Lexmark Indy 300 General Manager James O'Brien has welcomed the ne🐠ws that V8 Supercar driver David Besnard will take part in the Champ Car race at Surfers Paradise next month.

Besnard will line up in a Walker Racing Reynard following a three-way agreement between Walker, US-based Australian Champ Car series co-owner Kevin Kalkhoven and Gold Coast businessman Craig ꦫGore.

Besnard's late call-up was made possible after Toyota Atlantic star Josh Hunt, who competed in the series this season with the support of Gore's Wright Patton Shakespeare Fin⛦ancial Group and Kalkhoven, elected to ha🐟ve another season in the US rather than a one-off Champ Car drive at Indy.

Besnard, who had a brief spell in the TA series himself and now drives for Gore's WPS V8 Supercar team, will be the first Australian to competꦚe in the Gold Coast race since Jason Bright in 2000.

O'Brien is delighted that the Australian driver will be joining the Champ Car regulars fo🌠r his home round of the series.

"It has obviꦕously taken a little while for the parties to iron out the final dealꦜ, but we are delighted that David will be in a Champ Car at this year's Lexmark Indy 300," he said. "Besnard is a fierce competitor and has a wealth of open wheel experience and I am sure he will do a fantastic job on and off the track.

"David is a former ambassador for💛 this🙈 race and I guess he steps straight back into that role in a much bigger way over the next month.

"It is great that Craig Gore's company Wright Patton Shakespeare and Kevin Kalkhoven have been able to structure an arrangement to have David in the car an🧔d to have Josh Hunt back in a Toyota Atlantic car next season."

Besnard will return to the US later this week for a second test before flying back to Australia mid next week to compete in the 10th൩ round of the V8 Supercar Championship Series - the Bob Jane T-Marts 1000 at Bathurst.

"It's great to finally get the green light and I'm looking forward to flying the Aussie flag a𒁏t Indy," he said. "I won't be going out there to win the race but I'll be looking to put on a good show and just soak up the experience."

Besnard will compete unde♉r the same WPS Racing livery that he sports on his V8 Supercar, and his team boss Gore believes it is great news for the fans that a local driver will be involved.

"Bezzy's inclusion will be fan𒐪tastic news for anyone considering attending the event," he said. "It's great that we have got an Aussie - and especially a Queenslander - for ❀everyone to follow.

"I'm delighted to have worked with Kevin and De🧸r🌠rick in arriving at a final resolution."