Meyer Shank Racing

Meyer Shank Racing (formerly Michael Shank Racing) is an American motorsport organization that competes in the IndyCar Series and the IMSA SportsCar Championship.

Meyer Shank Racing
Owner(s)Michael Shank
Jim Meyer
Liberty Media
Helio Castroneves
Principal(s)Michael Shank
BasePataskala, Ohio
SeriesIndyCar Series
IMSA SportsCar Championship
Race driversIndyCar Series:
06. Sweden Felix Rosenqvist
60. United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist
IMSA SportsCar Championship:
60. United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist
60. United States Colin Braun
SponsorsAutoNation, SiriusXM, Arctic Wolf Networks, Cleveland-Cliffs
ManufacturerIndyCar Series: Honda
IMSA SportsCar Championship: Acura
Career
Indy 500 victories1 (2021)

History

Atlantic Championship

Michael Shank, co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing (MSR), was originally a car owner for Sam Hornish Jr. He started racing in 1989, winning SCCA Ohio Valley Region's Novice Driver of the Year. He later on debuted his racing career in the mid-1990's, winning the 1996 Player's/Toyota Atlantic C2 championship. Shank raced in his one and only Indy Racing League in 1997 with Nienhouse Motorsports. By 1999 Shank had won the Formula Atlantic series Rookie of the Year title. Shank has since been twice named Formula Atlantic Team Owner of the Year.

Grand-Am

Michael Shank joined the Grand-Am Rolex Series in 2004, the second year of the Daytona Prototype class. He entered a Lexus-powered Doran JE4 in 12 races with primary drivers Ozz Negri and Burt Frisselle, finishing second at Watkins Glen's short course and third at Homestead-Miami Speedway. The team owner took a giant step in 2005. Orlando transportation magnate Paul Mears Jr. partnered with Shank to run his Pontiac Riley. Impressed with the new car, Shank purchased a Riley of his own, with Negri capturing the pole for the car's first race at Laguna Seca to immediately demonstrate its potential. Negri and Mark Patterson completed the season, with a best finish of third at Watkins Glen, while Mears and Mike Borkowski earned podiums at California Speedway and Barber Motorsports Park.

MSR posted its first victory in 2006, with Negri and Patterson winning the finale at Salt Lake City. John Pew joined the team midway through the 2007 campaign, and became the regular driver in the No. 6 Lexus Riley with Ian James, with Patterson and Negri in the No. 60.

The Meyer Shank Racing Riley-Porsche Daytona Prototype seen at Watkins Glen International in 2011

Shank was the first team owner to step up to the second generation DP in 2008, upgrading both of his cars to Ford-powered Rileys—with Negri validating his move by winning the pole for that year's Rolex 24 at Daytona. Negri and Patterson won the inaugural race at New Jersey Motorsports Park in the No. 60, while Pew, Ian James and Rafa Matos won the finale at Utah's Miller Motorsports Park.

After showing continued improvement throughout the upcoming campaigns, MSR was recognized as a premier team in 2012. With Grand-Am upgrading to the third-generation DP, Shank purchased a pair of Ford-powered Rileys. The team made its first race a major achievement, taking the overall victory in the heralded 50th running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona. Justin Wilson and AJ Allmendinger joined Pew and Negri. Shank recorded another milestone in 2013, when Colin Braun drove his DP to a pair of FIA-sanctioned world records in the 10 kilometers and 10 miles at Daytona International Speedway. Braun also shattered the track record with a lap of 222.971 mph, breaking Bill Elliott's 26-year-old mark of 210.364 mph.

IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship

In 2014 Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series merged to form the United SportsCar Championship. Meyer Shank Racing ran a single Riley Ford Ecoboost DP with drivers John Pew and Oswaldo Negri in the new series. In 2015 and 2016 the team replaced the current car with a Ligier JS P2-HPD keeping Pew and Negri behind the wheel. In 2016 the team claimed wins at Laguna Seca and Petit Le Mans with Ozz Negri and John Pew behind the wheel at both tracks. Operating for the past two seasons as a customer team fielding a Honda-powered Ligier chassis in IMSA's prototype division, Michael Shank Racing has been a consistent front-runner in the headline category of the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship. The Columbus, Ohio-based operation will run a pair of Acura NSX GT3s in the GTD class of the endurance racing series.

The Meyer Shank Racing Ligier JS P2-Honda Le Mans Prototype seen at the 2015 Rolex 24 at Daytona

The team switched to the GT Daytona (GTD) class in 2017 and entered two factory-backed Acura NSX GT3s with drivers Oswaldo Negri Jr, Jeff Segal, Andy Lally and Katherine Legge. That season the team saw two wins, Belle Isle and Watkins Glen. The following season, 2018, Meyer Shank Racing saw another win at Belle Isle and a win at Laguna Seca which left the team finishing second overall in the United SportsCar Championship. The team also introduced new drivers Mario Farnbacher, Trent Hindman, and Justin Marks.

The 2019 season brought one win at Watkins Glen and four second place finishes throughout the year. Farnbacher, Hindman, and Marks won the GT Daytona (GTD) group title in 2019. The 2020 season brought more new drivers Matt McMurry and Shinya Michimi. As well as the teams first win at Road Atlanta and the second win at Laguna Seca. Hélio Castroneves was introduced to the Meyer Shank Racing team at the end of the 2021 season, racing in the Petit Le Mans. The following year, 2022, was a big season for Meyer Shank Racing as the team saw their first victory at the Rolex 24 in Daytona with drivers Oliver Jarvis, Tom Blomqvist, Hélio Castroneves, and Simon Pagenaud. The 2022 season also brought home a huge win with the team taking first place for the WeatherTech Championship.

The Rolex 2023 24 Hours of Daytona saw the MSR team bring home their second victory at Daytona, with their LMDh GTP hypercar racing prototype, under drivers Helio Castroneves, Colin Braun, Simon Pagenaud, Tom Blomqvist. However, after the race, the team and drivers were penalized all the points and prize money, due to infringement on the rules concerning tire pressure. The tire pressure data had been manipulated, leading to a $50,000 team fine, and the expulsion of the race engineer Ryan McCarthy the season and team, and probation for the team. The team and drivers kept the win, but without any points.[1][2]

IndyCar

The team purchased a 2012 Dallara IndyCar, with the goal of adding a full-time IndyCar program in 2012 while continuing its Grand-Am programs. The original intention for the IndyCar program was to run under the name "MSR Indy", with A. J. Allmendinger and Brian Bailey as co-owners. The program was intended to use the Lotus engines (later revealed to be uncompetitive) and field Jay Howard for the 2012 Indianapolis 500; however, despite having full sponsorship from Jim Beam, the failure to secure a competitive engine lease kept it from doing so.

MSR announced that it had sold its Dallara chassis to Sam Schmidt Motorsports in February 2013 and declared its intention to collaborate with another team on a 2013 Indianapolis 500 entry. No such program was finalized in time for the race. For the 2017 Indianapolis 500, the team partnered with Andretti Autosport for an entry driven by Jack Harvey.

The No. 06 Meyer Shank Racing Dallara DW12-Honda of Hélio Castroneves at the 2021 Indianapolis 500

In the 2018 IndyCar Series, in a partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, the team entered Jack Harvey in 6 events, including the 2018 Indianapolis 500, and in 2019 in 10 races, obtaining the first podium, the 3rd place in the IndyCar Grand Prix.

On October 2, 2020, it was announced that Liberty Media's Formula One Group was making a minority equity investment in the team.

On May 30, 2021, Hélio Castroneves won the 2021 Indy 500 with the team. This marked Castroneves' 4th Indy 500 victory (tied for most all time), and the team's first career victory in the IndyCar Series. Hélio Castroneves and Simon Pagenaud competed for Meyer Shank in 2022 and will continue racing with the team for the 2023 season.


Racing results

IndyCar Series

(key)

Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Pos. Pts.
Michael Shank Racing with Andretti Autosport
2017 STP LBH ALA PHX IMS INDY DET TXS ROA IOW TOR MDO POC GAT WGL SNM
Dallara DW12 Honda HI17TT V6t United Kingdom Jack Harvey  R  50 31 28th 57
Meyer Shank Racing with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2018 STP PHX LBH ALA IMS INDY DET TXS ROA IOW TOR MDO POC GAT POR SNM
Dallara DW12 Honda HI18TT V6t United Kingdom Jack Harvey  R  60 23 12 16 20 16 17 24th 103
Meyer Shank Racing with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports
2019 STP COA ALA LBH IMS INDY DET TXS ROA TOR IOW MDO POC GAT POR LAG
Dallara DW12 Honda HI19TT V6t United Kingdom Jack Harvey 60 10 10 13 22 3 21 15 10 19 19 21st 186
Meyer Shank Racing
2020 TXS IMS ROA IOW INDY GAT MDO IMS STP
Dallara DW12 Honda HI20TT V6t United Kingdom Jack Harvey 60 16 17 23 17 7 7 9 11 13 7 12 8 6 19 15th 288
2021 ALA STP TXS IMS INDY DET ROA MDO NSH IMS GAT POR LAG LBH
Dallara DW12 Honda HI21TT V6t Brazil Hélio Castroneves 06 18L 9 21 23 24 20 22nd 158
United Kingdom Jack Harvey 60 11 4 7 17 23 18 16 19 17 19 15 6 10 4 15 7 13th 308
2022 STP TXS LBH ALA IMS INDY DET ROA MDO TOR IOW IMS NSH GAT POR LAG
Dallara DW12 Honda HI22TT V6t Brazil Hélio Castroneves 06 14 23L 9 21 14 7 25 22 8 17 16 21 19 13 15 17 19 18th 263
France Simon Pagenaud 60 15 8 19 11 2 8 9 12 10 7 23 23 25 9 20 23 17 15th 314
2023 STP TXS LBH ALA IMS INDY DET ROA MDO TOR IOW NSH IMS GAT POR LAG
Dallara DW12 Honda HI23TT V6t Brazil Hélio Castroneves 06 23 10 21 21 22 15 19 22nd* 80*
France Simon Pagenaud 60 26 17 15 18 25 25 13 25th* 72*

* Season still in progress

Prototype

Year Chassis Engine Full-time drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Pos. Pts.
Michael Shank Racing
2014   DAY SEB LBH LAG DET WGI MOS IMS ROA COTA ATL  
Ford EcoBoost Riley DP Ford EcoBoost 3.5L V6 Turbo Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr.
United States John Pew
60 12 9 9 10 4 7 5 6 2 5 6 6th 281
Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
2015   DAY SEB LBH LAG DET WGI MOS ROA COTA ATL  
Ligier JS P2 Honda HR28TT 2.8L V6 Turbo Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr.
United States John Pew
60 5 13 6 3 2 7 3 4 4 9 6th 273
2016   DAY SEB LBH LAG DET WGI MOS ROA COTA ATL  
Ligier JS P2 Honda HR35TT 3.5L V6 Turbo Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr.
United States John Pew (9 races)
60 11 7 7 1 5 3 6 4 6 1 4th 282
Meyer Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
2021   DAY SEB MDO DET WGI WGI ROA LAG LBH ATL  
Acura ARX-05 Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 United States Dane Cameron 60 4 3 6 6 2 6 5 4 6 6 5th 2946
2022   DAY SEB LBH LAG MOH DET WGI MOS ROA ATL  
Acura ARX-05 Acura AR35TT 3.5 L Turbo V6 United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist
United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis
60 1 5 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 1 1st 3432

GT Daytona

Year Chassis Engine Drivers No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pos. Pts.
Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
2017   DAY SEB LBH COTA DET WGI MOS LIM ROA VIR LGA ATL  
Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L V6 Turbo Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr.
United States Jeff Segal
86 5 8 10 11 5 16 10 9 14 14 10 12 13th 248
United States Andy Lally
United Kingdom Katherine Legge
93 11 14 7 15 1 1 2 5 15 15 2 14 6th 286
Meyer Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
2018   DAY SEB MOH DET WGI MOS LIM ROA VIR LGA ATL  
Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L Turbo V6 United Kingdom Katherine Legge
Portugal Álvaro Parente (9 races)
86 2 8 2 1 2 5 4 7 3 1 2 2nd 329
United States Lawson Aschenbach
United States Justin Marks
93 11 7 5 2 14 6 9 8 9 13 12 9th 249
2019   DAY SEB MOH DET WGI MOS LIM ROA VIR LGA ATL  
Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L Turbo V6 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing
United Kingdom Katherine Legge 57 12 8 10 9 4 6 12 13 12 6 7 9th 221
Meyer Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
Germany Mario Farnbacher
United States Trent Hindman
86 4 7 2 11 1 2 2 5 2 8 12 1st 283
2020   DAY1 DAY2 SEB1 ROA VIR ATL1 MOH CLT ATL2 LGA SEB2  
Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L Turbo V6 Heinricher Racing with MSR Curb/Agajanian
Canada Mikhail Goikhberg (11 races)
Portugal Álvaro Parente (10 races)
57 8 4 12 6 7 6 5 6 3 6 7th 250
Meyer Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian
Germany Mario Farnbacher (11 races)
United States Matt McMurry (11 races)
86 10 3 2 2 1 5 7 10 1 3 1st 288

IndyCar wins

#SeasonDateSanctionTrack / RaceNo.Winning DriverChassisEngineTireGridLaps Led
1 2021 May 30 IndyCar Indianapolis Motor Speedway (O) 06 Brazil Hélio Castroneves Dallara DW12 Honda HI21TT V6t Firestone 8 20

WeatherTech SportsCar Championship wins

Overall

#SeasonDateClassesTrack / RaceNo.Winning DriversChassisEngine
1 2016 May 1 Prototype Laguna Seca 60 Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr. / United States John Pew Ligier JS P2 Honda HR35TT 3.5 L V6 Turbo
2 October 1 Prototype Road Atlanta 60 Brazil Oswaldo Negri Jr. / United States John Pew / France Olivier Pla Ligier JS P2 Honda HR35TT 3.5 L V6 Turbo
3 2022 January 30 DPi Daytona 60 Brazil Helio Castroneves / France Simon Pagenaud / United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist / United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis Acura ARX-05c DPi Acura AR35TT 3.5L V6 Twin-Turbo
4 October 1 DPi Road Atlanta 60 Brazil Helio Castroneves / United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist / United Kingdom Oliver Jarvis Acura ARX-05c DPi Acura AR35TT 3.5L V6 Twin-Turbo
5 2023 January 29 LMDh Daytona 60 Brazil Helio Castroneves / France Simon Pagenaud / United Kingdom Tom Blomqvist / United States Colin Braun Acura ARX-06 LMDh Acura AR24e 2.4L V6 Twin-Turbo

Class

#SeasonDateClassesTrack / RaceNo.Winning DriversChassisEngine
1 2017 June 3 GTD Belle Isle 93 United States Andy Lally / United Kingdom Katherine Legge Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
2 July 3 GTD Watkins Glen 93 United States Andy Lally / United Kingdom Katherine Legge Acura NSX GT3 Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
3 2018 June 2 GTD Belle Isle 86 Germany Mario Farnbacher / United Kingdom Katherine Legge Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
4 September 9 GTD Laguna Seca 86 United Kingdom Katherine Legge / Portugal Álvaro Parente Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
5 2019 June 30 GTD Watkins Glen 86 Germany Mario Farnbacher / United States Trent Hindman / United States Justin Marks Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
6 2020 September 5 GTD Road Atlanta 86 Germany Mario Farnbacher / United States Matt McMurry / Japan Shinya Michimi Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5L Turbo V6
7 November 1 GTD Laguna Seca 86 Germany Mario Farnbacher / United States Matt McMurry Acura NSX GT3 Evo Acura 3.5L Turbo V6

References

  1. Travis Okulski (March 8, 2023). "Meyer Shank Racing's Daytona 24-Winning Acura Was Manipulating Tire Pressure Data". Road and Track.
  2. Dylan Spaulding (April 27, 2023). "How Does Meyer Shank Racing shake its bad mojo?". Sports Illustrated.
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