MARCOS AMBROSE USA BOUND IN 2006
7/4/2005 15:07 (Press Release) -
Back-to-back V8 Supercar champion Marcos Ambrose is to pursue racing interests
in North America in 2006 and plans to leave the V8 Supercar Championship
Series at the end of the current race year.
Ambrose is discussing several opportunities with Ford USA and hopes to
have a firm program in place within a few months. His eventual goal is
a drive in the NASCAR Nextel Cup.
In the meantime, Ambrose is totally focused on winning his third consecutive
V8 Supercar title in his Pirtek Falcon for SBR, Ford and their fans in
2005.
Ambrose will start his "three-peat" championship campaign at the Clipsal
500 in Adelaide on March 17-20.
SBR co-owner Ross Stone said that Ambrose would move to the USA with the
blessing of his team and sponsors and will release him from his contract
a year early at the end of 2005.
"Marcos has been a terrific part of this team for five years and has played
a major role in our development and success," said Stone.
"We would never stop a talented driver like Marcos from pursuing other
opportunities.
"We know Marcos is as focused as ever on winning a third consecutive title
for Pirtek, Ford, SBR and our fans and we will be doing everything possible
to make that a reality."
Ambrose said it was important to make his intentions clear at this stage
of the year to be fair to his fans and end any speculation with US testing
expected to get underway in the near future.
"The V8 Supercar Championship is a fantastic series and has been very good
to me," said Ambrose.
"I have to thank Ross and Jimmy Stone, Ford and Pirtek for their tremendous
support and hopefully we can all share some future success.
"While nothing has been finalised at this stage, it was important for everyone
that my intentions were made clear before the start of the season so we
can get on with the job of trying to win a third consecutive title."
Ford Australia President, Tom Gorman, said Ambrose's ambitions were something
that all Ford fans could share.
"Marcos Ambrose is an important part of the global Ford family," said Gorman.
"He has done a fantastic job for us in the V8 Supercar Championship and
we are confident he can continue his success as he chaces a third consecutive
title this season.
"His decision to pursue a career path in the US is going to offer an exciting
adventure which Ford Australia supports and will assist with where we can."
At this stage Ambrose is set to test with a tier one Ford NASCAR Busch
team over a two-day period in the near future. Further tests will be arranged
as Ambrose's V8 Supercar schedule permits, according to John Szymanski,
Director, Sponsor Development, Ford Racing Technology.
"Dan Davis (Director Ford Racing Technology) and I both have the utmost
respect for Marcos' abilities on and off the racetrack," said Szymanski.
"We feel Marcos' move to America underlines the synergy among the different
Ford racing programs around the world and we look forward to helping him
with our vast resources and relationships to ensure a high degree of success.
"In the meantime we want to ensure that nothing detracts from Marcos defending
his back-to-back V8 Supercar tiles in 2005.
"As a valued member of the Ford Racing "family" we look forward to welcoming
Marcos to the newest chapter of his racing career."
Release Date: 06/03/2005
Ford Racing Australia
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