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NEW TEAM ALLIANCE SOLIDIFIES CUP PLANS FOR MARCOS AMBROSE |
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Thursday, 02 October 2008 |
Marcos Ambrose will become the first Australian to race full-time in
the top flight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2009, with plans of his
campaign confirmed in an announcement from JTG Daugherty Racing today.
TG
Daugherty Racing has forged a new technical alliance with current
Sprint Cup operation Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) and Toyota Racing
Development (TRD) for its first full-time Sprint Cup campaign next
season.
JTG Daugherty Racing, co-owned by Tad and Jodi Geschickter and
former NBA All-Star and current ESPN broadcaster Brad Daugherty, will
enter the #47 Toyota Camry driven by Ambrose and backed by primary
sponsors, Kingsford Charcoal, Clorox Laundry and Household Products and
Little Debbie’s Snack Cakes in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
JTG Daugherty Racing will move its Sprint Cup operation into MWR’s
140,000-square foot facility in Cornelius, North Carolina and receive
cars, engineering, mechanical and other technical support from MWR’s
existing infrastructure.
TRD will support the JTG Daugherty team with engines from its Costa
Mesa, California facility and vehicle engineering support from its
Salisbury, N.C. facility.
Ambrose, a former Australian V8 Supercar Champion, has been
confirmed as the driver of the #47 JTG Daugherty Racing entry. The
32-year-old scored his first NASCAR victory earlier this season at
Watkins Glen and is currently 10th in points in the NASCAR Nationwide
Series.
“I’m really excited about my first full season in the Sprint Cup Series,” said Ambrose.
“For me it’s the realisation of a dream and the culmination of a lot of hard work from a lot of people.
“Over the past three seasons I could not have enjoyed my time in
NASCAR any more. In 2009 we are stepping it up to the next level so
it’s only going to get better.
“I know that I have a lot of hard work ahead of me, but I can’t wait.
“We have made solid gains in a short amount of time and today’s
announcement is the next step in the development of JTG Daugherty
Racing.
“I’m looking forward to next season and continuing to work with my
team owners Tad and Jodi Geschickter for a fourth season, as well as
with the team’s newest owner Brad Daugherty.
“It’s quite a day for me to see this all confirmed. I’m just so happy and I can’t wait for 2009 to start.”
For Ambrose, this announcement ends an eight-year association with
Ford Motor Company, which began when he joined the Stone Brothers
Racing team in the Australian V8 Supercar Championship Series in 2001.
After two championship wins, Ambrose moved to the United States in
2006 to pursue a career in NASCAR and for the start of the 2006 season,
the driver from Launceston, Tasmania signed with Tad and Jodi
Geschickter's team and will enter his fourth season with their team in
2009.
“For sure, we are closing a really great chapter of my career with Ford,” said Ambrose.
“We have achieved a lot together and every single race in a car
with a blue oval on the front has been an absolute privilege. But at
the end of the day even the best endeavors from me, the team and Ford
Racing North America could not make something work for us all at the
premier level of NASCAR for 2009.
“JTG Daugherty Racing signed me before I had even raced a NASCAR
and I owe them a huge amount. I’m behind this decision and think we’ve
got an exciting future together.”
Frank Kerr, current Crew Chief of the #47 Sprint Cup entry of JTG
Daugherty Racing and a former MWR Crew Chief, has been named Crew Chief
of Ambrose’s #47 car for the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Marcos Ambrose at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California
Marcos Ambrose is all smiles in Mexico City
Marcos Ambrose celebrates in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen
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