Championship Choices for Negri at the Glen

06/12/2008
 
(Watkins Glen, NY)—Oswaldo Negri delivered another stout performance this weekend in the Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen in the Michael Shank Racing Ford-Riley with co-driver Mark Patterson, bringing home a fourth place finish after a thrilling late race battle. The result saw the No. 60 entry further strengthen its championship position as they were also able to edge closer to the No. 99 in the team championship rankings.
 
The qualifying session was effectively cancelled after just a few moments, preventing Negri from getting the chance to score another pole position in his first return to qualifying since the season opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, where he emerged as the fastest man in Daytona Prototypes with a record-setting run to the pole position. At the start, Negri moved quickly through the order early in the Glen Six before turning the Ford-Riley over to co-driver Patterson. The South African continued to impress as he returned the car back to Negri in podium contention.
 
The high heat that was causing problems for many of the Daytona Prototype pilots, but not Negri, who kept his head in the heat of battle as he eyed a possible return to Glen podium in the closing laps of competition. Negri showed his championship focus by not throwing a long day at the office away in a heated late-race battle for the final spot on the podium.
 
“Mark and I have been on the podium here before in the August race, and we were hoping to do it again in the six hour,” said Negri. “We had a good car, but I just got caught out by that GT traffic and Max (Angelelli) got a good run on me for the spot. I could have defended more, but it would have been too risky and got us both in trouble. I would have done exactly the same thing that he did, if I had the chance! Now we will focus on getting back to that podium at Mid-Ohio and see if we can bring Mike (Shank) a win on his home track!”
 
Negri will be hard at work this week, dong promotional appearances for Westfield Insurance, which will serve as the No. 60 entries title sponsor for the EMCO Gears event at Mid-Ohio this weekend.

Matt Cleary
Sunday Group Management
media@sundaymanagement.com
317-908-2975 (mobile)

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