Michael Shank’s two-series, three-car effort in IndyCar and IMSA was made possible in ways that are still somewhat hard to comprehend. MSR’s 2018 efforts will have Jack Harvey pilot the No. 60 Honda in partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports, and continue with two Acura NSX GT3s in the WeatherTech SportsCar Championship.
“We’ve put a budget together that makes sense to do five test days, more or less, maybe more, and then six races,” Shank said of Harvey’s 2018 schedule. “What’s most important is that Jack gets a better shot at this next year insofar that he gets some time with not only his team, but his car.”
Shank purchased a Dallara DW12 in 2012 as part of his initial attempt to become an IndyCar entrant. That car was sold before it turned a lap in Michael Shank Racing colors, but he’s returned to the Italian constructor to purchase his second DW12, and this time, it will turn many laps.
“We bought a brand-new car from Dallara for our efforts, which I’m really happy with, and theoretically, we’re doing a couple of days in January, February and March before we hit St. Pete,” he said. “And we’re doing the open Indy test in March. From this weekend through end of March, things will be extremely busy across both series, but we’ve got great people, the equipment, and we’re really ready to go at this. Instinctually, my gut is always to do the right thing for Jack.”
On the sports car front, signing Portugal’s Alvaro Parente is one of the more impressive acquisitions during IMSA’s offseason. He’ll partner with former IndyCar driver Katherine Legge in a part-time NSX GT3 entry.
“It’s a big get for me,” Shank added. “I think he’s going to do great things for us. And then I will add a Silver and a Gold driver here shortly. I could only go back to the well once on the financing for all this, it just simply wasn’t enough to run that car all year. We will do everything we can to continue it after Sebring, but I just can’t guarantee it.”
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