IndyCar's Jack Harvey has to settle for 19th on July 4 homecoming

It was another homecoming weekend for Meyer Shank Racing (MSR) at Mid-Ohio for the Honda Indy 200 race weekend.

Hopes were high for the 80 lap Fourth of July feature for Jack Harvey in the number 60 AutoNation / Siriusxm Honda, but the Bassingham Brit closed out the race 19th on Sunday.

Harvey showed significant pace early in the race weekend, finishing third in practice one and eighth in practice two.

Things were looking good heading into qualifying as Harvey posted the second fastest lap time in group one. But unfortunately that lap was taken away after a spin in the final moments of the session which removed Harvey’s fast lap and he was relegated to start 23rd.

It would be a game of strategy for the race to bring Harvey back through the field as the team opted to take a three stop strategy in hopes of placing Harvey farther up the field.

The first three laps of the race saw chaos ensue as Harvey was able to maneuver through two separate accidents and two caution periods.

Harvey made his way up to 17th following the second restart and was focused on the race ahead.

MSR was the first team to call its car into pit lane on lap 16 which saw Harvey return back on track with Firestone alternate tires and added front wing.

The early pit stop was an effort to undercut the field and bring Harvey to the top following the first round of pit cycles.

As the race proceeded under green flag running Harvey continued the pace that he showed early in the weekend and posted the fastest lap - 1:08.734-seconds - of the race on lap 67.

Following 80-laps of hard fought battles and hot temperatures, Harvey brought home an 19th place result.

"Because we had good pace, that's why we decided to roll the dice and go for that strategy," said Harvey.

“We had great pace and we set the fastest lap of the race.

When you have these kind of days you get really disappointed about things happening like what happened in qualifying yesterday.

"When we start at the back, I have no problem rolling the dice on strategy.

"All of the ingredients that we are looking for are here, we just need to put them together on one weekend.”

Meyer Shank Racing will have a month-long break from racing action for both it’s IMSA and IndyCar programs.

The next event will be staged on the streets of Nashville for the Music City Grand Prix on August 6-8.

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