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Ambrose Always Wanting More in NASCAR Learning Experience

Friday July 13, 2007

 

Marcos Ambrose is clear in his intentions to continue his rapid improvement in the NASCAR Busch Series with the USG Durock 300 at Chicagoland Speedway the next challenge for the Australian in Joliet, Illinois this weekend.

Entering the 20th event in 35-race NASCAR Busch Series season, Ambrose is more determined than ever to eclipse his best result of sixth at Dover in June in the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion.

After a frustrating weekend at Daytona International Speedway last weekend, where a tyre problem thwarted his charge towards a fourth top 10 finish for the season, Ambrose has reflected upon his rapid rise in NASCAR.

As a two-time V8 Supercar champion in his native Australia, the 30-year-old is continually striving to better himself and achieve a ‘breakout’ result, not satisfied to rest on the current form that sees him eighth in the NASCAR Busch Series standings and second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year points.

Marcos Ambrose – #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion

“When you come into your rookie season, you try to set realistic goals,” said Ambrose.

“But once you start racing, you sometimes forget all that. You expect results. I may be a rookie, but we’ve spent enough time together to be competitive each week.

“We’re looking for a breakout race. To be eighth in the standings is more than we expected early in the season, but I feel like we’ve left some results out there. In reality, we’ve done really well.

“We all feel good about what we’ve accomplished, what we have ahead. We’ve had a good go at it. But the only way to feel better about it is to keep improving. We need to press forward. We all need to get an ‘A’ in the second half of the season.”

Greg Conner – Crew Chief, #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion

“Our speedway program has come a long way this year,” said Conner.

“We changed directions a few weeks ago and it’s really paid off. The difference is night and day. We’re doing a much better job at getting the car to rotate in the corners.

“There’s no question we’re taking better cars to the racetrack every week and there’s no question Marcos continues to grow as a driver. The pieces are falling into place very nicely.

“We’re putting ourselves in position to succeed every week and that’s the most important step.”

2007 NASCAR Busch Series Points Standings – After Race 19
1. Carl Edwards 2966
2. Kevin Harvick 2168
3. David Reutimann 2095
4. Dave Blaney 2056
5. Jason Leffler 2033
6. David Ragan 2010
7. Bobby Hamilton Jr 1983
8. Marcos Ambrose 1887
9. Stephen Leicht 1866
10. Greg Biffle 1845

2007 NASCAR Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings – After Race 19
1. David Ragan 180
2. Marcos Ambrose 166
3. Juan Pablo Montoya 153
4. Kyle Krisiloff 150
5. Brad Coleman 88
6. Brad Keselowski 87
7. Robert Richardson Jr 67
8. Justin Diercks 51
9. Sam Hornish Jr 35
10. Bobby Santos 21

MARCOS AMBROSE FAST FACTS – Marcos Ambrose and the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion team at Wood Brothers/JTG Racing have US$512,487 (A$598,420) in prizemoney in 19 NASCAR Busch Series races this season – Ambrose will drive the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series – Ambrose finished 16th in his NASCAR Busch Series debut at Daytona International Speedway on 17 February 2007, winning the Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award in what was his first race on the 2.5-mile Daytona superspeedway – The Australian scored his debut NASCAR Busch Series top 10 finish at his first NASCAR road course event with eighth place at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez in Mexico City on 4 March 2007 – Ambrose picked up his second Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award and second-consecutive top 10 with 10th at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on 10 March 2007, also winning the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award and the Checkers/Rally’s Double Drive-Thru Challenge Award for the fastest Busch Series pit crew – Ambrose achieved his best NASCAR Busch Series result to date with sixth place at Dover International Speedway on 2 June 2007, also winning him his fourth Raybestos Rookie of the Race award for the season – The 30-year-old will also aim to qualify for his first NASCAR Nextel Cup race in the #47 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing at Watkins Glen on August 12 – Ambrose was born in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia – finished 21st in the 2006 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and third in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings, earning US$256,368 in 22 starts in the #20 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia Ford F-150 for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing – 2006 season highlighted by Budweiser Pole and WIX Lap Leader awards in Kentucky on 8 July 2006, along with third place finishes at Kansas on 1 July 2006 and Nashville 12 August 2006 – Earned nine top 10 qualifying positions and four top 10 finishes in his first season of oval racing of any description – Ambrose won two consecutive Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series titles in 2003 and 2004 for Ford

RACE SCHEDULE
Local Chicago (US Central) Times
Practice 1
Friday 13 July 2007
1:10pm – 2:10pm

Rookie Practice
Friday 13 July 2007
2:15pm – 2:45pm

Final Practice
Friday 13 July 2007
4:45pm – 5:45pm

Qualifying
Saturday 14 July 2007
10:15am

Race – 200 laps
Saturday 14 July 2007
2:00pm US Central
3:00pm US Eastern

UNITED STATES TV SCHEDULE
Saturday 14 July 2007
ABC
2:30pm US Eastern

AUSTRALIAN TIMES
Australian Eastern Standard Times
Practice 1
Saturday 14 July 2007
4:10am – 5:10am

Rookie Practice
Saturday 14 July 2007
5:15am – 5:45am

Final Practice
Saturday 14 July 2007
7:45am – 8:45am

Qualifying
Sunday 15 July 2007
1:15am

Race – 200 laps
Sunday 15 July 2007
5:00am AEST

AUSTRALIAN TV SCHEDULE
Sunday 15 July 2007
FOX Sports Two
4:30am – 8:00am

AUSTRALIAN TV REPLAY
Sunday 15 July 2007
FOX Sports Two
3:30pm – 5:30pm

ABOUT CHICAGOLAND SPEEDWAY
Location: Joliet, Illinois
Track Length: 1.5 miles (2.41 km)
Race Distance: 200 laps – 300 miles (482.8km)
Total Race Purse: US$1,544,672 (A$1,793,835)
Degree of Banking in Turns: 18 degrees
Degree of Banking in Back Straight: 5 degrees
Degree of Banking in Front Straight (Tri-Oval): 11 degrees

NASCAR BUSCH SERIES RECORD BOOK
Busch Series Race Record: Kevin Harvick (2hr, 18min, 6sec) 9 July 2005
Busch Qualifying Record: Ryan Newman (28.964 seconds/186.438mph) 9 July 2005
Defending Busch Race Winner: Casey Mears
Defending Busch Polesitter: Carl Edwards

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This report was provided by an outside PR source and posted by Kim DeHaven.

 

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