Meyer Shank Racing aims for 10 IndyCar races in 2019

The Meyer Shank Racing team expects to expand its Verizon IndyCar Series footprint next year by adding four races to its calendar.

The Ohio-based outfit committed to six events this season during its rookie campaign with Jack Harvey in the No.60 Honda, and with the anticipated jump to 10 rounds in 2019, Shank will move closer to his goal of becoming a full-time entrant.

“We’re obligated to do a minimum of six races, and our goal is to expand to 10 as securely as possible,” Shank told RACER. “We’re doing this slowly and purposefully. We’ll continue to talk with our sponsors Sirius/XM and AutoNation and should know exactly how many we’ll do in about six weeks.”

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With St. Petersburg, Long Beach, the Indy 500, Mid-Ohio, Portland, and Sonoma as the current foundation for the No.60 program, Shank has earmarked the new rounds he’d like to attend with Harvey.

“I’m stoked we’re going back to Laguna Seca, so that’s one, and I keep hearing rumors about going to Circuit of The Americas, and if we are, that’s a really good market for our sponsors,” he said. “And then Barber and probably the Indy Grand Prix, but we’re flexible.”

Having purchased a new Dallara DW12 to use this year, Shank and new team co-owner Jim Meyer are hoping to buy another to use for a specific reason.

“We have to be conservative with our dollars, but we want to buy a second car so we can have one dedicated for the Indy 500 that sits there ready and waiting,” he said. “And the other to do all the road courses. That’s what we’re trying to make happen for ourselves. A new car, with no spares and no engine, costs about 650 grand, and built out with spares, it’s 800, so you have to be smart with your budget before ringing up and ordering a new car.”