series this season. Roth formed his own team to ensure his participation in this year's IPS, and also to help facilitate his Indy entry. Roth Racing is the first team to graduate from the Pro Series to IndyCars.

"The goal from the start of joining the Menards Infiniti Pro Series has been to move up," the Toronto native said, "We've been waiting for this day. That's been the ultimate mission - to get into the '500' and bring the team up to the IndyCar Series level. We're on track.

"This is the progression we were after with Roth Racing. It just happened a bit sooner [than expected]. An opportunity presented itself, and we took it. I'm pursuing a lifelong dream, and we're going to be ready."

Roth also plans to be the first driver ever to perform a 'May double' at Indianapolis, by racing in both the Freedom 100 on Saturday 22 May and the 500 the following Sunday.

"It's an opportunity to go out in a car I know and get used to the track in the Pro Series car and then shift over to the IndyCar Series car," the 45-year old explained, "The fact that I run a Pro Series car will make it a lot easier. I know the Pro Series cars and will be able to get used to the track."

Roth will pilot the #25 Dallara-Toyota in the Indianapolis 500, pending completion of the mandatory rookie orientation programme. Butch Winkle is named as his chief mechanic, with Mark Moore the team manager.

The 88th Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday 30 May, with all entries needing to be postmarked by midnight 31 March. Roth joins the already confirmed Kosuke Matsuura, Robby Gordon and Adrian Fernandez on the entry list.