IndyCar: Michael Shank Racing partners with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports for 2018

After killing off their deal with Calmels, IndyCar’s Schmidt Peterson Motorsports will partner with Michael Shank Racing for a partial 2018 season.

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports has gone from developmental team across Indy Lights and IndyCar to perennial contender for wins. With two cars confirmed for 2018 with James Hinchcliffe and Robert Wickens, the team was in line to partner with Didier Calmels for a third entry in the Indy 500. However, with those plans now in the trash, a new team will step in to partner with SPM in the new year.

Michael Shank Racing has confirmed they will field a part-time IndyCar entry in 2018 in partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports. Jack Harvey will drive the #60 Honda in six races, and while none of the races have been confirmed yet, they plan to target St. Petersburg, Long Beach, Indianapolis, Sonoma, and two others. AutoNation and SiriusXM will sponsor the car in all races.

Jack Harvey is excited to join the team and race more in the 2018 IndyCar season, according to Racer.com.

More from IndyCar

"“I’m absolutely thrilled for this to come together and for everything to be moving forward. I had a very positive experience racing for Mike Shank in the Indianapolis 500, and it was great to build on that with SPM in the last two races of the year. Now to be racing for Mike and to also have the support of SPM for this program, it is the best of both worlds for me. I want to do as well as we possibly can for AutoNation and SiriusXM, and I cannot wait for St. Pete to get here.”"

Sam Schmidt also expressed his excitement about the new partnership with Michael Shank Racing, according to Racer.com.

"“Ric, myself and everyone at SPM are really excited for this partnership with Mike Shank, his team and, of course, Jack Harvey who we’re so pleased to welcome back into the organization. We’re really looking forward to working with AutoNation and SiriusXM again as well. We continue to look for ways to strengthen our team and improve our core operations, and we think this multi-year partnership will do just that. Mike’s history in motorsport speaks for itself, and we’re pleased he has decided to expand his IndyCar program and involving us in that endeavor.”"

Schmidt Peterson Motorsports will provide technical support and personnel for the #60 car. The deal is a multi-year partnership, meaning that there could be a long-term future for MSR in the series. Perhaps the team will expand their effort in the coming years until they are able to find enough funding to become a full-time team.

Finally, Michael Shank is appreciative of his new team partner and is ready for the craziness of running an IndyCar and IMSA operation, according to Racer.com.

"“I’m so happy to have everything come together and to be able to make this announcement – there was a ton of work that went into just getting to this point, and of course it is just the start. We are really excited to have Jack back with us, and very focused on making the most of this multi-year program. It is a big undertaking but I’ve been working on this nonstop, every day for months to have everything in place for us to be able to go out and build a competitive program.”"

Next: 5 reasons destroying Walt Disney World Speedway was a mistake

Are you excited to see Michael Shank Racing join the IndyCar Series? Will their partnership with Schmidt Peterson Motorsports be fruitful?