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LOS ANGELES — Townsend Bell will enter the 2010 edition of the Indianapolis 500 for Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing thanks to backing from global nutrition and direct selling company Herbalife.

This marks the second-consecutive year Herbalife has sponsored Bell at Indianapolis, where he finished fourth last year in an entry prepared by KV Racing Technology. Bell will attempt to make his fourth Indy start May 30.

“With the announcement of Herbalife as our team’s primary sponsor for the 2010 Indy 500, we have all of the elements to produce a winning effort,” said Bell, who will pilot the No. 99 this year at Indy. “Teaming Herbalife with two championship operations, Sam Schmidt Motorsports and Chip Ganassi Racing, gives this program a tremendous combination to race for the victory.”

The SSM/CGR connection was established in 2009 when Alex Lloyd drove the No. 99 to a 13th- place finish. Sam Schmidt Motorsports has run nine entries in the Indianapolis 500 since 2001 with driver Richie Hearn recording a team-high sixth in 2002.