Asian Motor Sports

Team Australia backed NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Marcos Ambrose continued his oval racing learning experience in the O’Reilly 200 at Memphis Motor Speedway this weekend.

The double Australian V8 Supercar Champion started the 200-lap race around the three-quarter mile Memphis oval from the outside of the seventh row and during the first 30 laps proceeded to battle with experienced NASCAR driver Johnny Benson and series points leader Todd Bodine while running just inside the top 20.

Ambrose was forced high on the lap 74 restart following the third caution period of the race, which dropped him down the order by four positions as he attempted to get back in line. Six laps later Ambrose was in the wars again when Benson endured a left rear puncture and spun in turn two. Ambrose was unable to avoid contact and the pair made nose to nose contact and he suffered minor damage to the right front of his Wood Brothers/JTG Racing prepped Ford F-150. The damage forced Ambrose to make an unscheduled pit stop for repairs during the caution period and as a consequence dropped to 30th position.

During this unscheduled pit stop the crew fitted the truck with an old set of tyres with the hope of another caution period appearing in the coming laps, saving a new set for later in the race.

Unfortunately for Ambrose the race went over 100 laps without another caution period and he was forced to battle an ill handling truck due to the front end damage fitted with tyres that were unable to provide anything near optimum grip. He was then forced to pit under green flag conditions which dropped him a further two laps down on the race leader.

“Once again qualifying was reasonably strong on a short track and I started the race in the top half of the field but it was a tough day behind the wheel other than that,” said Ambrose, who was eventually classified 34th. “I was settling into a good race pace during the early running before (Johnny) Benson spun in front of me and I was left nowhere to go. It was a weird spin, as he didn’t slide up or down the racetrack and I clipped him, it was enough to damage the front end.

“We fitted a set of old tyres in the hope of another caution period, as there had already been four in the first 60 laps, but it wasn’t to be. I ended up doing over 100 laps on a set of tyres in a truck that was pushed up at the front and not handling too well. I was then forced to pit under green, which cost us another couple of laps on such a short track.