Phoenix, AZ (Best E Casino) - Three-time IndyCar Series champion Sam Hornish Jr. will drive a third Penske Dodge for the 2008 Sprint Cup (Nextel Cup) season. Roger Penske will officially make the announcement on Saturday night at the Penske Racing Museum in Phoenix.

Hornish Jr. (IndyCar champion in 2001,2002,2006) will drive the No.77 Mobil 1 Dodge and team with Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman.

Hornish Jr.'s jump to NASCAR is just the latest open-wheel driver to leave. He joins Juan Pablo Montoya, A.J. Allmendinger, Dario Franchitti, Patrick Carpentier and Jacques Villeneuve who have made the change in the last two years.

The Defiance, OH native made the decision despite failing to qualify for six Nextel Cup events this year.

"I am a much better racer than I am a qualifier, and if I can just get in, I feel confident I can figure it out," said Hornish Jr.

Penske Racing will probably ensure that he makes the first five events of 2008 by shifting Kurt Busch's owner points to the No.77 team. Busch would still be assured of racing because he could always fall back on the champion's provisional.