Just gr8 for Briscoe

AUSTRALIA’S Ryan Briscoe will drive Chip Ganassi Racing’s No.8 car in the 2014 IndyCar series.

Briscoe, 32, has a history with Ganassi. He drove for the team during the 2005 IndyCar season after serving as a test driver for Panasonic Toyota Racing in Formula One the previous year.

In May, Briscoe drove the team’s No. 8 car in a one-off ride in the Indianapolis 500, finishing 12th. That was his first start in the series since he left Team Penske at the end of the 2012 season.

In five seasons with Penske he notched seven wins.

‘‘This is just great news, and I can’t wait to get back behind the wheel of the number eight car again,’’ Briscoe said. ‘‘We built some great chemistry during the month of May with the whole crew.’’

In announcing their fourdriver lineup for next season, Ganassi said Brazilian Tony Kanaan will take over the No.10 car now that injuries have forced Scotland’s Dario Franchitti into retirement.

Briscoe and Kanaan will team with New Zealand’s Scott Dixon, who won his third IndyCar series championship this year, and Charlie Kimball, who won a race in the series for the first time in August at Mid-Ohio.