Team Australia driver Marcos Ambrose will aim to continue his remarkable start to the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series season when he takes to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the Nicorette 300 in Hampton, Georgia this weekend.
Having scored two-consecutive top 10 finishes, Ambrose lies fifth in the NASCAR Busch Series points and leads the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. He is also one of a handful of drivers to have completed every lap of each of the four races this season.
With such a strong start to the season, Ambrose is looking forwards and is aiming for yet another consistent performance this weekend in the Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion.
Ambrose has raced once before at the 1.5-mile Atlanta Motor Speedway in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series last October. The Australian had a strong race but ultimately a late-race set-up change saw him slip out of the top 10 to finish 16th.
The Atlanta oval, which is known for it’s three-wide racing and close finishes, will mark Ambrose’s fifth Busch series start. With close and hard racing expected, Ambrose is still focusing on reaching the finish with a solid result in what is still only his 27th NASCAR event since leaving the Australian V8 Supercar Championship as a two-time champion.
Marcos Ambrose – Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion
“The first five races of the year have always been about building a solid platform to start the season, †said Ambrose.
“To be in top 10 in the points at this stage was something for us to aim for at the start of the season, so to be in the top 10 is a great effort by this team and everyone involved. To be in the top five is incredible.
“We’re finishing races and getting to the end of these races with a good race car. That’s the key because to have a chance at getting a good result you’ve got to be there at the end.
“We have never stop working. This weekend in Atlanta we are going to a track that I raced at in the Truck Series but the Busch Series is a different thing. It’s going to be tough but I think the Atlanta track will put on a good race.
“We were running three wide on the banking in the Truck last year and the Busch cars should be similar. That’s going to be really something so you’ve really got to remind yourself not to get carried away and make sure you get to the finish.
“The Kingsford team has done so well to be where we are today but we have to keep looking forward and keep scoring those points and keep on finishing races. â€
2007 NASCAR Busch Series Points Standings – After Race 4
1. Carl Edwards 650
2. Denny Hamlin 582
3. Dave Blaney 521
4. Kevin Harvick 496
5. Marcos Ambrose 484
6. Jon Wood 452
7. Greg Biffle 446
8. Tony Stewart 442
9. Mike Wallace 430
10. Kyle Busch 412
2007 NASCAR Busch Series Raybestos Rookie of the Year Standings – After Race 4
1. Marcos Ambrose 45
2. Juan Pablo Montoya 43
3. Kyle Krisiloff 33
4. David Ragan 32
5. Brad Keselowski 17
6. Sam Hornish Jr 14
=7. Timothy Peters 11
=7. Brad Coleman 11
9. Justin Diercks 10
10. Robert Richardson 9
| 
|