The manufacturing unit Acura workforce’s present deal ends after this season’s Petit Le Mans in October and its future with the model was put in query following the manipulation of tyre information within the season-opening Daytona 24 Hours, which it gained.
The workforce was assessed a 200-point penalty for the infringement and it apologised to Acura and HPD, together with its companions, which finance the operation. Acura is at the moment making no touch upon its IMSA plans for 2024, past its announcement of an extension with Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti Autosport – which is able to run two automobiles subsequent 12 months.
“We’re nonetheless engaged on that,” stated Shank when requested about MSR’s IMSA plans for 2024. “They’re up within the air proper now.
“These guys, since a tough January, they’ve battled again they usually’re within the championship once more, which is unbelievable. You place these factors again on the board, they usually’ve checked out within the championship.
“We don’t know but, we’ll know in all probability in 4 to 5 weeks the place we sit on that. That is my 20th 12 months as a workforce proprietor within the Rolex [24 at Daytona], we’ve gained it thrice, and it was kinda the beginning of all this, so we’re doing every thing we are able to to remain in it.”
#60 Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun
Photograph by: Richard Dole / Motorsport Images
Shank’s choices outdoors of Acura within the GTP class are slender, with solely Porsche at the moment promoting buyer automobiles. Cadillac is the one marque that companions with a number of race groups in Chip Ganassi Racing and Action Express Racing.
Lamborghini joins the sequence with Iron Lynx subsequent 12 months, whereas BMW is partnered with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.
“It’s coming all the way down to the final minute, which I don’t like loads,” stated Shank. “However that’s the way in which it’s proper now.
“I don’t know what the chances are, they float. It goes from 50/50 to 80% proper now.”
When requested if it trusted a producer deal, he replied: “That’s query. In my life, and Jim [Meyer] and I’ve yelled at one another over this for some time now, the workforce that we’ve got created on that facet has gained every thing, is extraordinarily aggressive, has fought again from a 200-point deficit and has an opportunity on the championship once more.
“In my thoughts, they’re on the pinnacle degree of sportscar racing and that’s the place they need to be. So, you’ll be able to think about the place we predict we should be.”
Crew co-owner Meyer interjected: “We’ve obtained two races left this season, we’re not out of competition, we’re proper within the thick of it. You’re going to see us guys come exhausting.”
Shank added: “If we’re in competition after we depart this place [Indianapolis] in a month, you guys ought to come see Petit [Le Mans] as a result of it’s going to be a Martinsville short-track race in my thoughts.”
#14 Vasser Sullivan Lexus RC F GT3: Jack Hawksworth, Ben Barnicoat, #60 Meyer Shank Racing w/ Curb Agajanian Acura ARX-06: Tom Blomqvist, Colin Braun
Photograph by: Artwork Fleischmann
MSR’s new IndyCar signing Tom Blomqvist, who gained the championship final 12 months with Oliver Jarvis and the Daytona 24 Hours for the previous two seasons, stated he needs to stay a part of its plans as an additional IMSA endurance driver.
“The 24 Hours of Daytona clearly has been an enormous a part of me for the previous couple of years, having gained that occasion twice now,” he stated. “Clearly I might like to nonetheless have the ability to try this, if attainable.”