Team Rahal  has announced the expansion of its partnership with Argent Mortgage Company LLC as a co-primary sponsor with Pioneer Electronics for its 2004 Indy Racing League IndyCar Series programme.

Team Rahal also announced that Buddy Rice will be the substitute driver for Kenny Brack in the opening races of the 2004 IndyCar Series. Brack was injured in the final 2003 IndyCar Series race in Texas on Oct. 12, and is rehabilitating at his home in Upper Arlington, Ohio. He is scheduled to return to the driver’s seat in 2004.

Rice and Brack will drive a Panoz G Force/Honda/Firestone package in 2004.

Rice, the 2000 Toyota Atlantic Series champion, has 18 IRL IndyCar Series starts and finished second in his debut in 2002 at Michigan. Rice will begin testing the Pioneer/Argent Mortgage car for Team Rahal on Jan. 28 at Homestead, Fla.

Argent was the primary sponsor on Team Rahal’s second Indianapolis 500 entry in 2003, driven by veteran Jimmy Vasser.

“We are very pleased to expand our racing programme for 2004,” said Wayne Lee, president of Argent.  “We are looking forward to another sensational racing season in 2004.”

“The expansion of Argent’s partnership with Team Rahal is extremely exciting,” said Team Rahal co-owner Bobby Rahal.  “The alliance we enjoyed in 2003 with Argent and our Toyota Atlantic and Indy 500 programs proved to be a tremendous asset for both of us. Argent introduced itself to a new audience through its marketing and media programmes last year. With two racing programmes in 2004, we feel our partnership will support Argent’s continued growth.”

The 2004 IRL IndyCar Series season begins with the Toyota Indy 300 at 2 p.m. (EST) on Feb. 29, 2004, at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The race will be broadcast live on ESPN and the IMS Radio Network.