The Band is Back Together: Allmendinger Returns to Meyer Shank for Rolex 24 Glory
In the corporate-polished world of professional motorsports, Mike Shank stands out. He runs Meyer Shank Racing with the precision of a surgeon, but he carries the spirit of a garage rocker. He wears his heart on his sleeve, puts his own skin in the game, and values loyalty above almost everything else.
So, it feels entirely right that for the 64th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, Shank is “getting the band back together.” The headliner for this reunion tour? None other than AJ Allmendinger. While Allmendinger spends his Sundays trading paint in the NASCAR Cup Series for Kaulig Racing, his roots with Mike Shank run deep.
We are talking about a relationship that stretches back nearly two decades. This January, Allmendinger steps back into the fold, rejoining Meyer Shank, a team that feels like home, even if the furniture has changed a bit.
A Historic Reunion for Meyer Shank and Allmendinger
To understand why this move with Meyer Shank matters, you have to look at the history. This isn’t just a “hired gun” situation. Allmendinger is a team alumnus with 15 Rolex 24 starts under his belt between 2006 and 2021. He was there for the glory days, including that unforgettable overall victory in 2012 alongside Justin Wilson, Ozz Negri, and John Pew.
“The guy’s pretty damn cool,” Allmendinger said of his team owner after turning laps at the November IMSA test. “Mike’s a lot of fun. He’s a racer. He bleeds for this sport. He put his house and everything up.”
That emotional connection is rare in modern racing. Allmendinger recalls how it all started in 2005, when Shank reached out to his IndyCar team. What began as a one-off run in 2006 snowballed into an annual tradition. They built something together, transforming from “the little team that could” into the factory-backed juggernaut they are today.
From Humble Beginnings to a Racing Powerhouse
Walking into the shop today is a different experience for Allmendinger than it was ten years ago. Back in the Grand-Am days, it was a tight-knit crew of about eight guys grinding it out. Today, Meyer Shank Racing operates out of a facility that rivals anything in the world of motorsport.
“I saw Mike’s new shop, and wow,” Allmendinger admitted. “It’s a little different than the GRAND-AM days… What a beautiful shop…there’s a lot of cool pictures of us in there.”But while the square footage has expanded, the pressure to perform has grown right along with it. Allmendinger isn’t just waving at old friends. He has a job to do.
Taming the Beast: The Acura ARX-06
The biggest hurdle for the NASCAR veteran isn’t the competition. It’s the machinery. The last time Allmendinger strapped into a prototype for the team was in 2021, in the DPi era. The new Acura ARX-06 GTP is an entirely different animal. It’s a complex, hybrid-electric beast with a steering wheel that looks more like a computer keyboard.
“There’s definitely a lot to this car it’s a proper race car,” Allmendinger said, showcasing the humility that makes him a fan favorite. He admits the car is tricky. It’s about finding the threshold for braking without overstepping, managing the hybrid systems, and avoiding mistakes.”I’m trying to learn as quick as I can.
I don’t want to be the slow guy and let them down,” he said. “I know I’ll be the weak link, I just don’t want to be the weakest link in the chain.”His goal is simple: hold his weight. He wants to run clean stints and hand the car back in the same condition he received it. When he told Shank he didn’t want to let him down, the owner’s response was classic: “Ain’t gonna happen, you never have.”
A Stacked Deck for the Rolex 24
If Allmendinger is worried about keeping up at Meyer Shank, it’s only because of the company he is keeping. The Meyer Shank No. 60 lineup is arguably the most experienced on the grid. He joins full-season drivers Colin Braun and Tom Blomqvist, along with IndyCar legend Scott Dixon. When you crunch the numbers, it is staggering. Dixon has started every Rolex 24 since 2004.
Braun is right on his heels, having raced every year since he was a 16-year-old kid in 2005. Blomqvist? He started his Daytona career with two wins and two runner-up finishes. Collectively, this group has over 60 career starts in this race alone. All four drivers have an overall Rolex 24 win on their resume. Meyer Shank isn’t just hoping for a good finish. This is a team ready to dominate.
Meyer Shank Building on Momentum
For Colin Braun, having Allmendinger in the mix is just the icing on the cake. Braun and Blomqvist are coming off a strong finish to the 2025 season, including a win at the Six Hours of The Glen. After a year away from the top class, 2025 was about relearning the car and shaking off the rust. Now, heading into 2026, the team feels settled.
“I feel like we’re in a really good place… We’re not, in a way, going to everywhere kind of ‘new’ again,” Braun noted. “This feels like the ‘real’ second year of the program.” Braun and Allmendinger have crossed paths for years. They were even teammates in separate cars back in 2009, but they’ve never shared a seat. The chemistry, however, is already there.
“He fits in with our culture good, so it’s fun,” Braun said. “It’s good times.”The engines fire up for real at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 in mid-January, followed by the main event on January 24-25. With the band back together, Meyer Shank Racing looks ready to make some serious noise.
