Mike Lanigan
Encyclopedia
Michael "Mike" Lanigan is an entrepreneur and IndyCar Series
team owner.
Lanigan founded a division of his father's company, Mi-Jack Construction Equipment in Indianapolis in 1973. In 1989 he returned to his hometown of Chicago
to become president of the company. The company produces rubber-tire gantry crane
s. In 1992 Mi-Jack began sponsoring cars competing in CART
and the Indianapolis 500
.
Lanigan expanded his sponsorship into team ownership in 2001, joining forces with Eric Bachelart
to co-own Conquest Racing which competed in the IndyCar Series in 2001 and 2002, then the Champ Car World Series from 2003 to 2006. Lanigan sold his interest in Conquest following the 2007 season to join the ownership group at Newman/Haas Racing, which became Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
, a much more successful Champ Car team. N/H/L joined the IndyCar Series following the unification between Champ Car and IndyCar prior to the 2008 season. He was also a partial owner of Carl A. Haas Motorsports in NASCAR
in 2007. During the 2010 season, he left the ownership group of Newman/Haas. In December 2010, he joined the ownership team of Rahal Letterman Racing which was renamed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The team has IndyCar operations and races full-time in the American Le Mans Series
.
Lanigan also took over the promoter position of Champ Car's Grand Prix of Houston
in 2006 and Grand Prix of Cleveland
in 2007, neither of which survived the merger to appear on the IndyCar Series schedule. Lanigan is seeking to have the races added to the IndyCar Series in the future.
IndyCar Series
The IZOD IndyCar Series is the premier level of American open wheel racing. The current championship, founded by Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony George, began in 1996 as a competitor to CART known as the Indy Racing League . Citing CART's increasing reliance on expensive machinery and...
team owner.
Lanigan founded a division of his father's company, Mi-Jack Construction Equipment in Indianapolis in 1973. In 1989 he returned to his hometown of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
to become president of the company. The company produces rubber-tire gantry crane
Gantry crane
Gantry cranes, bridge cranes, and overhead cranes, are all types of cranes which lift objects by a hoist which is fitted in a hoist trolley and can move horizontally on a rail or pair of rails fitted under a beam...
s. In 1992 Mi-Jack began sponsoring cars competing in CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
and the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
.
Lanigan expanded his sponsorship into team ownership in 2001, joining forces with Eric Bachelart
Eric Bachelart
Eric Bachelart is a former race car driver and current Conquest Racing team owner.-Racing career:...
to co-own Conquest Racing which competed in the IndyCar Series in 2001 and 2002, then the Champ Car World Series from 2003 to 2006. Lanigan sold his interest in Conquest following the 2007 season to join the ownership group at Newman/Haas Racing, which became Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas/Lanigan Racing
Newman/Haas Racing was a motor racing team competing in the IndyCar Series. The team operations were based in Lincolnshire, Illinois. Newman/Haas Racing was formed when actor Paul Newman and long-time racer Carl Haas, competitors in the Can-Am championship, each began looking to Champ Car racing...
, a much more successful Champ Car team. N/H/L joined the IndyCar Series following the unification between Champ Car and IndyCar prior to the 2008 season. He was also a partial owner of Carl A. Haas Motorsports in NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
in 2007. During the 2010 season, he left the ownership group of Newman/Haas. In December 2010, he joined the ownership team of Rahal Letterman Racing which was renamed Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. The team has IndyCar operations and races full-time in the American Le Mans Series
American Le Mans Series
The American Le Mans Series presented by Tequila Patrón is a sports car racing series based in the United States and Canada. It consists of a series of endurance and sprint races, and was created in the spirit of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Teams compete in one of five classes: LMP1, LMP2 and LMPC...
.
Lanigan also took over the promoter position of Champ Car's Grand Prix of Houston
Grand Prix of Houston
The Grand Prix of Houston was an annual auto race on the Champ Car World Series circuit. It was held in a street circuit located in downtown Houston, Texas, United States of America for four years, then returned for two years on a course laid out in the parking lot of the Reliant Park Complex...
in 2006 and Grand Prix of Cleveland
Grand Prix of Cleveland
The Grand Prix of Cleveland was an open wheel automobile racing event in the Champ Car World Series, held annually at Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland, Ohio, United States of America. The 2006 race, held on June 25, marked the 25th anniversary of the event...
in 2007, neither of which survived the merger to appear on the IndyCar Series schedule. Lanigan is seeking to have the races added to the IndyCar Series in the future.