Updated

Penske Racing will take AJ Allmendinger to Long Beach without a sponsor to give him more seat time before the Indianapolis 500.

Penske team President Tim Cindric said Saturday the team thought Allmendinger would be comfortable in the April 21 race at Long Beach because he's got familiarity with the track.

Allmendinger is making his IndyCar debut Sunday at Barber Motorsports Park in what was initially his only scheduled race before the Indy 500.

Roger Penske has given Allmendinger this second chance after firing the driver last summer for failing a random NASCAR drug test. The opportunity is with his IndyCar program, and Allmendinger last raced in an open-wheel series in 2006.

Allmendinger ran three times at Long Beach in Champ Car, with a best finish of eighth in 2005.