Indycar driver Jack Harvey has bought a stake in his hometown football club Lincoln City.
The 32-year-old, who was born in the Lincolnshire village of Bassingham, and his family are said to have put a “modest investment” into the League One side.
Harvey, a former British Formula 3 champion who has been based and raced in the United States since 2014, most recently featured in the open-wheel Indycar Series for Dreyer & Reinbold Racing/Cusick Motorsports this year.
“This has been a very organic thing,” Harveytold the Lincoln City website.,external
“It means a lot to be an ever-so-tiny part of my hometown team, but also to show everybody that we’re prepared to give back to our local community, where the club does so much.
“A lot of my family go to every game, so this becomes another way to unite and bond even when I’m having to follow from overseas via Imps+ or on social media.”
Harvey says his move to invest in the Imps “grew out of a conversation” he had with the club’s majority shareholder Harvey Jabara.
“I know it sounds cheesy, but first and foremost I consider them [Jabara family] just great friends – I’m lucky to have people like them in my life,” Harvey said.
“They are race fans and I’m sure they were surprised when they first saw me at a game. They’re great people to learn from, are involved in lots of cool projects and I’m delighted to share in this adventure with them.”
Harvey’s investment in the club coincides with the American quartet of Ken Maurice Newcomer, Mark Talarico, Dan Marolis and Alexander Schreck becoming involved as ‘club patrons’.
The new stakeholders have put money into the club just weeks after Imps chairman Clive Nates saidLincoln was looking for further investmentin their efforts to reach the Championship.
