Meyer Shank Racing is set to return to IMSA’s GTP class in 2025 with a pair of ARX-06 LMDh prototypes, in partnership with HRC US.
The Michael Shank-led team, which will return to IMSA at the 2025 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona, has signed a multi-year agreement to run as a factory effort, with HRC US taking on a larger operational role.
HRC US associates will race engineer one of the two GTP entries, while Meyer Shank Racing will oversee the second Acura ARX-06.
“Running our own GTP car is the next, exciting step for our associates at HRC US,” said David Salters, President, Honda Racing Corporation USA.
“We race to develop our people and technology and we are thrilled to be partnering with MSR to race our ARX-06 against some of the world’s best sportscar teams. This is why the next logical step for us is race engineer our own car: buckle-up HRC boys and girls!”
The formation of this new-look IMSA GTP effort for HRC means Wayne Taylor Racing with Andretti will switch brands for 2025.
While nothing has been formally confirmed, DSC’s sources have indicated for a number of months that WTRAndretti is in line to take over Cadillac’s IMSA GTP factory programme, after Chip Ganassi Racing and the GM brand go their separate ways at the end of the season.
Cadillac’s effort looks set to expand in 2025 to three cars in IMSA, with two cars from WTRAndretti and a single car from Action Express.
“I would like to sincerely thank Wayne Taylor, the WTR with Andretti team and its talented drivers. We have shared some brilliant and successful times together; and we look forward to finishing 2024 with more top-level racing,” said Salters.
The 2025 IMSA season will be Meyer Shank Racing’s second with the ARX-06. Previously the team campaigned the car in its debut season back in 2023, and in controversial circumstances won the Rolex 24 Hours.
It has spent the 2024 season focusing on IndyCar as HRC US opted to expand the WTRAndretti effort to two cars for this year.
“First, on behalf of everyone at Meyer Shank Racing, I want to express our gratitude to David Salters and everyone at HRC and Acura for giving us this opportunity,” said Mike Shank, co-owner of Meyer Shank Racing with former business executive Jim Meyer.
“We are supremely grateful to have earned this new opportunity and everyone on the team is looking forward to day one in our new relationship with Acura, and the new role we’ll be playing in HRC US’s IMSA programme.”
Meyer Shank Racing will prepare and maintain the pair of Acura ARX-06s from their facilities in Etna, Ohio, just east of Columbus.
MSR has campaigned several successful Acura race cars including NSX GT3, ARX-05 and ARX-06 machines, racking up race wins and championships in IMSA.
MSR will also continue to operate and field multiple Honda-powered entries in IndyCar, where the team has been a part of the HRC US effort in Indy car competition since 2018.
Information regarding HRC US and MSR team drivers, sponsors and other programme details will be shared at a later date.
In response to the news, WTRAndretti’s team principal Wayne Taylor released the following statement.
“We have had a successful run with HRC and Acura these past four years. When it came to renewal, we listened and took their future plans into serious consideration, but in the end, felt we needed to go in a different direction moving forward.
“With three key races left in the season, our plan is to continue to focus on winning more podiums and races for Acura and to end the year strong. We are looking forward to announcing our plans for 2025 in the very near future.”
