Indy Racing League veteran Sarah Fisher will return to the series in the Meijer Indy 300 at her home circuit of Kentucky Speedway on August 13.

Fisher will be reunited with the Dreyer and Reinbold Racing team for whom she drove in 2002 and 2003. She debuted with a fourth-place finish at Nazareth Speedway substituting for the injured Robbie Buhl, and later became the first female to start on pole in Indycars, promisingly also at Kentucky Speedway. Her record of 221.390 mph has still to be beaten.

"It's very exciting to have Sarah back in the car," said team co-owner Dennis Reinbold. "We believe it is a very good track for her, and with the momentum our team has been building a good result is what we are looking forward to. It's always a pleasure working with Sarah, and this time will be no different."

Fisher will be the second woman in the field for the 200-lap race, alongside Danica Patrick, who started from pole last year.

In 48 races, Fisher has achieved seven top ten results in the IRL. Her best performances have been second at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2001 with Walker Racing and third at Kentucky Speedway in 2000, the highest ever finishes for a female driver in the championship.

The 25-year-old Ohio ace made national headlines in the US when she entered the series at just 19 years of age, but her determination soon saw her become a household name.

"I am really looking forward to the opportunity to get back into an IndyCar," said Fisher, who last competed in the IRL in 2004 in the Indianapolis 500.

"It has been some time and there is a lot of catching up to do. Hopefully, it will be like riding a bike, but I am sure that there will be challenges we will have to figure out how to hurdle. This weekend is all about getting back on the bike.

“It's a personal goal of mine to at least run in the top ten. I want to be there at the end and racing as hard as I did before, and that in itself will achieve results."

In 2000, Fisher became the youngest female and third-youngest driver ever to compete in the Indianapolis 500. It was also the first time two women had raced in the same event.