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Robby Gordon Motorsports To Field Marcos Ambrose In Nextel Cup Debut |
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Wednesday, 08 August 2007 |
Robby Gordon Motorsports will field Australian Marcos Ambrose in the Busch Series rookie’s NASCAR Nextel Cup Series debut in the Centurion Boats at The Glen at Watkins Glen this weekend.
After one of the most controversial incidents in NASCAR’s recent history last weekend, Ambrose has accepted a ‘peace offering’ from Gordon to drive the #77 Camping World Ford Fusion, which will also carry some signage from Ambrose’s regular sponsor Kingsford Charcoal.
Ambrose led 37 laps, more than any other driver, in the NAPA Auto Parts
200 in Montreal last weekend and was on course to record his first
NASCAR Busch Series win when he was turned around by Gordon while
leading at the second corner at a restart with two laps remaining.
As a penalty, Gordon was eliminated from the following day’s Nextel Cup
race, and while he strongly disagreed with the calls during the Busch
race, he has accepted NASCAR’s decision and wants to put the incident
behind him.
Ambrose will continue his NASCAR Busch campaign on Saturday in the #59
Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, but will
now do ‘double duty’ in the Robby Gordon Motorsports entry.
Gordon will drive the #55 Verizon Wireless Ford Fusion in the Busch
race and the #7 Jim Beam Ford Fusion in the Nextel Cup Series race.
The Sunday event will be a joint effort between Robby Gordon
Motorsports and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, with Ambrose’s regular
Kingsford crew doing the pit work and his new Crew Chief Ernie Cope
calling the shots from the box on Sunday.
Ambrose was originally scheduled to make his Nextel Cup debut in a Wood
Brothers/JTG Racing entry this weekend, but several circumstances meant
the team had to put their plans on hold.
Ambrose is considered somewhat of a road racing specialist who won two
Australian V8 Supercar Championships on road courses for Ford before
turning his attention to NASCAR at the beginning of last year.
He started his career in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, has
progressed to the NASCAR Busch Series this season and now gets his
chance to make his debut in North America’s highest level of
competition, NASCAR’s Nextel Cup Series.
He currently sits eighth in the NASCAR Busch Series points and second in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings.
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