Mike Shank first started racing professionally in 1989, and quickly made a name for himself, earning notice as the SCCA-Ohio Valley Region Novice Driver of the Year. He didn’t lose any momentum as he moved up the ladder, taking the 1996 Toyota Atlantic C2 Championship before moving up to race in the Indy Racing League.

As he gained winning experience in the car, he put that knowledge to work as his team expanded to run other drivers and Shank eventually retired as a driver to focus on running and growing his team.

Competing in the Champ Car Toyota Atlantic Championship, Michael Shank Racing flourished with drivers like Kenny Wilden, Sam Hornish Jr., and Johnny Rutherford finding success with the team. Wilden scored runner-up in the 1999 Toyota Atlantic Championship, and Shank won “Team Owner of the Year” twice in four years before deciding to move his team into a new direction and the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series in 2004.

Shank, who himself had one start as a driver in the Rolex 24 at Daytona, oversaw his team’s adroit adaptation to the rigors of endurance racing, as the team led the first race they entered and finished on the podium in the second race they entered.

Michael Shank Racing made its 250th Prototype start in the 2016 Petit Le Mans and won the event. It marked longtime team driver John Pew’s final race with the team before retiring from IMSA racing. Having competed in the top IMSA Prototype category for over 10 years, 2017 saw Mike Shank’s team enter the GTD class championship with a two-car Acura NSX GT3 effort.

In 2017, Mike Shank was awarded the Rolex Bob Snodgrass Award of Excellence, presented by the Gorsline Company during the Rolex 24 event weekend. The award recognizes the team owner who demonstrates the qualities of integrity, passion for the sport, and love of cars for which Bob Snodgrass was known during his life and career.

In addition to the program that Shank manages for Acura Motorsports in IMSA WeatherTech competition, 2017 saw the team achieve a new goal with a debut entry in the Indianapolis 500. Fielding the Michael Shank Racing with Andretti Autosport Honda/Dallara with rookie driver Jack Harvey, the team impressed by overcoming several setbacks. Michael Shank Racing Crew Chief Adam Rovazzini earned the prestigious Clint Brawner Award for the group’s effort.

Just one week following Mike Shank’s Indianapolis 500 debut, Michael Shank Racing broke through for a tremendous IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship victory in the Detroit Grand Prix with drivers Andy Lally and Katherine Legge teaming in the No. 93 Acura NSX GT3. It was the first victory globally for the all-new Acura NSX GT3 machine, earned in just the team’s fifth event with the new Acura platform. Further bolstering Michael Shank Racing’s victory in Detroit, was the fifth place finish of the sister No. 86 Acura NSX GT3 which ran in podium contention all the way up until the final two laps.

With multiple podium trophies on the mantle in the Columbus, Ohio, shop, Shank is focused on taking his team to the next level, with a full-time stable of two cars, and with a talented stable of drivers piloting cars prepared by a loyal and professional crew, he is likely to continue to grow the legacy of the team.