Subway to sponsor Tracy in IRL

Tracy's Subway sponsored car

Paul Tracy will compete in the Rexall Edmonton Indy (Saturday, July 26, 5 p.m. ET, ESPN) through a collaboration of Vision Racing and Walker Racing with backing from Subway. Additional races this season are possible.

Tracy, 39, will drive the No. 22 Subway/Vision Racing Honda-powered Dallara, which will be maintained at the racetrack by a Walker Racing crew. Northlands, the promoter of the Rexall Edmonton Indy, will be an associate sponsor.

"I've been away for a little while, but I want to be back in a car and this is the first step to getting back," said Tracy, who last competed on the streets of Long Beach (Calif.) in the Champ Car finale and is the Champ Car career leader with 31 victories. "We have a big job ahead of us but everyone is giving it their best try."

Tracy, native of Scarborough, Ontario, will compete in an IndyCar Series event for the first time since the 2002 Indianapolis 500.

"I'm excited about the opportunity with Vision Racing and Walker Racing," said Tracy who is seventh in Indy-car racing victories. "Obviously, it's key to have a good sponsor and a proper effort. Tony George has done a great job with that. We have that now with Subway and these two teams working together."

Longtime open-wheel racing team owner Derrick Walker said this is a step in competing in the IndyCar Series full time.

"We are looking forward to working with Vision Racing and Paul Tracy," Walker said. "Walker Racing is building on 2009 and this opportunity with Vision Racing affords us the chance to show that we are still alive and a viable entity. I appreciate that Tony has provided us with this chance. It's a good opportunity as well to work with Paul. Having raced against him for many years I've always admired him as a very competitive driver. There is no doubt we are all going into this event with our eyes wide open. We just want to execute the best that we can and the results will take care of themselves."

The Edmonton event is the last in a string of six consecutive weekends of racing, which includes the Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio presented by Westfield Insurance this weekend. Watch all the action on indycar.com via streaming video with live Timing & Scoring.

"I am sure this partnership with Paul Tracy and Walker Racing will give us a better understanding of the platform we need to take to the event to be as successful as possible," Vision Racing co-owner Tony George said. "I am very proud of Vision Racing personnel who have very unselfishly worked to provide five cars to transitioning teams before the season started and before it began to focus on its own effort. Because of the professional way the team has conducted itself so far I am sure we will be able to collaborate with Walker Racing to put forth a quality effort for this race."