Michael Shank spent a somber Friday at his mother’s Ohio home, closely monitoring the live timing and scoring feed of the first IMSA practice for the sports car season. The owner of the Meyer-Shank Racing (MSR) team, a two-time defending winner of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, found himself in a disheartening situation. The team had to shut down at the end of 2023, primarily due to a cheating scandal that tainted their previous year’s Rolex victory.
The setback occurred about six weeks after the 2023 triumph, which marked the third overall win for the Shank organization and their second consecutive victory in the prestigious endurance race. IMSA ruled that MSR had manipulated tire pressure data during the season-opening Rolex 24 at Daytona. Although the No. 60 ARX-06 retained the victory, along with the Rolex watches and trophy, IMSA imposed significant penalties, leading to the termination of an MSR engineer and the closure of the team.
Despite being the reigning IMSA champion at that time and competing with Wayne Taylor Racing for Honda’s support, Shank couldn’t salvage the relationship. Honda redirected its factory support to the Taylor team for a second entry. Without manufacturer backing, MSR had to cease its IMSA program despite securing three wins in 2023, including the season finale, and finishing third in the final season standings.
The team’s closure meant denying Helio Castroneves a chance at a fourth consecutive victory in the Daytona International Raceway’s Rolex 24. Castroneves, now a minority team owner at Meyer Shank, expressed disappointment but emphasized the team’s commitment to a potential comeback in the future.
Tom Blomqvist, a key figure in Shank’s IMSA program, has transitioned to the MSR IndyCar team. Colin Braun, also part of last year’s winning team, found a ride in the LMP2 class for Crowdstrike Racing.
Shank has shifted focus to rebuilding the IndyCar program and hopes for an eventual return to IMSA. Retaining most sports car employees and equipment, MSR could make a comeback on the sports car grid as early as the next season with a manufacturer deal.
The IndyCar lineup has been revamped with Blomqvist and Felix Rosenqvist. Rosenqvist, entering his sixth IndyCar season, is optimistic about job security and a fresh start at Shank. While Shank isn’t expecting a championship this year, he aims for a substantially improved team, with the next step being north of P13 or P14 in the overall championship.
The team will test next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway, and Shank plans to follow the Rolex from Key West. Despite the challenges, Shank remains determined to rebuild and overcome the hurdles faced by MSR.
