Michael Shank

Michael Shank (born September 22, 1966) is an American race car team owner and former race car driver born in Columbus, Ohio. Before leaving driving to concentrate on car ownership, he ran one race in the 1996–97 Indy Racing League season, the 1997 Las Vegas 500K at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He started racing in 1989, winning SCCA Ohio Valley Region's Novice Driver of the Year. He also won the 1996 Player’s/Toyota Atlantic C2 championship.

Michael Shank Racing 2011 Rolex Sports Car
Michael Shank Racing 2016 Ligier JS P2 Car

As an owner of Michael Shank Racing, he was car owner for Sam Hornish, Jr. when he won the 1999 Formula Atlantic series Rookie of the Year title. In 2006, his car, driven by Justin Wilson, A. J. Allmendinger, Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson, finished in 2nd position overall and in the Daytona Prototype class in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Shank has been twice named Formula Atlantic Team Owner of the Year.

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.[1]

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.[2]

The 2012 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.

Michael Shank Racing 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.[3]

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.

Grand-Am

In 2004, Michael Shank Racing entered the Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype class with drivers Oswaldo Negri Jr. and Burt Frisselle, finishing 12th in the drivers classification.

The team won in 2006 at Miller Motorsports Park and finished second in the 24 Hours of Daytona. The team finished 8th in points in both 2006 and 2007, with John Pew becoming Negri's co-driver.

In 2008 the team finished 10th, winning the first race held at the New Jersey Motorsports Park.

The finished 8th in points in 2009 and 10th in 2010.

In 2011 the team improved to sixth place overall.

Michael Shank Racing won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 2012 with A. J. Allmendinger, Justin Wilson, John Pew and Oswaldo Negri as the team's drivers.

IMSA United SportsCar Championship

In 2014 Grand-Am and the American Le Mans Series merged to form the United SportsCar Championship. Michael Shank Racing ran a single Riley Ford Ecoboost DP with drivers John Pew and Oswaldo Negri Jr. In 2015 and 2016 the team entered a Ligier JS P2-HPD, claiming wins at Laguna Seca and Petit Le Mans in 2016.

The team switched to the GT Daytona class in 2017 and entered two factory-backed Acura NSX with drivers Oswaldo Negri Jr., Jeff Segal, Andy Lally and Katherine Legge.

American open-wheel racing results

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

IndyCar

Year Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Rank Points
1996–97 Nienhouse Motorsports NWH LSV WDW PHX INDY TXS PPIR CLT NH2 LV2
16		 46th 19

References

  1. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-09-17. Retrieved 2011-09-17.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-01-16. Retrieved 2012-01-12.
  3. ↑ Smith, Luke (2017-04-12). "Shank will finally take part in Indy 500 with Harvey, Andretti | MotorSportsTalk". Motorsports.nbcsports.com. Retrieved 2017-04-17.
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