Strong Speed Before Dramas For Ambrose In Dover

image: www.marcosambrose.com

Marcos Ambrose has shown excellent speed but had a series of setbacks delay his charge in the Camping World RV 400 at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware today.

Ambrose used strong car speed in the first half of the race to be on the verge of cracking the top 10, running between 15th and 20th for a great deal of the first half of the race after starting from 29th position.

However, contact with another car damaged the front of the #21 Little Debbie Ford Fusion, causing the engine to overheat. A pit stop to fix the front section of the #21 Ford, combined with a drive through penalty for a stray wheel during a pit stop, saw Ambrose drop several laps down in the mid-stages of the 400-lap race.

Ambrose soldiered on and continued to show solid speed, gathering further experience and staying out of trouble around the treacherous one-mile concrete speedway.

Ambrose brought the Little Debbie Ford home in 32nd position, collecting 67 Sprint Cup Series points and US$86,495 in prizemoney for the #21 Wood Brothers Racing entry.

Greg Biffle won today’s Camping World RV 400 at Dover International Speedway ahead of his Roush Fenway Racing team-mates Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards.

Ambrose will race in both Nationwide and Sprint Cup competition for JTG Daugherty Racing next weekend at Kansas Speedway.

QUOTES - MARCOS AMBROSE

“We just got locked up there in the pits and had a few things go against us,” said Ambrose.

“I actually pitted too early and got a bit out of sync. We had a tire rub, we had a penalty and Tony Raines spun out and I ran into him and punched in the nose. From there on in we just tried to hold on.

“We had a really good race going earlier in the day. We were 13th, 14th, somewhere in there, doing really well. I’m just pretty proud. The Wood Brothers gave me a great piece to drive.

“I logged a lot of laps in a lot of heat. You know this is a tough sport at the very premier level, I can tell you that. I’m enjoying it, and every lap I can do, I’m learning, so I’m pleased.”

RESULTS: Camping World 400 at Dover International Speedway
Race 28 in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
1. #16 Greg Biffle 400 laps
2. #17 Matt Kenseth
3. #99 Carl Edwards
4. #8 Mark Martin
5. #48 Jimmie Johnson
6. #29 Kevin Harvick
7. #24 Jeff Gordon
8. #07 Clint Bowyer
9. #31 Jeff Burton
10. #55 Michael Waltrip
32. #21 Marcos Ambrose 395 laps

RESULTS: Sprint Cup Qualifying
1. #24 Jeff Gordon 22.921 seconds
2. #8 Mark Martin 22.922
3. #11 Denny Hamlin 23.001
4. #2 Kurt Busch 23.021
5. #16 Greg Biffle 23.035
6. #07 Clint Bowyer 23.125
7. #38 David Gilliland 23.134
8. #17 Matt Kenseth 23.145
9. #26 Jamie McMurray 23.149
10. #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr 23.151
29. #21 Marcos Ambrose 23.314

2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Standings – After Chase Race 2 (28 Races)
1. Carl Edwards 5390
2. Jimmie Johnson 5380
3. Greg Biffle 5380
4. Jeff Burton 5308
5. Kevin Harvick 5289
6. Clint Bowyer 5284
7. Tony Stewart 5277
8. Jeff Gordon 5272
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr 5261
10. Matt Kenseth 5223
49. Marcos Ambrose 467 (six races)

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings – After Race 29 of 35
1 Clint Bowyer 4222
2 Carl Edwards 4036
3 Brad Keselowski 3974
4 Mike Bliss 3779
5 David Ragan 3721
6 David Reutimann 3676
7 Kyle Busch 3673
8 Mike Wallace 3381
9 Jason Leffler 3348
10 Marcos Ambrose 3321

Comments