Team Australia’s Marcos Ambrose will make his NASCAR Busch Series debut when he races the Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion in the Orbitz 300 at Daytona International Speedway in Florda this Saturday.
The Australian is taking a measured approach into the opening race of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series as the event marks a number of firsts for the two-time Australian V8 Supercar champion. After 22 starts in last season’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Ambrose will this weekend make his Busch Series debut, start his first race at the 2.5-mile Daytona superspeedway and work in race conditions for the first time with crew chief Greg Conner and #59 Kingsford Ford crew from Wood Brothers/JTG Racing.
After a series of successful preseason tests at Daytona, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Virginia International Raceway, Ambrose and the Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion are certainly ready for the challenge of the first race of the season at Daytona.
Realising the long 35-race season ahead and his status as a Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender, Ambrose plans to use a conservative approach at Daytona to get a solid finish under his belt to begin his second season in NASCAR.
Ambrose’s Australian fans will also get their first opportunity to watch the Tasmanian-born driver race in NASCAR competition, as cable sports network FOX Sports broadcasts the Orbitz 300 live on its Fox Sports 2 channel at 5:00am this Sunday morning in Australia.
Marcos Ambrose – Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion
“Daytona is all about making the finish for us, †said Ambrose.
“We will be setting ourselves to run a nice, solid pace and we will not be worrying about any heroics.
“It is always going to be a bit of a lottery whether you get involved in someone else’s wreck, but we will be doing everything we can to avoid risk for this first race of the season.
“We will just roll around for the first half of the race, then set out to improve the pace and move up a little in the second half. I’ve felt very comfortable in the car to date so it will be important to continue that and feel in control and not get into any trouble.
“I know I’m a rookie out there so I’ve got to finish to gain as much experience as I can, then work on building that for the next few races.
“I’m very excited about making my Busch Series debut at such a big event. It feels so great to be moving forward here in NASCAR. This is such a great sport and a great environment to work in.
“The Kingsford Charcoal team is ready and so am I, so we will be doing our best to make sure everything goes to plan for this first race of the season. â€
Marcos Ambrose Fast Facts
– Ambrose will drive the Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series
– The 30-year-old will also aim to qualify for two NASCAR Nextel Cup races in the #47 Aussie Vineyards Team Australia Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing at Sonoma on 24 June 2007 and Watkins Glen on 12 August 2007
– 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
