Q: How will it feel to start the Daytona 500?
MARCOS AMBROSE: “We’re going to be lining up for the 500, which is a huge relief. We support - Michael Waltrip Racing and JTG-Daugherty Racing supports - NASCAR’s move and position with this stance. As it’s played out here every team has earned their position in the top-35, three teams have dropped out in the off-season so it’s natural that some get shifted up.
“We support the top-35 rule as well, it’s designed to help protect full-time teams and sponsors have some security to their sponsors and to make the year work properly. I just feel quite lucky really, to be honest with you. Someone is looking after me, I’m not sure who it is, but their doing a good job.”
Q: What are your thoughts about NASCAR’s decision on the top-35 rule?
MARCOS AMBROSE: “With a situation like this, as far as I’m concerned, it’s completely out of my hands and so whichever way the decision was going to go or will go doesn’t change who I am and how I go about my racing. I’ll just deal with the situation as it is.
“I’ve always said that I feel lucky to be in NASCAR and no matter what decision was made on the race track or off, I was just going to roll with it because I feel privileged to be here and that to me makes me sleep easy.
“Whichever way it goes I can only do what I do out there and I can just don’t lose sleep on that kind of stuff. I’ve been a professional driver long enough to know that if you expect the worst at all times then when the good times roll it really is enjoyable.”
Q: Did your team bring a ‘qualifying’ car to Daytona for this week?
MARCOS AMBROSE: “The last three or four days have been a bit of a panic. We were going to use the (Gatorade) Duel as a chance to really just grow into the car. I haven’t driven a COT (Car of Tomorrow) on a superspeedway. I’ve only had a couple starts here at Daytona anyway so I am going to use the Duel really just to get into the groove and get confident and comfortable behind the wheel and just try to find some good drafting partners and let them know that I’m not an idiot out there. I will work with people if they want to.
“That was our intention and then three days ago or four days ago when it looked like it may have been swinging against us we started really then trying to re-focus on trying on getting a qualifying car, which is quite an aggressive set-up car.
“But now we are back in the race, so we’ll just look to settle ourselves in during our Duel.”
Q: What has it been like to work with Frankie Kerr?
MARCOS AMBROSE: “Frankie (Kerr, crew chief) is just a jewel and he’s a wonderful guy. He’s just great for our team. I think JTG Daugherty Racing is in a great position. We’ve got guys like Frankie (Kerr) behind us with a lot of experience and knowledge.
“We have just a wonderful technical alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing and effectively we’re a third car for Michael Waltrip Racing and we’ve got a lot of support from all those guys over there as well. It’s just a really good combination. It’s just a great partnership, it’s like a marriage and I think that’s going to benefit all parties and I think we’re in a great spot to take advantage of this year.
“There’s a lot of turmoil and change in NASCAR and the economy and everything right now and I think we’re in a position to really take advantage of all that. This Daytona 500—are we in or are we out thing—is just really a blip in our overall goal and objectives for the year and I think we’re going to have a stellar year and a breakout year for Michael Waltrip Racing and for JTG-Daugherty and I’m just really looking forward to getting the season started.”
Q: How will you approach the first five races now that you are ‘locked-in?’
MARCOS AMBROSE: “It really does change our whole outlook for the first five races. Like I said, we’re in a great position with Michael Waltrip Racing and JTG-Daugherty—I think we’re a team that’s really on the rise and going to take full advantage of the shake-up that’s happened in NASCAR over the last three months.
“We support NASCAR’s decision with the top-35 rule. As it’s played out here, every team that’s in the top-35 at this stage has earned their way in. They’re in there on merits—they’re all full-time teams with full-time sponsors. I think it works out for the best, for all parties involved.
“We’ve got brand new sponsors here on our team—Little Debbie, Kingsford, Clorox, Bush’s Beans—they’re all brand new to the Sprint Cup level. We’re bringing brand new sponsors to the Sprint Cup level when sponsors are at a premium and to be able to give them a full season is very important. I’ve also got my great personal sponsors, Jeld-Wen, so it’s just a good situation for everyone.”
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