IndyCar offers help to Vegas guests

Last week it was announced that a $5 million bonus was on offer to any non-IndyCar driver who could come in and win the 16 October Las Vegas event, with five guest entries to be accepted from contenders in other championships.

The move has been seen as an invitation to NASCAR drivers in particular to take on the IndyCar regulars, but the Sprint Cup has a clashing event at Charlotte that weekend - though its race takes place on the Saturday whereas the IndyCar round is on Sunday.

Former Champ Car champion, Indianapolis 500 winner and Formula 1 frontrunner turned NASCAR racer Juan Pablo Montoya has already all but ruled out an attempt at Vegas due to the difficult logistics involved.

But Bernard says the IndyCar Series will do its utmost to make it possible for the 'outsiders' to fit Las Vegas into their schedules.

"We're reaching out to a variety of people to make sure we can build a schedule that does its best to accommodate drivers from all different forms of racing over the three days we are on track at Las Vegas," he said. "We are taking everything into consideration to make sure that if these drivers want to participate we can make it happen."

He also emphasised that the guests would be well prepared for the race.

"We are going to provide ample testing time at Las Vegas for the five selected drivers to make sure by the time they get to Las Vegas they are up to speed," Bernard promised.

Other major motorsport events taking place that weekend include F1's Korean Grand Prix and MotoGP's Australian Grand Prix.

Eligibility guidelines for the guest drivers will be published later in the year. Bernard has indicated to the American media that as well as drivers from other championship, retired IndyCar legends could be considered - though recent IndyCar names who do not have full-season drives, potentially including the likes of Tony Kanaan and Paul Tracy, would not be selected.