INDIANAPOLIS (Ticker) -- The Indy Racing League season doesn't begin until March 2, but Greg Ray has already been fired by Kelley Racing with Al Unser Jr. set to be announced as the team's driver on Thursday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Also, NASCAR Winston Cup and CART team owner Chip Ganassi has signed Jeff Ward as his IRL driver for the 2002 season. Ganassi is the second major CART team owner to announce a full-time team in the IRL this season.

Last November, the winningest team in CART history -- Penske Racing -- left CART to join the IRL full-time this season.

Ward will compete in the No. 9 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet/G-Force for the 2002 Indy Racing League season. Ganassi, who currently fields two cars in the CART FedEx Championship series and two cars in the NASCAR Winston Cup series, will become the first car owner to run a full season in the three major American racing series.

"I'm looking forward to this season," Ganassi said. "However, I want to be cautious about this year because it is going to be a learning year for us. The main thing that we are trying to do is to gather information and expertise about these cars.

"It is going to be an exciting year for everyone involved in our team. I'm excited to have a driver like Jeff Ward with us because he has a lot of experience in these types of cars. I'm also looking forward to racing with some of my old friends in the Indy Racing League."

Ward is a veteran driver in the IRL. In his five seasons in the IRL, Ward has 11 top-5 finishes including a second-place finish in the 1999 Indianapolis 500.

The 40-year old from San Juan Capistrano, California has yet to win an IRL race, but is generally considered the best driver in the series who hasn't gotten to victory lane of an IRL event.

"This is what I've been shooting for my entire career," Ward said. "I'm extremely excited to be running with a first class operation here at Chip Ganassi Racing. I feel that I have a great chance to win some races, most importantly, the Indy 500. That has been a dream of mine since I started racing.

"I've been close to winning it a few times and this could be my best chance yet. As you can see by their track record, this team has a proven track record of winning. I tested the car at Fontana, California and we were pretty quick right out of the box. When Chip approached me about driving for him, I found it hard to wipe the smile from my face. It's quite an honor, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility, which is to win. I'm ready for that challenge."

Ward began his career in moto-cross racing in 1977. He retired from moto-cross racing in 1992 after posting 20 career super-cross wins and 54 career national moto-cross wins.

Ward joined the Indy Racing League in 1997 and in his first Indianapolis 500, qualified seventh and finished third. In 45 races in the Indy Racing League, Ward scored 22 top-10 finishes and notched two poles.

Rob Hill will manage the IRL program and Barry Wanser will assume chief mechanic duties on Ward's car.

Hill has been with the Ganassi Racing team since 1996 and guided former driver Alex Zanardi to the 1997 and 1998 CART Championships.

Wanser began his career with Ganassi Racing in 1997 as a gearbox mechanic and will now anchor a veteran crew of team members on the No. 9 Chevrolet/G-Force.

Ganassi Racing begins its season in Homestead, Florida on March 2 at the Grand Prix of Miami.

Ray, the 1999 IRL champion, was fired by Team Menard last July and replaced by Jacque Lazier. The younger brother of Buddy Lazier was able to get Menard's car into victory lane in just his second race for the team.

Ray thought he had been resurrected when he was announced as the second driver at Kelley Racing during the offseason, where he was supposed to team up with fellow driver Scott Sharp. But that has already dissolved with the announcement of Ray's release from the team.

According to team owner Tom Kelley, Ray was supposed to bring sponsorship to the team. Ray contends that was not part of his contract.

With Ray out, Unser, who has been rideless since the end of last season, will replace him when Galles Racing was unable to secure full-time sponsorship for the 2002 IRL season. Unser is a two-time Indianapolis 500 winner and a two-time CART champion.

Unser left CART after the 1999 season to join the IRL in 2000 and has won one IRL race in each of his last two IRL seasons, most recently at Gateway International Raceway near St. Louis last August.

Unser was expected to join Dreyer and Reinbold Racing in a second car to driver Robbie Buhl. Sarah Fisher or Ray will now possibly fill that ride.

Fisher is the most popular driver in the IRL, but Walker Racing has been unable to get a full-time sponsor for the female driver this season.