Pataskala, Ohio (20 August 2024) – Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) has had much of its 2024 NTT INDYCAR SERIES success on road courses this year and looks to expand on that during this weekend’s Bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland (USA/Peacock/SiriusXM, 3:30 p.m. Sunday), which is the series’ final road-course race of the year.
The 1.964-mile, 12-turn Portland International Raceway will be the final chance of the year for drivers to turn in both directions and provides MSR an opportunity to continue moving toward the top of the standings.
The Ohio-based team’s 2024 resurgence has been built mainly via its road- and street-course results, with its drivers earning six of its seven top-10 results as well as six of its eight top-five qualifying results on road courses. The season’s non-oval events also saw MSR earn its first-ever INDYCAR SERIES pole, when Felix Rosenqvist (No. 60 AutoNation / SiriusXM Honda) paced qualifying for the Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach back in April.
The team’s road-course pace this season isn’t the only reason for optimism as both David Malukas (No. 66 AutoNation / Arctic Wolf Honda) and Rosenqvist head to the Pacific Northwest with strong resumes of recent successes.
Rosenqvist has two runner-up finishes in his four Portland starts with an average finish of fifth in those four events. The Swedish pilot has also finished on the lead lap in each of those four starts.
Additionally, Malukas has finished on the lead lap in his two previous INDYCAR SERIES starts at Portland International Raceway, coming from 23rd on the starting grid to place eighth a year ago. Malukas also earned a win in Portland in the 2021 Indy NXT race where he led 29 of 30 laps.
MSR’s solid work over the last three months is also showing in the standings as the season winds down. Rosenqvist jumped three spots last week and is now in a tie for 10th in the season-long driver standings while Malukas’ effort in the No. 66 machine, when teamed with results posted by Tom Blomqvist and four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, has vaulted the car to 19th in the entrant points.
This weekend’s Bitnile.com Grand Prix of Portland gets underway with a late afternoon practice session on Friday with qualifying set for 3:30 p.m. ET Eastern Time on Saturday. The 110-lap race can be seen live on USA Network and Peacock beginning at 3:00 p.m. Eastern on Sunday. All NTT INDYCAR SERIES sessions can be heard live on SiriusXM Channel 218.
Meyer Shank Racing Driver Quotes:
Felix Rosenqvist: “Portland is a track that I really like, I’ve had two second place finishes there so hopefully I can beat that this weekend. It would be a good weekend to show out potential that we have had all year. I feel like we’re back in our groove again after some bumps in the road. Super excited for the last road course of the year and heading out west again.”
David Malukas: “Each week, our team chemistry grows stronger, and our pace keeps improving, even if the results haven’t always reflected that progress. After WWTR and as we head into Portland, I’m more motivated than ever to run at the front and secure some more good results with the team.”
