Blomqvist, Jarvis Driving Fulltime in 2022, Castroneves Joins for Enduros
By Jeff Olson
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s a great opportunity.
That’s something Tom Blomqvist has heard since he signed on with Meyer Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian to co-drive the team’s No. 60 Acura ARX-05 for the 2022 IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
“Hopefully, it’s a successful one,” he said when the news broke Wednesday.
Blomqvist, a 27-year-old with a diverse racing résumé, will join Oliver Jarvis, 37, as the team’s full-time drivers when the season opens with the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, with Helio Castroneves, 46, joining for endurance races.
“I bring the average age down a bit,” Blomqvist said with a laugh. “I’m sure these old boys are going to teach me a thing or two.”
A native of Cambridge, U.K., Blomqvist has experience in the FIA World Endurance Championship’s LMP2 class, with a victory in the 2018 24 Hours of Spa to his credit. He also has competed in Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters (DTM), Blancpain GT Endurance Cup, Asian Le Mans Series, FIA GT World Cup, Intercontinental GT Challenge, Formula E and IMSA’s GT Le Mans (GTLM) class.
Jarvis, who played a key role in Mazda’s farewell victory Saturday in the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, also brings a wealth of varied experience to the lineup.
“I’m looking forward to working with him,” Blomqvist said. “He’s had a lot of experience with Audi and Mazda. He’s got a lot more experience than I have. He’s obviously super, super quick. Hopefully, we can bounce some ideas off one another and drive the team forward and have a strong year.”
Jarvis has been a full-time participant in the WeatherTech Championship’s Daytona Prototype international (DPi) class since 2018. Among his career highlights is an LMP2 class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2017.
“Having competed against the Acura for many years and watching it win numerous races and titles, I’m more than aware of how capable it is,” Jarvis said. “With a new team, there will be lots to learn, but I am certain we will be up to speed quickly, and I can’t wait to get on track and start challenging for victories.”
Castroneves, the four-time Indianapolis 500 winner, is signed to compete for Meyer Shank Racing in the NTT IndyCar Series next season. His newest IMSA teammate was 7 years old when Castroneves won his first Indy 500 in 2001.
“Helio needs no introduction,” Blomqvist said. “He knows everything inside out. It’s going to be cool racing with him in the longer races. I grew up watching IndyCar races, and this guy was winning Indy 500s before I was even racing. It’s pretty gnarly, really.”
Just as his teammates are enthused by the prospect of a new season, so too is Blomqvist.
“I really enjoy these cars,” Blomqvist said. “I think they suit me. I get on well with the packages. … I’m looking forward to getting the ball rolling. It’s a cool program, for sure.”