Hammm3
03-28-2006, 02:50 PM
How will he do? He is great in Supercup.
By Greg Engle
Cup Scene Daily,March 28
In his native Australia he probably couldn’t walk down the street without someone recognizing him.
Marcos Ambrose
• Born in Launceston, Tasmania
• First back-to-back Australia V8 Supercar Series champion since 1998
• Won the 1999 Formula Ford Championship
• Won the V8 Supercar Series rookie of the year award in 2001
Billboards all across the country carry his likeness and he’s treated like a rock star. His vivacious personality and quick wit make him a favorite of television cameras and fans alike. He’s a two-time champion, consecutively by the way; driving a V-8 powered stock car. His nickname is the “Devil Racer” because of his aggressive nature on the track.
But mention the name Marcos Ambrose to race fans in America and you’d probably get a blank stare.
Wood Brothers/JTG Racing hopes to erase that blank stare and make the name Marcos Ambrose as familiar to NASCAR fans as some of the legends that have raced for the famed Wood Brothers team in years gone by.
"I don't know if this sport is ready for Marcos Ambrose," said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Ambrose's Ford F150 in Saturday's Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway. "He's something else. He's the biggest racing star the country's has known. We believe he's going to be all of that, if not more, here in America."
Ambrose make’s his NASCAR debut this Saturday after the sanctioning body asked him to skip the first three races until they were convinced his success in Australia would translate to its brand of racing.
"I got here in January and I've been ready to race since the day I got here," Ambrose said. "I've been eager to get behind the wheel and race. The one good thing about waiting for NASCAR is it gave me a chance to watch from the sidelines. I spent time in the shop to get a perspective of how these trucks are built; I spent time at the racetrack watching how Jon Wood worked as the driver. I learned a lot about how the truck changes during the race and how a driver and crew chief have to work to make it better.
"More important, I learned no matter what side of the ocean you're from, success always comes back to one thing, people. It's people that build these trucks, people that perform pit stops and people that drive these trucks. I believe I'm surround by the best people in the business. I just want to do my part."
--(Cont'd From Page 1) Ambrose not only is the first driver in seven years to win back-to-back V8 Supercar championships, he is the first driver in 30 years to win four consecutive races. He became the flagship driver for Ford Australia, and it wasn't difficult for the car company to support a move to the United States.
Ambrose will be in the mix for the truck series Rookie of The Year and the toughest competition for rookie of the year honors probably will come from his Wood Brothers/JTG racing teammate, Bobby East, who’ll be driving the No. 21 Ford.
He is also joining a race team with impressive credentials. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest team in the Nextel Cup Series and it's fielded the most winners in Ford Racing history. Wood Brothers partner JTG Racing has the longest current relationship between a driver, team and series sponsor in Stacy Compton and Kingsford Sure Fire charcoal.
"It's going to be fun to watch Marcos grow as a driver in NASCAR,” Wood said. “And it's going to be fun to see how his personality catches on. One thing's for sure, halfway around the world, everyone will be watching."
And in America, the likeable Ambrose could begin to grow on NASCAR fans as well.
Pole qualifying for Kroger 250 is Saturday at noon. The race is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start on Speed later that afternoon.
By Greg Engle
Cup Scene Daily,March 28
In his native Australia he probably couldn’t walk down the street without someone recognizing him.
Marcos Ambrose
• Born in Launceston, Tasmania
• First back-to-back Australia V8 Supercar Series champion since 1998
• Won the 1999 Formula Ford Championship
• Won the V8 Supercar Series rookie of the year award in 2001
Billboards all across the country carry his likeness and he’s treated like a rock star. His vivacious personality and quick wit make him a favorite of television cameras and fans alike. He’s a two-time champion, consecutively by the way; driving a V-8 powered stock car. His nickname is the “Devil Racer” because of his aggressive nature on the track.
But mention the name Marcos Ambrose to race fans in America and you’d probably get a blank stare.
Wood Brothers/JTG Racing hopes to erase that blank stare and make the name Marcos Ambrose as familiar to NASCAR fans as some of the legends that have raced for the famed Wood Brothers team in years gone by.
"I don't know if this sport is ready for Marcos Ambrose," said Eddie Wood, co-owner of Ambrose's Ford F150 in Saturday's Kroger 250 at the Martinsville Speedway. "He's something else. He's the biggest racing star the country's has known. We believe he's going to be all of that, if not more, here in America."
Ambrose make’s his NASCAR debut this Saturday after the sanctioning body asked him to skip the first three races until they were convinced his success in Australia would translate to its brand of racing.
"I got here in January and I've been ready to race since the day I got here," Ambrose said. "I've been eager to get behind the wheel and race. The one good thing about waiting for NASCAR is it gave me a chance to watch from the sidelines. I spent time in the shop to get a perspective of how these trucks are built; I spent time at the racetrack watching how Jon Wood worked as the driver. I learned a lot about how the truck changes during the race and how a driver and crew chief have to work to make it better.
"More important, I learned no matter what side of the ocean you're from, success always comes back to one thing, people. It's people that build these trucks, people that perform pit stops and people that drive these trucks. I believe I'm surround by the best people in the business. I just want to do my part."
--(Cont'd From Page 1) Ambrose not only is the first driver in seven years to win back-to-back V8 Supercar championships, he is the first driver in 30 years to win four consecutive races. He became the flagship driver for Ford Australia, and it wasn't difficult for the car company to support a move to the United States.
Ambrose will be in the mix for the truck series Rookie of The Year and the toughest competition for rookie of the year honors probably will come from his Wood Brothers/JTG racing teammate, Bobby East, who’ll be driving the No. 21 Ford.
He is also joining a race team with impressive credentials. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest team in the Nextel Cup Series and it's fielded the most winners in Ford Racing history. Wood Brothers partner JTG Racing has the longest current relationship between a driver, team and series sponsor in Stacy Compton and Kingsford Sure Fire charcoal.
"It's going to be fun to watch Marcos grow as a driver in NASCAR,” Wood said. “And it's going to be fun to see how his personality catches on. One thing's for sure, halfway around the world, everyone will be watching."
And in America, the likeable Ambrose could begin to grow on NASCAR fans as well.
Pole qualifying for Kroger 250 is Saturday at noon. The race is scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. start on Speed later that afternoon.