JOLIET, Ill. -- The Indy Racing League's developmental series is getting another sponsor.

The Infiniti Pro Series said Saturday it had reached a multiyear agreement to add Menard Inc. as a title sponsor. Beginning with Saturday's Chicagoland 100, the circuit will now be known as the IRL Menards Infiniti Pro Series.

"We were one of the original teams when the IRL started in 1996,'' said John Menard, owner of Menard Inc. "We share their vision of open-wheel racing in this country, and by lending support to the Menards Infiniti Pro Series, we are making a commitment to the future of our sport.''

Financial terms of the deal and the length of the contract were not released.

Menard started a chain of lumber-home improvement stores and also owns Team Menard, one of the IRL's original teams. Team Menard doesn't have a car in the developmental series, and that's not expected to change even with Saturday's sponsorship announcement.

The Menards Infiniti Pro Series was launched in July 2002 as a training ground for the open-wheel IRL. The cars have Infiniti engines, and run on gasoline instead of methanol to allow a 100-mile race without a pit stop.

A.J. Foyt IV, the 18-year-old grandson of the team owner and four-time Indy winner, was the first Infiniti champion. He is driving in the IRL this season for his grandfather's team.

The series has 12 races, all on the same tracks as IRL events. Six of the races on next year's schedule will be run on the same day as the IRL event.

The series also announced Saturday that the Freedom 100 will move to "Bump Day,'' the final day of qualifying for the Indianapolis 500. This year's race was supposed to be run the day before, but rain washed it out and it was moved to "Bump Day.''

"We decided that would be the best day to showcase the talent of the Menards Infiniti Pro Series,'' said Ken Ungar, senior vice president of business affairs for the series.