Belardi Auto Racing announced that Irishman Peter Dempsey will drive its No. 9 car for the remainder of the 2012 Firestone Indy Lights season beginning in Toronto next weekend.
"Peter has been on our radar since he was a competitor at Andretti Autosport last year," team owner Brian Belardi said. "We saw how immensely talented and quick he was, and mentally put him into consideration for the future. At the beginning of this season we had two great drivers fill our two full-time seats, so things just weren't right at the time.
"Unfortunately this season has not worked out the way we had anticipated. With Peter now on our team, we expect this to be a step in the right direction. Everyone is looking forward to his first race with us in Toronto."
The 26-year-old from Ashbourne, Ireland raced earlier this year in Firestone Indy Lights in the Freedom 100 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Belle Isle in Detroit, with Younessi Racing. For the final five races of the season Peter looks forward to working with Belardi Auto Racing.
"First off I want to thank the team, Belardi Auto Racing, Brian and John for giving me this opportunity," Dempsey said. "As soon as one door closes, another opens so I'm delighted to be given the opportunity to get back in the Firestone Indy Lights series and have a more solid deal than what I'm used to for the remainder of the season.
"Hopefully I can bring my knowledge and experience to the team and put us up to the front as quickly as possible and challenge for a couple of good results. Definitely going into Toronto we want to be at the front, and I'd love to finish off the season with a couple of great finishes for the team. I'm really looking forward to Toronto. Jorge has been my teammate before so we should work well together, and we'll see how it goes."