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Qualifying report

Michael Shank Racing looks for strong run from 8th on the gird at Watkins Glen

Pew turned his fastest lap of the weekend in qualifying

#60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: Ozz Negri, John Pew

#60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: Ozz Negri, John Pew

Adriano Manocchia

Watkins Glen, NY (30 June 2012) – Leading the North American Endurance Championship presented by VISITFLORIDA.COM and fresh from a strong podium finish of third at Road America last weekend, Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian will open the Sahlen’s 6 Hours of The Glen from the fourth row after John Pew qualified the No. 60 LiveOn.com Ford-Riley eighth on the grid during Saturday’s 15-minute GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series qualifying session.

#60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: Ozz Negri, John Pew
#60 Michael Shank Racing with Curb-Agajanian Ford Riley: Ozz Negri, John Pew

Photo by: Adriano Manocchia

Throughout the weekend’s practice sessions, Pew continually improved around the 3.4-mile New York road course and posted a quick time of 1:42.753-seconds during qualifying, his fastest lap of the weekend.

“I hoped for a little higher spot on the grid, but everybody else is really fast too,” said Pew, who will start ahead of his main PRO-AM Championship rival as he pursues his third title. “We made progress with the car and with myself as well. That was the fastest lap I’ve turned this weekend so far. I think we’ll have a really good car at the end of the race, and that’s what counts.”

Both Pew and his Michael Shank Racing co-driver Ozz Negri have been relishing the strong pace that the team as seen so far this year with three podium results already this season. Having stood on the podium on the Glen’s “short course,” the team will target its first podium in the prestigious event’s long Grand Prix layout.

“I’m really happy - this is so much work that John (Pew) puts in and even though it’s P8, a lot of the top drivers are in the cars and he still did really, really well,” offered team owner Mike Shank. “I’m just really happy for his progression and what he’s doing. He deserves it. His qualifying time was almost two seconds faster than his best time in practice. The car is really good, and I think we potentially have a pretty good opportunity here this weekend.”

Currently leading the North American Endurance Championship, the Shank team has extra incentive to score a solid result in the historic race as the team looks to extend their lead in NAE Championship, which is a new championship-within-the-championship that features the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, and Kroger SuperWeekend at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Source: Michael Shank Racing

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