INDIANAPOLIS -- Team Cheever announced on Wednesday that American Buddy Rice will drive the No. 53 Red Bull Cheever Racing Infiniti in the inaugural Michigan Indy 400 this Sunday. Rice joins Eddie Cheever Jr. and Tomas Scheckter at Red Bull Cheever Racing.

"We have a commitment to ourselves and Red Bull to win races," team owner and driver Eddie Cheever Jr. said. "Buddy, who has been very impressive in testing with us, is joining the team to give us another shot at winning on Sunday. Given our performance at the superspeedways this season, I am hopeful that with three cars in the field Red Bull Cheever Racing can leave Michigan with a victory in hand."

Rice, 26, passed his Indy Racing League rookie test Tuesday at Kentucky Speedway. He is currently scheduled to race only at Michigan. His relationship with Red Bull Cheever Racing started last November when he tested for the team at California Speedway. He signed a testing contract with the team in June.

"This is an excellent opportunity. Red Bull Cheever Racing is one of the top teams in the IRL and they've been fast all year," Rice said. "Red Bull has been very supportive of my career since 1998 when they signed me as one of their athletes. This is really what we have all been working so hard to achieve."

This season Rice has driven in three sports car races for Miracle Motorsports in the Grand American Rolex series. He competed in the Toyota Atlantic series from 1998 to 2000, winning the championship in 2000. He started racing go-karts at age 11, winning several national titles.