NASCAR Cup

Talladega II: Marcos Ambrose preview

AMBROSE AND JTG DAUGHERTY RACING STAY WITH MWR FOR 2010-11 -- Marcos Ambrose and JTG Daugherty Racing will continue to run out of the Michael Waltrip Racing stable for the next two seasons after JTGD and MWR confirmed this week that the two teams ...

Edited: Oct 31, 2009, 2:00 AM

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AMBROSE AND JTG DAUGHERTY RACING STAY WITH MWR FOR 2010-11 --

Marcos Ambrose and JTG Daugherty Racing will continue to run out of the Michael Waltrip Racing stable for the next two seasons after JTGD and MWR confirmed this week that the two teams will continue to operate under a technical alliance for 2010 and 2011.

Ambrose, who is under contract for JTG Daugherty Racing for 2010 and 2011, is excited by the continuity that this deal brings to his racing program, having benefitted from the relationship greatly as part of an impressive first season in the top-flight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

JTG Daugherty Racing operates out of the Michael Waltrip Racing facility in Cornelius, North Carolina, with engineering and mechanical responsibilities all fully-integrated into the MWR operation and Ambrose, crew chief Frank Kerr and the entire #47 team working in conjunction with MWR's #00 and #55 Sprint Cup teams.

AMBROSE THINKS RACE WIN POSSIBLE AT TALLADEGA --

Ambrose says that the crazy nature of restrictor plate racing -- combined with his form on superspeedways this season -- means that he will aim for victory in the AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend.

Ambrose finished fourth at Talladega, the biggest track on the NASCAR schedule, earlier this season in a spectacular finish that saw young part-time driver Brad Keselowski take the win and late-race leader Carl Edwards crash into the catch fencing.

Ambrose has an average finish of ninth on restrictor plate tracks at Sprint Cup level, with 17th and sixth place finishes at Daytona this year.

WHAT MARCOS HAD TO SAY --

Ambrose on JTG Daugherty Racing renewing its technical alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing for 2010 and 2011 --

"It's great news that we have realigned with MWR," said Ambrose.

"We've been very successful this year and we even came close to winning a race or two. We've been solid in the points all season long and this was just our first year working together as a full-time Cup operation.

"We are really looking forward to 2010 and continuing our work with MWR. I know we'll be relying on each other at Talladega this weekend when we are trying to get to the front."

Ambrose on finishing fourth at Talladega earlier this year --

"It was the wildest finish that I have ever seen looking at a car upside down like that," said Ambrose.

"I can't imagine what was going through Carl's (Edwards) mind. We were fortunate to escape the incident and capitalize on a great finish for our team.

Ambrose on his late season form --

"These past few weeks have been very extreme," said Ambrose.

"We've gone from scary fast Charlotte to the slowest track on the circuit back to plate racing where your grandmother can drive in qualifying. At the same time, the race itself at Talladega is tough and it's not for everybody.

"For me, I want to win the race. It's anyone's race and Brad Keselowski was a surprise winner in April. This weekend, how do I do that?

"Generally speaking, I will let everything settle down and wait for the first crash to get out of the way. About halfway, I'll move up through the pack to make sure my car can run up in there and be able to handle jumping in and out of lines to go to the front. Then I will sit tight and wait for the last 40 laps.

"If you wait too long, everyone else is getting desperate and crazy.

"You want to already be positioned somewhat maybe a pit stop and a half to go. It's a real challenge and you've got to have friends out there.

"When you are up against two or three Hendrick Motorsports cars in a line there's not much you can do to stop them. My tactic is to try to get to the front with 40 laps to go and try to stay there."

-credit: ma/bam

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