With 15 of the opening 30 laps run under caution conditions Ambrose took advantage of his track position to make a couple of unscheduled pit stops to make some adjustments to the Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion.
On lap 66 Ambrose dropped a lap behind the race leader, however, when the caution flag flew for the fifth time he was the recipient of the ‘lucky dog’ and returned to the tail of the lead lap in 26th position.
While focused on gaining as much experience on the unfamiliar short-track oval as possible Ambrose settled into a groove and maintained his position just outside the top 20 for the remainder of the race.
The Circuit City 250 presented by FUNAI was won by Clint Bowyer ahead of Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton, who led 136 of the 250 laps.
Carl Edwards continues to lead the point standings on 1793 points ahead of Kevin Harvick (1391) and Dave Blaney (1280). Ambrose’s consistency has him placed just outside the top ten, a mere 15 points behind ninth-placed Juan Pablo Montoya who finished 11th in today’s race.
Ambrose’s next race will be the Diamond Hill Plywood 200 in Darlington, SC on Friday May 11.
Marcos Ambrose – Aussie Vineyards-backed #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion
“It was a long night out there tonight but we learnt a lot by the end of it, ” said Ambrose.
“While I was a little bit disappointed in qualifying I was confident of being better in the race.
“We took advantage of our track position early in the race to pit out of sequence and hope for some long green flag stints. There were moments when the car was good but starting that far back you’re behind the eight ball because the track is so short.
“Going a lap down took the sting out of us and made it hard to move forward but we fought the best we could and made it to the finish in one piece.
“The short tracks are still my bogie races and where I’ve got to make the most progress in my learning curve. In saying that though I feel as though tonight was another good step forward. ”
RESULTS: Circuit City 250 at Richmond International Raceway
Race 11 of the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series
1. #2 Clint Bowyer 250 laps
2. #17 Matt Kenseth
3. #29 Jeff Burton
4. #77 Kevin Harvick
5. #5 Kyle Busch
6. #16 Greg Biffle
7. #24 Casey Mears
8. #41 Reed Sorenson
9. #99 David Reutimann
10. #21 Scott Wimmer
26. #59 Marcos Ambrose 248 laps
2007 NASCAR Busch Series Points Standings – After Race 11
1. Carl Edwards 1793
2. Kevin Harvick 1391
3. Dave Blaney 1280
4. David Reutimann 1264
5. Matt Kenseth 1223
6. Kyle Busch 1166
7. Bobby Hamilton Jr 1149
8. David Ragan 1146
9. Juan Pablo Montoya 1109
10. Regan Smith 1106
11. Marcos Ambrose 1094
MARCOS AMBROSE FAST FACTS
– Marcos Ambrose and the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion team at Wood Brothers/JTG Racing have earned US$314,756 (A$379,269) in prizemoney in 11 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
– 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
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