Track Talk's own, Victor Genova sat down with Indy Car driver Jack Harvey to talk about the Grand Prix of Portland and all things racing.
VG: Three top-10 finishes and a podium at the Indy GP, how would you rate your season to-date?
JH: I think the season has gone very well. You see expansion from last year and I think we all made it quite clear what we expected and what realistic goals would be and it was to try and qualify in the top-12 and to try and finish in the top-10. Right now we're right up 50% on both— which is exactly where we wanted to be, and we thought it was realistic. Obviously not without its struggles. We've got some really good moments and some not so great moments but I think the whole team is bonding really well, and I think everyone at Meyer Shank Racing is hitting the targets that we set at the start of the year and hopefully make AutoNation and SiriusXM proud of what we’re doing and hopefully continue into next year.
VG: Meyer Shank Racing with Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports runs a 10-race part time schedule, is there a particular track or race that you would like to add to your schedule for next season?
JH: All of them! I’d like to see us try and do all the races. Obviously that's the goal. It's not too much fun watching on the sidelines. I think if I were to single out a particular race, I've always really enjoyed going to Toronto. I think that's pretty cool. I was hopeful that it might make the list. Gateway always looks like a really good race to me. Texas is always fun. Let’s put it this way, there’s no track I’m glad we’re not doing this year. So I mean wherever we end up racing I'll be happy to be there for sure.
VG: Running a part time schedule takes you out of contention for the championship. Because of this, does that change how your approach race day and how the team approaches race strategy?
JH: Yes and no. I think we do have to be realistic sometimes that if we are running inside the top-10, do we need to risk everything just to get one more position? If there's low risk and we can move forward then obviously we will. For our program and our schedule right now, I think the team have executed a good season in the sense of the amount of risk that we can take to move forward with an eye on making sure we hit our goals. We haven't been held back by any of it, but in the same breath I think what people need to realize that right now a top-10 in terms of our program is a win, and it's a win in the sense of the goals that we set and by achieving those goals we're hopeful that we'll be able to expand the program into something a little bit bigger next year. I think it just makes us have to be extremely realistic, and to acknowledge a good day when we’re on the horizon of one.
VG: Your next race is the Grand Prix of Portland. Best part about racing in Portland?
JH: I'll be honest I just I love the city. I love racing there. I had a great time when I went and did my media advance. It’s just a really cool place to be. I thought we had pace there last year. It’s just a place I look at with really positive feelings whether it’s the city or at the track. I watched some of the Soap Box Derby run down the mountain last year too. There’s a lot of really positive things I enjoy about Portland.
VG: Where’s the best place to pass at Portland International Raceway?
JH: You’ve got a couple of spots. I think turn one is a good overtaking zone. This is a really tight right-handed hairpin that leads you onto the backstretch which is so wide that you can be a little bit further behind somebody and try and make an overtake happen there. And if you get a good exit slipstreaming down the back straight into the quick left-hander which is immediately followed by a right. I think that's some good overtaking opportunities.
VG: A couple of rapid fire questions. How does Jack Harvey stay sharp when he isn't racing.
JH: I'm quite a keen baker. So I’ve got to make sure I’m quick on the mark to get the oven preheated and cakes in-and-out so they don't burn.
VG: Is there a track from your time in Europe that you'd love to test in IndyCar on?
JH: There's a few. I'd love to go race at Silverstone, Oulton Park would be cool, Brands Hatch GP circuit would be fun. I mean obviously not biased towards the UK or anything but that might be good.
VG: What's your daily driver?
JH: Honda Civic SI.
VG: Top Gear of The Grand Tour?
JH: Top Gear. Come on man? Actually, it depends which Top Gear.
VG: If you could team up with any other driver in history, who would you pick, and why?
JH: Probably James Hunt. He was such a lad and it might be quite fun to hang out with him! On a serious note, I think (Michael) Schumacher just raised the bar so drastically on what made a complete driver instead of just his raw on-track ability but how hard he worked off the track as well. I'd love to have been teammates with Michael.
VIG: If you could test any race car— past or present, which would it be?
JH: 88/89 McLaren Honda (Formula One car).
Victor Genova is the host of the Media People Podcast and a freelance racing writer. You can follow him on Instagram at @VicGenova
