IMSA: Shank planning on new car in 2017

Michael Shank Racing's Ligier JS P2 chassis is eligible to compete in 2017, but the Ohio-based IMSA team has no intentions to use the French prototype beyond next season. The WeatherTech SportsCar Championship's Prototype class will adopt the ACO/FIA's new P2 regulations in 2017, and with his current Ligier already approved to race when the new regulations come into effect, Shank could squeeze two more years out of the JS P2.

However, concerns over the long-term competitiveness of the Ligier, which made its debut in 2014, has Shank leaning toward replacing the JS P2 for a new model once the next WeatherTech Championship season concludes.

"It's a little bit complicated, but when we had the Ralt and the Swift Atlantic cars, and it was a thing where you could keep running the Ralt, but we knew the Swift was coming and I'm of the mindset that the more you hold something off, the more you fall behind," Shank told RACER. "The minute we can jump, we'll jump, and that's what we're going to do with the new 2017 car."

Shank will have four P2 manufacturers to choose from next year. Onroak, which builds the Ligier, Dallara, ORECA, and Riley-Multimatic all won contracts from the ACO/FIA to build 2017 cars, and at present, Shank says no decisions have been made.

"There's nothing concrete there and we're still looking and evaluating; we have some ideas on direction, but the decision is something we'll make next year," he continued. "I hope to have direction in April. We need to be on track in September or October. And the B part to the decision is we know [IMSA] wants us in new stuff, new equipment, so we're going to do all we can to be on track with a new car the soonest we can make it happen."

The early move to a new chassis, as Shank details, is being made to improve MSR's chances in IMSA.

"As we sit here today, I'm not factoring Le Mans in 2017 or 2018 into going to a new car," he said. "It's great to know we can go, and that we'll have one of the restricted chassis you can run in this new formula, but I'm doing this for my team based here in the U.S. today and what I think it will take to win in IMSA. That doesn't mean we wouldn't go to Le Mans with the car, but it was never part of the reasoning."

Shank incurred the expense of replacing MSR's crash-worn JS P2 after the Oct. 3 season finale at Petit Le Mans, and had hoped to purchase a second Ligier to use for a two-car program next year. Based on recent progress, it appears MSR's Honda-powered No. 60 JS P2 will be the team's sole entry in 2016.

"Never say never, and I'd move mountains if someone wanted to come join us in a second car, but right now, we're about 90 percent of being a one-car team," he added. "We're going to focus on what I think is a kickass race-winning program right now with the 60 for Daytona, and we'll see if anything else develops after."