By Steve Keating
DETROIT (Reuters) - Paul Tracy will renew his love affair with the Indianapolis 500 this month but remains annoyed he is unable to secure funding to run a full campaign.
Tracy, who has 31 wins in top flight North American open-wheel racing, is one of Indy Car's most popular figures, loved by fans for his aggressive attacking style and loathed by some fellow drivers for the same reasons.
But for all his skill and colorful personality, the 41-year-old has been unable to find full-time employment and will see his first action of the season at the Indy 500.
"It's not for a lack of trying.
"We have multiple people working on trying to find sponsorship for myself and KV (Racing) to operate a car full-time.
"We're turning over every stone, looking around every corner and looking through every bush but it's difficult."
Tracy returns to the Brickyard as part of a four-car team with Takuma Sato, E.J. Viso and Mario Moraes in the KV Racing paddock.
The race will also reunite Tracy with former-boss Barry Green, who masterminded Jacques Villeneuve's 500 win in 1995 and nearly put Tracy in Victory Lane in 2002.
Tracy's team protested the result but the IRL ruled in Castroneves's favor.
"Deep down we know what happened," said Tracy. "This will probably go down in history as one of the most fiercely debated topics for many years.
(Editing by Frank Pingue/Greg Stutchbury)
Receive your weekly recap of all the happenings around the world of sports.