Pataskala, Ohio (15 April 2015) – Looking to convert some impressive speed into solid results, Michael Shank Racing with Curb/Agajanian travels 2,300 miles West from its race shop in Pataskala, Ohio this weekend to the Streets of Long Beach, California for the Tequila Patron Sports Car Showcase at Long Beach. It marks Round 3 of the 2015 IMSA TUDOR United SportsCar Championship and the first sprint race of the season. The 2015 championship opened with the two longest endurance races on the IMSA Calendar – the Rolex 24 and Sebring 12 – so the street sprint will be a change in gears for Michael Shank Racing drivers John Pew and Ozz Negri as they rev up for a 100-minute race through the downtown Long Beach streets. Michael Shank Racing looks to rebound from a frustrating finish in the previous event at Sebring one month ago when the No. 60 machine sustained heavy damage in a crash and retired from the race early. Long Beach could be an ideal place to do just that, as the race is a favorite among fans and teams alike. Boasting nearly 40 years of history, the Long Beach event is a highly anticipated one. The No. 60 Michael Shank Racing Honda-powered Ligier JS P2 will sport a new livery, featuring the classic Michael Shank Racing blue with a unique camo design. The Long Beach circuit is situated on the actual city streets which creates the added challenge of natural bumps in the road as well as the entire 1.968-mile, 12-turn circuit lined by concrete walls. And with the traditional Southern California weather expected to shine with pleasant temperatures and sunny conditions the whole weekend, all are looking forward to the demanding street race on Saturday. The Michael Shank Racing squad came back last year from an early race incident to see Negri set the fastest lap on the way to finishing ninth in the inaugural TUDOR Championship event at Long Beach. “We are all really looking forward to Long Beach and turning the page to put Sebring behind us,” said Team Owner Mike Shank. “My guys just never stop working to make this team better and we have the Honda Ligier JS P2 ready to go. Long Beach is a really tough event. There is no room for error and with the race just 100 minutes long, you really have to be on it. Our goal is to unload the trailer and start off with a good car and just work to fine tune the set-up. Hopefully that will put us in a good position for the race.” It is a quick and busy event with just two days on track. Two practice sessions will be held on Friday, April 17 ahead of qualifying which is scheduled to take place Friday evening at 5:55 PM local time (8:55 PM ET). The 1 hour, 40 minute race is set to go green at 4:05 PM local (7:05 PM ET) on Saturday. Live coverage will be available for both qualifying and the race at www.imsa.com. FOX Sports 1 will televise the event on Sunday, April 19 at 4:00 PM ET.