Marcos Ambrose has again shown his class by earning a second-consecutive top 10 finish in the 2007 NASCAR Busch Series in the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada today. source: Kingsford Charcoal NASCAR Busch Team Ambrose was 10th in the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion, finishing as the top rookie and the second-highest non-Nextel Cup driver. The next best rookie was Juan Pablo Montoya in 20th position, four laps down. The Australian maintains his fifth position in the NASCAR Busch Series points and his lead in the Raybestos Rookie of the Year standings. Ambrose also maintained an incredible feat for a rookie, having completed every lap of each of the four races held so far this season, the only rookie to do so. Ambrose earned US$35,875 (A$45,964) for finishing 10th in today's race, which carried a total prize pool of US$1,626,139 (A$2,068,090). The #59 Kingsford Charcoal crew also earned an accolade today, winning the Checkers/Rally's Double Drive-Thru Challenge Award for the best Busch Series pit crew. Ambrose also picked up his second Raybestos Rookie of the Race Award and the WIX Filters Lap Leader Award. Nextel Cup drivers in the Top 35 in Cup points are ineligible for Busch Series awards. Ambrose was one of 12 drivers to lead a lap in today's race, making him the first Australian to lead a lap in NASCAR Busch Series competition and earning him five bonus points as a result of leading lap 159 during the pit stop sequence. Ambrose made a strong start to the 200-lap event, moving from the 14th starting position to be 11th when the first of a record 12 caution periods was called on lap four at the revamped Las Vegas venue, which took it's toll today as driving struggled for grip. As other drivers came to grief and ended their races in the wall Ambrose soldiered on and missed several accidents that unfolded in front of the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion. Ambrose encountered a problem with his second set of tyres, forcing the two-time Australian V8 Supercar Champion to battle an ill-handling car until his next pit stop. Eventually Ambrose spun exiting the treacherous Turn 4, which claimed many victims over the course of the race. Amazingly, Ambrose was able to keep his spinning car off of the concrete wall and was able to continue. Pitting for new tyres dropped Ambrose off of the lead lap and down into 26th position but perseverance and a much improved car on a new set of tyres allowed Ambrose to charge up to be 16th and the lead lapped car when the caution flag flew with 62 laps to go, giving Ambrose the 'lucky dog', allowing him to pass the pace car and rejoin the lead lap.
Recent Articles
|
Racing Multimedia
Recommendations |