Kelley eyes title glory after catching Ray

The 1997 title winner, who finished a disappointing 13th this year in the standings, is confident that his multi-year deal with Kelley Racing will allow him a crack at recapturing the title. Ray started 2001 with Team Meynard, but was fired after Kentucky in August and only returned to race in the last round for AJ Foyt Enterprises.

"I can't think of a better team, from A to Z, that has such a good foundation and race programme than Kelley Racing," Ray said. "It's hard to find the words to express how excited I am about this opportunity. I've spent a lot of time with Jim [Kelley] and [General Motors'] Jim Freudenberg discussing the racing business and what makes a team successful. It's all about surrounding yourself with good people."

Team boss Jim Kelley added: "Any time that you can bring a series champion on board with Greg's on and off-track abilities, you have to be excited. I remember a few races this year where he and Scott [Sharp] went head-to-head, battling for position. I don't expect that to stop because they're team mates, but it will definitely provide for even more exciting times for the team."