Marcos Ambrose Homestead-Miami Preview
Ford 200
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Marcos Ambrose, Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards Eager for Grand Departure from Truck Series
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - After spending a lifetime of racing to get into NASCAR, Marcos Ambrose hasn't wasted any time working through it.
Ambrose will make his 22nd career start in this Friday night's Ford 200 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, and it could prove to be his last. He will move to the Busch Series next year in a Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Ford Fusion.
"I can't believe how fast this first year has gone," Ambrose said. "We came in here with very simple goals. We wanted to make the race, stay out of trouble and run laps. We weren't concerned with finishes.
"Now we're competitive and looking for bigger things. We want to win poles, lead laps and win races. To say this all came together quickly is an understatement."
Ambrose has one pole position, two third-place finishes and four Top-10s during his rookie season in the Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards Ford F-150. He hopes to add to those impressive first-year statistics in the season-finale.
"Homestead is the kind of track we like most," Ambrose said. "There's no question we've been best at the mile-and-a-half speedways. This is a great opportunity for us to make a memorable exit from the truck series. We're going to Homestead with one goal: To win the race."
A year ago Ambrose was driving on road courses in Australia when he was signed by Ford and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing for their driver development program.
Now he's in a 3,400-pound stock car.
"There certainly was a period of adjustment," Ambrose said. "But I came in with some advantages. First, we never have to worry about horsepower. Second, I never worry about our setups. This race team knows how to build great trucks. All I have to do is drive them."
When Ambrose moves to the Busch Series next year, his Wood Brothers/JTG Racing teammate Stacy Compton will take over in his No. 20 truck. That allows the team to continue Ambrose's development, while utilizing Compton's experience to challenge for a Craftsman Truck Series championship.
"You wait for years for an opportunity like this to come along, and when it gets here, it all goes by so quickly," Ambrose said. "I guess time really does fly when you're having fun."
Qualifying for Ford 200 is Friday at 5 p.m. ET. The main event, televised live on Speed, is later that night at 8:05.
Marcos Ambrose Fast Facts
* Marcos Ambrose will be making his 22nd career start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
* Ambrose has earned $245,003 in 21 starts this year.
* Born in Launceston, Tasmania.
* Ambrose won consecutive V8 Supercar Series Championships in Australia.
Ford 200
Homestead-Miami Speedway
Marcos Ambrose, Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards Eager for Grand Departure from Truck Series
HOMESTEAD, Fla. - After spending a lifetime of racing to get into NASCAR, Marcos Ambrose hasn't wasted any time working through it.
Ambrose will make his 22nd career start in this Friday night's Ford 200 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, and it could prove to be his last. He will move to the Busch Series next year in a Wood Brothers/JTG Racing Ford Fusion.
"I can't believe how fast this first year has gone," Ambrose said. "We came in here with very simple goals. We wanted to make the race, stay out of trouble and run laps. We weren't concerned with finishes.
"Now we're competitive and looking for bigger things. We want to win poles, lead laps and win races. To say this all came together quickly is an understatement."
Ambrose has one pole position, two third-place finishes and four Top-10s during his rookie season in the Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards Ford F-150. He hopes to add to those impressive first-year statistics in the season-finale.
"Homestead is the kind of track we like most," Ambrose said. "There's no question we've been best at the mile-and-a-half speedways. This is a great opportunity for us to make a memorable exit from the truck series. We're going to Homestead with one goal: To win the race."
A year ago Ambrose was driving on road courses in Australia when he was signed by Ford and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing for their driver development program.
Now he's in a 3,400-pound stock car.
"There certainly was a period of adjustment," Ambrose said. "But I came in with some advantages. First, we never have to worry about horsepower. Second, I never worry about our setups. This race team knows how to build great trucks. All I have to do is drive them."
When Ambrose moves to the Busch Series next year, his Wood Brothers/JTG Racing teammate Stacy Compton will take over in his No. 20 truck. That allows the team to continue Ambrose's development, while utilizing Compton's experience to challenge for a Craftsman Truck Series championship.
"You wait for years for an opportunity like this to come along, and when it gets here, it all goes by so quickly," Ambrose said. "I guess time really does fly when you're having fun."
Qualifying for Ford 200 is Friday at 5 p.m. ET. The main event, televised live on Speed, is later that night at 8:05.
Marcos Ambrose Fast Facts
* Marcos Ambrose will be making his 22nd career start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.
* Ambrose has earned $245,003 in 21 starts this year.
* Born in Launceston, Tasmania.
* Ambrose won consecutive V8 Supercar Series Championships in Australia.
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