|
Ambrose shows Dale Ernhardt Jr. around his V8 super school on the Gold Coast |
|
|
|
|
Friday, 14 December 2007 |
Australian NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has spent the day with NASCAR
superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr at Ambrose’s V8 Super School on the Gold
Coast in Australia today.
Ambrose hosted Earnhardt Jr, who is in Australia on holiday with
friends, and gave the American the opportunity to drive one of the
school’s 450-horsepower race cars around the V8 Super School’s
2.1-kilometre road course circuit.
Ambrose and Earnhardt Jr shared the track in a Ford and GM-Holden
respectively for some laps before speaking with the assembled media
contingent.
Ambrose only recently arrived back in Australia after collecting
his eighth place championship trophy at the NASCAR Busch Series Awards
banquet in Orlando, Florida.
Earnhardt Jr spoke with Ambrose late this season about his
impending trip to Australia, taking tips from the Australian regarding
his homeland.
The two agreed to catch up on the Gold Coast in Queensland so that
Ambrose could host Earnhardt Jr and his friends for a day of fun and
thrills at the V8 Superschool, which Ambrose co-owns with friend and
Australian V8 Supercar driver Paul Morris.
“It was great to catch up with Dale and give him the chance to experience one of our cars at the V8 Super School,” said Ambrose.
“I always make a point of visiting everyone here at the V8 Super
School when I am back in Australia, and this time around they were very
impressed with the friend I brought along for a drive.
“It’s been a great year for me in the United States and it’s nice
to come home to the Australian summer for a break. Sonja and I are busy
catching up with some friends and family and showing off our new
daughter Adelaide along with Tabitha, who is already two years old.
“I’ve had the chance to speak with Junior a couple of times this
year and late in the year he came up and asked me about Australia
because he intended on coming down here for a holiday.
“From that point on I have kind of been his travel consultant. We
made sure he saw the V8 Supercar final at Phillip Island, stayed in
Melbourne, Sydney and now the Gold Coast.
“Dale and his buddies are here having a ball at the V8 Super School
and it’s been great to catch up with him and spend some time with him
because he is definitely one of the guys I look up to in NASCAR.
“He’s a real driver’s driver and he’s got awesome skills. You can
see how quickly he has adapted to these cars today just how good he is
and I look forward to the day where I can hopefully get to his level
and run side-by-side with him because he’s a great driver and a great
guy.
“I’m already looking forward to next season. We’ve got some great
things going and I think the Kingsford team will be really strong in
the Nationwide Series next season. I’m also really looking forward to
getting in the Little Debbie Ford for my first races in the NASCAR
Sprint Cup and working on the Cup program with everyone in the team.”
Earnhardt Jr thoroughly enjoyed his time behind the wheel of one of
the V8 Super School’s cars, more accustomed to oval racing a NASCAR at
over 300km/h.
“I have to thank Marcos for everything he has set-up for me on this trip,” said Earnhardt Jr.
“This is my first trip to Australia and I absolutely love it.
Everyone here has been so good to me and to all of my friends and we
will never forget this trip.
“I have really enjoyed the chance to drive these cars on a road
course-style track. It’s great fun and Marcos and Paul Morris have been
great to me and really looked after us. We are having a ball.
“It’s been great to experience Australia and see how racing is down
here. Our group has all had a blast and Marcos’ advise on where to go
and everything he has set up for us has been awesome.
“He’s a great guy and I think he is doing very well in NASCAR and has the potential to go a long way.”
ABOUT DALE EARNHARDT JR:
In 2008 Earnhardt will drive the #88 AMP Energy Drink/National
Guard Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup
Series.
Earnhardt is 33 years of age and lives in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Earnhardt Jr is the 2004 Daytona 500 champion. He has 17 career
race wins in Cup and his best championship finish in third in 2003.
He just won his fifth NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award. Earnhardt
Jr won the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR Busch Series titles before moving up to
NASCAR Nextel Cup in 2000.
Also owns JR Motorsports and the #88 NAVY Chevrolet driven by Brad Keselowski in the NASCAR Busch Series.
ABOUT MARCOS AMBROSE:
Marcos Ambrose finished eighth in this year’s NASCAR Busch Series
and as the second-best rookie, driving the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford
Fusion for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing.
Next season Ambrose will continue to drive the #59 Kingsford
Charcoal Ford Fusion in NASCAR’s second-tier series, renamed the NASCAR
Nationwide Series.
Ambrose will also race a minimum of 12 events in the top-level NASCAR Sprint Cup in the Little Debbie Ford Fusion.
Ambrose is the first Australian to race full-time in NASCAR and the
first non-North American driver to finish in the top 10 in any of
NASCAR’s three national championship divisions - the NASCAR Craftsman
Truck Series, NASCAR Busch Series and NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.
The last non-United States driver to achieve the feat was Canadian
Earl Ross, who finished eighth in the NASCAR Nextel Cup standings in
1974.
Ambrose won the Australian V8 Supercar Championship in 2003 and 2004 for Gold Coast-based Ford team Stone Brothers Racing.
Ambrose co-owns the V8 Super School on the Gold Coast with friend and V8 Supercar driver Paul Morris.
ABOUT THE V8 SUPER SCHOOL:
Based at the Holden Performance Driving Centre at Norwell (10mins
north of Dreamworld) in Queensland, Australia, the V8 Super School is
on offer to anyone wanting to tackle the challenge of driving a V8 Race
Car. It’s an opportunity for V8 fans to have a go themselves in a safe,
enjoyable environment.
A fleet of V8 Commodores and Falcons have been built for the V8 Super School.
The vehicles are presented in a selection of V8 Supercar team
livery designs, including Morris’s Sirromet Wines colours, Castrol and
Orrcon, plus a Marcos Ambrose ‘Signature’ Ford and Stegbar and Team
Australia Falcons. All vehicles are equipped with Roll Cage, Race Seats
& Harness, Full Race Aero Kits, Quick-shift Gearboxes, Race
Suspension and Slick Racing Tyres.
|
News