“I don't expect to be fighting for the victory, having been out of the car for two years, but it will be a lot of fun and a great honour to take part in the Champ Car World Series' final race,” Vasser insisted, “It will also be great to compete one more time in front of all the southern California fans that have been so supportive of me throughout my career.”

Another veteran, Alex Tagliani, will also make a one-off return to the fray, having agreed to rejoin the Walker Racing operation he last graced during the formative year of its Team Australian programme. The Canadian will pilot the #15 DP01, joining fellow Champ Car favourites Mario Dominguez - wheeling the second car at Pacific Coast Motorsports - and Robert Moreno, the Panoz development driver getting his hands on the #14 Minardi/HVM Racing car.

Dominguez, who seemingly drove for half the grid during a series of substitute appearances in 2007, will partner PCM regular Alex Figge, while the original 'supersub', Moreno, will join Nelson Phillippe and newcomer Ernesto Viso in the Minardi line-up.

Tracy, meanwhile, will be partnered by Frenchman Franck Montagny, who suffered another career blow when the Champ Car series folded just weeks after he had set the pace in testing with Forsythe at Sebring.

The former F1 test driver and Super Aguri racer will get one solitary chance to range himself against those that made the jump to the IndyCar Series having out-gunned them in Florida, hoping to pick up his homeland's mantle of master of Long Beach, following Sebastien Bourdais' run of success there in recent seasons.

In order to do that, however, he will have to overcome the current Newman/Haas/Lanigan pairing of Graham Rahal - who won on his IndyCar debut in St Petersburg earlier this month - and Justin Wilson, who slotted into the McDonalds car vacated by Bourdais' long-awaited move to F1.

“I am looking forward to getting back in the Panoz DP01 for one more Champ Car race and my first in the McDonald's Champ Car,” said Wilson, who watched as Bourdais took 'his' car to victory in each of the last three Long Beach events.

“It's quite fitting for me that the last race for the Champ Car will be at Long Beach because that was where I ran my first ever race in the series back in 2004. It brings back a lot of good memories. It is a great circuit with a great atmosphere and I think it ought to be another good event. It would be great to go out with a win but, at the same time, we need to think about the points and the championship. I'm hoping to make the most out of this opportunity to get as many points as possible at a track and in equipment we are familiar with.”

Dale Coyne Racing will have a decidedly South American flavour to its line-up, sticking with Brazilian veteran Bruno Junqueira and rookie Mario Moraes after the pair contested the opening rounds of the IndyCar season. Junqueira will be seeking his ninth career Champ Car win at Long Beach, a circuit he loves.

"I'm very excited about competing in Long Beach for many reasons - including a great chance to earn points,” he said, “The Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach is one of my favourite street tracks, with great crowds and weather. It will be very competitive."