Briscoe signs with HRT for enduros

Briscoe, 24, who is still hoping to drive in Champ Car this year, will share the second Holden Racing Team car with veteran Jim Richards in the enduros, Richards an enduro master with seven wins at Bathurst.

Briscoe's signing follows on from HRT's 2005 endurance foray with another Australian who was a Formula One test driver, James Courtney. Eleventh at Sandown before an early exit at Bathurst when he hit the wall, Courtney was expected to drive in some capacity for HRT in 2006. But before the end of the season Courtney had been snapped up by arch-rivals Stone Brothers Racing to replace two-time champion Marcos Ambrose. Some people may wonder if Briscoe's signing is a reaction to this.

"We went looking for a superstar in the making, an Aussie achiever who can step into a V8 Supercar and do a good job for the Holden Racing Team," Holden Racing team lead driver Mark Skaife said in a statement.

"I've had my eye on Ryan for quite a while now and we've been speaking for some time, but it's only in the past week that we've been able to put together a deal for him to come racing with us this year."

Briscoe is happy to have at a racing commitment confirmed for 2006, especially with such a successful team: "I definitely appreciate this opportunity - V8 Supercars is the pinnacle of Australian motorsport and the Holden Racing Team is the team you want to be driving for.

"I didn't really think I would be driving a V8 Supercar at this stage of my career but motorsport is a funny game like that - you never know where it's going to lead."