Michael Shank Racing targets Le Mans LMP2 entry in 2016
Michael Shank Racing, the pole-winning team for last weekend's Daytona 24 Hours, has revealed ambitions to take its Ligier LMP2 coupe to the Le Mans 24 Hours next year
Team boss Michael Shank, whose squad has switched from a Riley Daytona Prototype for this season, explained that one of the reasons for buying the Ligier-Honda JSP2 with which he will undertake the full 2015 Tudor United SportsCar Championship was to be able to fulfill an ambition to compete at Le Mans in the future.
"There were various reasons for going with a P2, and one of them is about being able to take the car to Le Mans," said Shank, whose team won the Daytona enduro with a Ford-powered Riley in 2012.
"I don't think doing the whole World Endurance Championship is appropriate for us as a team; we want to race in the US and have the chance to go to Le Mans."
"I think we can make it happen for next year; this season is too early for us because we've only just taken delivery of the car - we've only just scratched the surface of what we can do with it."
Shank, whose Ligier was classified 11th overall and sixth in the Prototype class at the Daytona USC opener, said that regular driver John Pew was part of the team's Le Mans plans and that he "already had some good partners on board".
The Ohio-based team attempted to expand into IndyCar in 2012 under the MSR Indy banner and purchased a Dallara DW12, but failed to take part in any races before selling the car.
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