The anticipation has been building, and Meyer Shank Racing is ready to embark on the Fourth of July race weekend in a big way. After years of developing its racing programs on both the sports car and IndyCar side, the Fourth of July weekend will see the team race at two legendary tracks—on the same day.
The Ohio-based team will enter its first double-header race weekend with the INDYCAR GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 4, NBC, 12:00pm ET) and the IMSA WeatherTech 240 at Daytona (July 4, NBCSN, 6:00pm ET).
The double-race day marks another significant step for the Ohio-based organization, which is fielding its first-ever full season IndyCar campaign in parallel with its IMSA WeatherTech Championship-defending two-car Acura NSX GTD campaign.
Nearly 30 full time employees and two separate crews support a total of five drivers for the 2020 season-long IndyCar and IMSA programs under the MSR banner. While both programs run independently, there is just one overlap between the two programs— team co-owner Mike Shank.
Shank will attend the INDYCAR GMR Grand Prix where he will call the race for Jack Harvey, and then will fly to Daytona shortly after the checkered flag falls in Indianapolis to call the IMSA race for the No. 57 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3.
IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship: IMSA WeatherTech 240 at Daytona
It’s been six long months that the Meyer Shank Racing IMSA team has been on track, with the last outing at Daytona for the Rolex 24. The two-car Acura NSX GT3 squad will head back to Daytona for a sprint format event – one which has not been on the IMSA schedule since 2011.
Mario Farnbacher and Matt McMurry will pair up back behind the wheel of the No. 86 Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3 while Alvaro Parente and Misha Goikhberg will reconvene in the No. 57 Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing Acura NSX GT3.
Meyer Shank Racing’s IMSA drivers have been keeping busy while stationed on the sidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic. Farnbacher, who went back to Germany after the Rolex 24 and returned to his full-time job as Service Manager at the Farnbacher car dealership.
“We were lucky that our dealership has stayed open as well as the repair shop,” said Farnbacher. “The sales department was closed down part time due to country laws. We were lucky that we could keep the business running. Up until last week I was working there every day.”
McMurry on the other hand finished his senior year at University of California, Irvine which switched to an online program for the final months of the semester.
“I’ve been busy at home finishing my last quarter at the University of California, Irvine,” McMurry said. “Two weeks ago I turned in my final project for my aerospace engineering degree where I had to design two commercial airliners from scratch. I’m happy to be done, and excited to get my diploma in the mail soon!”
The IMSA event marks the first race weekend back with the new health and safety rules due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The two-day event will feature one practice session on Friday with Saturday consisting of Practice, Qualifying and the Race (NBCSN, 6:00pm ET).
Meyer Shank Racing IMSA Driver Quotes:
Mario Farnbacher, No. 86 Acura NSX GT3
“I’m pretty happy to go back racing again. I arrived to the States on Monday June 15th for the two weeks of quarantine. I’m feeling really good and super healthy, I’m excited to get back behind the wheel of the Acura NSX GT3 with Matt (McMurry) and Meyer Shank Racing. It’s like we’ve had a second off season and I’ve definitely been going through some racing withdrawals. I’m super happy to be back and to represent HPD, MSR, and Acura in Daytona. Hopefully we’ll have some redemption after not having the best Rolex 24.”
Matt McMurry, No. 86 Acura NSX GT3
“It’s almost time to get back to racing. Time for everybody to shake off the cobwebs and get back on track. I’m very excited to get back in the car after such a long break. A sprint race at Daytona in the middle of summer is definitely going to be interesting. I’m curious to see how the heat and sprint format shake things up, but overall it will be great to get back with the team and get back with Mario to go racing.”