Mike Shank
Encyclopedia
Mike Shank is an American racecar team owner and former racecar driver born in Columbus, Ohio
. Before leaving driving to concentrate on car ownership, he ran one race in the 1996-1997 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.
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.
The team has purchased a 2012 Dallara IndyCar, with the goal of adding a full-time IndyCar program in 2012 while continuing their Grand-Am programs.
The IndyCar program will be ran under the name "MSR Indy", with AJ Allmendinger and Brian Bailey as co-owners.
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Before leaving driving to concentrate on car ownership, he ran one race in the 1996-1997 Indy Racing League season, the 1997 Las Vegas 500K at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Las Vegas Motor Speedway, located in Clark County, Nevada near Las Vegas, is a complex of multiple tracks for automobile racing. The complex is owned by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., which is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.-History:...
. 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.
As an owner of Michael Shank Racing, he was car owner for Sam Hornish, Jr.
Sam Hornish, Jr.
Racing League]] championships. He currently drives the #12 Alliance Truck Parts Dodge Challenger for Penske Racing part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. He also drives the #38 Front Row Motorsports Ford when Travis Kvapil is unable to drive the car....
when he won the 1999 Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic
Formula Atlantic is a specification of open wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club of America Formula Atlantic.-History:The history of...
series Rookie of the Year title. In 2006, his car, driven by Justin Wilson, A. J. Allmendinger
A. J. Allmendinger
Allmendinger again failed to qualify for the 2008 Daytona 500. After three failures to qualify in 2 attempts , he was replaced by veteran driver Mike Skinner on a temporary basis. Allmendinger returned to the Cup series at Talladega...
, Oswaldo Negri and Mark Patterson, finished in 2nd position overall and in the Daytona Prototype
Daytona Prototype
A Daytona Prototype is a type of sports prototype racing car developed specifically for the Grand American Road Racing Association's Rolex Sports Car Series as their top class of car, replacing contemporary open cockpit sports cars, specifically Sports Racing Prototypes...
class in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona
24 Hours of Daytona
The 24 Hours of Daytona, currently known as the Rolex 24 Daytona for sponsorship reasons, is a 24-hour sports car endurance race held annually at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida. It is run on a combined road course, utilizing portions of the NASCAR tri-oval and an infield...
. Shank has been twice named Formula Atlantic Team Owner of the Year.
The team has purchased a 2012 Dallara IndyCar, with the goal of adding a full-time IndyCar program in 2012 while continuing their Grand-Am programs.
The IndyCar program will be ran under the name "MSR Indy", with AJ Allmendinger and Brian Bailey as co-owners.