SOLID GATEWAY RUN LIFTS AMBROSE ONE SPOT IN POINTS
Marcos Ambrose has lifted one spot to 12th in the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series standings after another solid run earned the Australian 15th place in the Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway in Gateway, Illinois today.
Ambrose qualified 27th for the 200-lap event and was able to rise up the order over the first half of the race.
A lengthy red flag stoppage paused proceedings as a result of a multi-car accident on the front straight with 83 laps remaining.
Once the wreck was cleared Ambrose restarted in 13th position, eventually coming home in 15th to score enough points to overtake Steve Wallace to claim 12th in the series standings after 21 races.
Carl Edwards won today’s Dodge Dealers 250 ahead of Joey Logano and Jason Keller.
Ambrose will aim to make his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut for JTG Racing when he attempts to qualify the #47 JTG Racing Ford Fusion for his second Cup start in the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway next weekend.
Ambrose will also race his usual #59 Kingsford Ford Fusion for JTG Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at O’Reilly Raceway Park, also in Indianapolis, Indiana.
QUOTES - MARCOS AMBROSE
“We got another solid finish and jumped one spot in the points so we achieved some good things here in Gateway,” said Ambrose.
“It’s a tricky track to run at because of the different corners at each end. We had a bad qualifying run but moved up a bit in the first half of the race.
“We didn’t have the car to move into the top 10 after the red flag but we brought it home and got the points.”
RESULTS: Dodge Dealers 250 at Gateway International Raceway Race 21 in the 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series 1. #60 Carl Edwards 200 laps
2. #20 Joey Logano
3. #11 Jason Keller
4. #38 Jason Leffler
5. #88 Brad Keselowski
6. #5 Landon Cassill
7. #32 James Buescher
8. #2 Clint Bowyer
9. #64 David Stremme
10. #6 David Ragan
15. #59 Marcos Ambrose 199 laps
2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Standings - After Race 21 of 35 1. Clint Bowyer 3107
2. Brad Keselowski 2937
3. Carl Edwards 2906
4. David Reutimann 2841
5. David Ragan 2747
6. Kyle Busch 2673
7. Mike Bliss 2633
8. Mike Wallace 2506
9. David Stremme 2463
10. Jason Keller 2443
11. Jason Leffler 2376
12. Marcos Ambrose 2284
2008 NNS Prizemoney after 21 races:
Marcos Ambrose: US$636,873
ABOUT GATEWAY INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY Location: Madison, Illinois
Track Length: 1.25 miles
Race Distance: 200 laps
Degree of Banking in Turns 1 & 2: 11 degrees
Degree of Banking in Turns 3 & 4: 9 degrees
NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECORD BOOK Defending Nationwide Race Winner: Reed Sorenson
Defending Nationwide Polesitter: Scott Wimmer
Marcos Ambrose 2007 Race Finish: 18th
Marcos Ambrose 2007 Qualifying: 14th
