Pataskala, Ohio (27 February 2023) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) will kick off the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season this weekend for the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg returning with its two-car, full-season lineup of Helio Castroneves – No. 06 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda – and Simon Pagenaud – No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda.
Sunday’s 100 lap opening IndyCar round (NBC, Noon ET, SiriusXM Ch. 160) will mark MSR’s sixth straight season competing on the 1.8-mile, 14-turn street course.
Building on last year’s initial season of running two full-time IndyCar programs, MSR will look to improve on a 2022 season that featured 10 top-ten finishes, highlighted by a runner-up finish by Pagenaud at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course.
Castroneves is one of the most decorated drivers in the series with the popular Brazilian being one of four drivers to win four Indianapolis 500 victories – including the ’21 race with MSR. Castroneves also has 31 wins and 50 poles to his credit. Castroneves is looking to add a fourth St. Pete victory to his resume, having won in 2006, 2007 and 2012.
Pagenaud, himself a 13-time IndyCar race winner, returns to the No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda after leading the team with seven top-10 finishes last season. This weekend will mark Pagenaud’s 12th entry into the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Pete, having scored back-to-back second place finishes in 2016 and 2017 as well as a third place finish in 2021.
MSR made its team debut in St. Petersburg in 2018 and has qualified in the top 10 four times including a front row start in 2021 which yielded MSR’s best finish of fourth.
The 100-lap Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg will air on NBC on Sunday starting at Noon ET. Saturday’s qualifying will be shown live on Peacock beginning at 2:00 p.m. ET. SiriusXM will also host live IndyCar Radio coverage of both sessions on XM Ch. 160.
