On the track …
“Auto Club Speedway is a great place to race and it’s a tough track with a lot of character,” said Ambrose.
“The turns are nice and wide and it gives you a few options in terms of lines. But it is one of those places where if you have a good car you can really get amongst it and pass a lot of cars – and if your car is not happy then you can be in for a long race.
“Shock packages are essential. I’m grateful I have some laps there in a Cup car as well as four Nationwide races under my belt.”
“It’s the first time I’ve run at the same track twice at the Cup level. It’s not a massive thing but every little bit helps. At least I know what the place looks like and the character of the track. We hope to leave there with a strong finish.”
On the race …
“Now we turn our focus to Auto Club Speedway and even better results so we’re setting the bar even higher,” said Ambrose.
“The February race in California has one major difference from the September race – the heat,” said Ambrose.
“When we go back there later in the year it can hit over 100 degrees Fahrenheit and in the blazing California sun that is very, very hot.”
“Daytona is such an enormous event and it has a feeling and a race format all of its own. You’re on track for a week and the qualifying system with the Duels means it’s really quite unique, and restrictor plate races always throw up some different scenarios.”
“So getting to California is like ‘getting down to business’ in some ways. Getting momentum early in the season is quite important, which makes running well at Fontana pretty crucial.”
“We want to run well and keep growing as a team. To post another solid result here and have a good points day puts us another step closer to being well inside the top 35 by the sixth race, so bringing the Little Debbie car home in one piece and in a strong position is important.”
AND A WORD FROM #47 CREW CHIEF FRANKIE KERR …
“We finished in the top 20 and now we will aim for a top 15 finish,” said Kerr.
“Then we’ll go after a top-10, a top-five and ultimately, a win. Obviously, you aim to win every week, but you have to crawl before you walk.
“This weekend, the biggest thing we will focus on is shock combinations because the track is getting rougher. We’ll do a lot with shock combos and bump stops. That’s really important this weekend.”
2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver’s Standings - After Race 1 of 36
1. Matt Kenseth 190 points
2. Kevin Harvick 170
3. AJ Allmendinger 165
4. Clint Bowyer 160
5. Elliott Sadler 160
6. David Ragan 150
7. Michael Waltrip 146
8. Tony Stewart 147
9. Reed Sorenson 138
10. Kurt Busch 135
17. Marcos Ambrose 112
| 
|