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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ANAHEIM, California – Ken Roczen will make the move from HRC Honda to H.E.P. Motorsports with the Progressive Ecstar Suzuki team, ending a long and eventful offseason that saw his split from his longstanding team after he committed to running World Supercross (WSX).

“H.E.P. Motorsports is thrilled to announce that the team has signed Ken Roczen as its premier rider for the 2023 season,” the team announced on Instagram. “Former AMA Motocross champion Roczen will be aboard a Suzuki RM-Z450. Roczen, who won his most recent championship on a Suzuki, will be reunited with the brand and bring his exciting style, determination, and grit back to the RM Army.

“Ken Roczen will compete in the upcoming 2023 Supercross and Motocross Championship series which is set to start on January 7 at Anaheim Stadium in Southern California.”

For Roczen, it is a return to the bike of his youth and on which he had some of his greatest professional success.

“This thing has been going on for weeks and weeks and weeks in the making, but there was so much uncertainty,” Roczen told NBC Sports during Monster Energy Supercross Media Sessions. “It was a very unique situation. I just finally signed two nights ago, so it’s really only legit once the ink hits the paper. It’s been in the works for a long time, but there were just a lot of questions and a lot of input from a lot of other teams too.

“Good things take time, and I’m okay with that. I grew up riding Suzuki. Ot’s like a homecoming. It’s a special feeling”

Roczen won the 2016 Lucas Oil Pro Motocross Championship on a Suzuki before making the move to Honda. That year he won nine of 12 Nationals and finished no worse than second as he easily outpaced Eli Tomac by 86 points. He finished third in his next Pro Motocross outing in 2018 after sitting out the outdoor season in 2017.

“I am beyond excited to reconnect with Suzuki for the 3rd time in my career. We’ve had a lot of success in the past and I’m looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish together in our future.” Roczen said in the Instagram post.

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