TUSC: Shank confirms Pew and Negri in No. 60 Prototype - MotorSportsTalk

Michael Shank Racing has confirmed that John Pew and Ozz Negri will be back with the team for the 2014 TUDOR United SportsCar Championship, co-driving the No. 60 MSR Ford Ecoboost/Riley.

Pew finished 14th in last year’s GRAND-AM Rolex Series championship, while Negri finished 17th despite missing several races due to a setback in his recovery following leg surgery in the 2012-13 offseason. Obviously, Negri’s itching to embark on a full season in 2014.

“I am so happy to be back and be looking at this season with 100% strength,” said Negri, who along with Pew netted a top finish of third at both the Rolex 24 at Daytona and at Kansas Speedway. “There is a lot of work to be done now with the new car and the new EcoBoost [engine] but this team is ready to do that.

“Having so many new elements is going to make this really an exciting year and to be taking it on with John as my partner, I’m thrilled.”

Team owner Mike Shank noted all the new changes with the debut of the TUSC and how important it is to have two veteran drivers like Pew and Negri that know how to work well with each other.

“With new rules, this new EcoBoost motor from Ford, a new championship, and new specifications for these Daytona Prototypes, there have never been many changes from one season to the next,” Shank said.”So to have two guys that we know we can count on to perform for us in the car and who work so well together with this entire team, is a big plus for us. Hopefully, we can build on what we’ve been working on the last few years and deliver for our partners.”

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An IndyCar executive said there is “absolutely” disappointment that its long-awaited video game recently was delayed beyond its target date, but the series remains optimistic about the new title.

“Well, I don’t know how quick it will be, but the whole situation is important to us,” Penske Entertainment president and CEO Mark Miles said during a news conference Monday morning to announce IndyCar’s NTT title sponsorship. “Motorsport Games has spent a lot of money, a lot of effort to create an IndyCar title. What we’ve seen of that effort, which is not completely obvious, is very reassuring.

“I think it’s going to be outstanding. That’s our shared objective, that when it is released, it’s just widely accepted. A great credit both to IndyCar racing, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, something that our fans love.”

In June 2021, IndyCar announced a new partnership with Motorsport Games to create and distribute an IndyCar video game for the PC and Xbox and PlayStation consoles in 2023.

But during an earnings call last week, Motorsport Games said the IndyCar game had been delayed to 2024 to ensure high quality.

Somewhat compounding the delay is that IndyCar’s license for iRacing expired after the end of the 2022 season because of its exclusive agreement with Motorsport Games.

That’s resulted in significant changes for IndyCar on iRacing, which had provided a high-profile way for the series to stay visible during its 2020 shutdown from the pandemic. (Players still can race an unbranded car but don’t race on current IndyCar tracks, nor can they stream).

That’s helped ratchet up the attention on having a video game outlet for IndyCar.

“I wish we had an IndyCar title 10 years ago,” said Miles, who has been working with the organization since 2013. “We’ve been close, but we’ve had these I think speed bumps.”

IndyCar is hopeful the Motorsports Game edition will be ready at the start of 2024. Miles hinted that beta versions could be unveiled to reporters ahead of the time “to begin to show the progress in a narrow way to make sure we’ve got it right, to test the progress so that we’re ready when they’re ready.”

It’s been nearly 18 years since the release of the most recent IndyCar video game for console or PC.

“(We) better get it right,” Miles said. “It’s something we’re very close to and continue to think about what it is to make sure we get it over the line in due course.”