MILLER: Mike Shank Being Excluded

IndyCar

MILLER: Mike Shank Being Excluded

Mike Shank is being stonewalled from even getting into Gasoline Alley, and it’s a new track record for absurdity...

Robin Miller | Posted May 01, 2012 Indianapolis, IN

After winning the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, Michael Shank has been working towards an Indy 500 program but has yet to receive an engine contract. (Photo: LAT)

In the 95 previous Indy 500s, teams have missed the show because they crashed, were too slow or their driver was told to go get more experience. Others have run out of money or engines or spare parts.

But right now Mike Shank is being stonewalled from even getting into Gasoline Alley. It’s a new track record for absurdity.

He’s got a car, a driver, a crew, a sponsor and an entry in this month’s 96th running. What he doesn’t have and can’t get is a competitive engine.

"I was officially turned down by Honda and then Chevy,’’ he said late Monday evening. "Chevrolet said they like me and respect what I’ve done but they had to prioritize with the people they have under contract.

"Honda said they flat couldn’t do it. I’m not throwing in the towel yet but it’s not looking good and nothing in my 22 years of racing has approached this.’’

Now before the finger pointing begins let’s make one thing crystal clear: General Motors and Honda have already gone above and beyond what was expected of them this season in terms of supplying engines.

Chevrolet powers 11 cars (soon to be 12 with the expected addition of Dreyer & Reinbold) in the IZOD IndyCar Series while Honda has 10 (soon to be 11 with Bryan Herta) full-timers – both above the 40 percent of the field guarantee they signed up for a year ago.

Lotus dropped the ball and is down to three full-timers and might be one if Jay Penske had any options.

This month, Honda is adding four Indy-only deals (Bryan Clauson, Townsend Bell, Wade Cunningham and Michel Jourdain and Chevy two with Sebastien Saavedra and Ana Beatriz).

For those of you counting at home, that’s 32 CONFIRMED car/driver/engine combinations for the May 27 Indianapolis 500.

Jay Howard and Shank would make 33.

Of course the easy solution is Lotus, right? Last October, Shank was the first to commit to that engine and surely he could still get one for Indianapolis. Maybe, maybe not, but why would he waste the time and money?

The longtime sports car driver/owner has mortgaged his future for his initial trip to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and he’s got nothing against Lotus, he simply knows it’s a losing proposition.

"That’s going to be my net worth running around out there,’’ he says hopefully. "I know that Lotus is working hard and improving but I need to be in a competitive situation immediately.’’

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