Dreyer & Reinbold land new sponsor, second car.

Dreyer & Reinbold Racing has announced that it will expand to a two-car team for the events at Motegi and Indianapolis, and is set to introduce a new sponsor to the Indy Racing League on regular driver Roger Yasukawa's machine this weekend.

Team owner Dennis Reinbold revealed that sportscar regular Jeff Bucknum would join the line-up in Japan and for the biggest event on the Indycar calendar, running the #44 Dallara-Honda sponsored by Investment Properties of America. Bucknum, who is due to have his first test in an IRL car at Homestead on Monday, is the son of former Honda F1 racer Ronnie, and his visit to Motegi will provide him with a first opportunity to see the car his father drove.

"This is the opportunity of my lifetime right now," Bucknum Jr said of his IRL break, "One of the things that's so exciting is the involvement with Honda because of my dad's involvement as Honda's first F1 driver in 1964. That was my intent all along in my goals, to get to Indy and to race there with the Hondas. It's all about to become a reality.

"It's neat for me because [co-owner] Robbie Buhl and I go way back to the Barber Dodge days, where he coached me, and I'm sure he can do the same thing here with his advice and input as he did when I first got started."

"I've worked with both Jeff and Roger over the years, and I know their capabilities," Buhl countered, "The fact that we've already got our programme set for Indy, and that we're able to plan this far ahead, gives us that much more confidence in our efforts."

Investment Properties of America will be the primary sponsor on Bucknum's car, and remain as an associate sponsor for Yasukawa's #24 entry as well. IP of A joins Racing for Kids, Roll Coater, and Speed of Japan on Yasukawa's machine, which will debut at the series' opening round, at Homestead, this weekend.

"We're pleased to welcome Investment Properties of America to our team at Dreyer & Reinbold as a co-primary sponsor of the #24 car," Reinbold said, "While they're new to the racing arena, they are enthusiastic about becoming involved and introducing their business associates to the IRL atmosphere."