Jack Harvey | Mike Shank, Meyer Shank Racing: NTT IndyCar Series News Conference, Pre Mid-Ohio

NTT IndyCar Series News Conference - Thursday, September 10, 2020 - Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Mike Shank | Jack Harvey, Meyer Shank Racing

THE MODERATOR: We have the co-owners of Meyer Shank Racing, Michael Shank, and the driver of the No. 60 Sirius XM AutoNation car, Jack Harvey. The 2020 NTT INDYCAR SERIES will be competing in a two (2) race weekend in this week's Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio. Saturday's race will be on NBCSN at 4:30pm ET. Sunday's race will be on NBC at 1:00pm ET.

Mike, we just had Bob and Graham with us, two guys from the Columbus area. You yourself are from the Columbus area. How important would it be for Meyer Shank Racing to get a win this weekend at Mid-Ohio?

MIKE SHANK: It's the top line priority, right? We've had what we feel is a pretty decent year this year, but we haven't been able to finish like we think we deserve. Mid-Ohio would be my premium place to do it. It's where I grew up.

I can literally remember 1980 with my dad watching Johnny Rutherford run, I think they called it the Yellow Submarine Chaparral around the track and win the race. That's my first memory of the of Mid-Ohio INDYCAR race.

From the first day I ever was around a race car, INDYCAR at Mid-Ohio is what I strive for. It took a long time to get there. Super grateful to Jack. Obviously Jack and I worked on this for three or four years now. A lot of people that supported he and I, I think he would agree, to get us to this opportunity where we think we can actually put a podium effort together, which is where we're at today.

It's a great story. I'm just super proud to be a part of it.

THE MODERATOR: Jack, I know you've run well at road courses this year, you just don't have the results to show how well you've run at the races. How important is it for you to get a good finish at a road course, especially Mike's home track?

JACK HARVEY: As Michael said, a few races at the start of the year you look at, if we could choose to have a good result at them, what they would be. Actually Mid-Ohio is always the top of the list, especially when it's the home race for the team.

As you mentioned, it's a track I have run pretty well at in the past. We had a good race last year. Although we haven't had every great result I feel like we have speed to go and get, there's a real positive and encouraging atmosphere within the team at the moment to keep trying till we get it. I think that's all we can keep doing, is putting ourselves in a good position to try and have a great race.

Even at the end of the race in Texas I thought we looked pretty good. There's nowhere we've been this year where we really have struggled, lacked pace. Naturally you're optimistic this will be the weekend we really get the result that the potential has been.

THE MODERATOR: With five races in a row since the last road course race at Road America, does it feel like it was almost like last season that you were on a road course?

JACK HARVEY: No, mate, no. My whole bread and butter is road course racing. Might feel some of that way on the ovals. On the whole, I was really happy with that stretch of races there Indy, Iowa, even Gateway where we qualified, where we raced. The potential of all that was great.

That being said, I do love the road courses. I love Mid-Ohio. It's where I got my first win. I was in Michael's home race. I think honestly, I only speak for myself, certainly it feels like a high positivity around the team. Just want to get on track again, mate, really. This year has been super busy when we've been on track. I like it, I like the format of the weekends.

THE MODERATOR: Mike, talk a little bit about the evolution of your team. You started off as an Indy 500 entry, worked your way up to full-time. You have goals now as a full-time team.

MIKE SHANK: Yeah, I think our story really is built around ve