HVM name returns.

Erstwhile Minardi Team USA co-owner Keith Wiggins will be present in the newly-amalgamated IndyCar Series this year but, it would appear, without Paul Stoddart alongside him.

Wiggins has confirmed that he will run two cars under the HVM Racing banner, reverting to one of the former names his Champ Car operation used.

The team competed between 2001-07 under various guises - including Herdez Competition, HVM Racing, CTE Racing/HVM and, most recently, Minardi Team USA - but now appears to have severed ties with Stoddart and lost the Minardi moniker for the IndyCar project. Wiggins confirmed that the 2007 title would remain in place for the Long Beach round that will serve as Champ Car's swansong.

The Indianapolis-based squad has taken delivery of its first Dallara IRL chassis, and is currently preparing for the specially-arranged open tests planned for the remaining weeks before the season opener at Homestead-Miami Speedway on 29 March.

"We will field three cars at Long Beach in April under the Minardi Team USA banner, along with the other Champ Car teams, but our focus now is getting up to speed with the Dallara as soon as possible," Wiggins said.

"Announcements will follow in the coming days regarding who will pilot our cars in Long Beach and for the 2008 IndyCar season.

"We are looking forward to this new chapter in our book, and will tackle this challenge with the same integrity that we always have."