Major green light for Ambrose

Marcos Ambrose is ready to take the leap into the NASCAR coalface following a comprehensive test at Virginia International Raceway this week.

The two-time V8 Supercar champion has made a significant impact in the second-tier NASCAR class over the past two seasons and has been given the green light to step up to the Sprint Cup.

Ambrose is set to drive the Wood Brothers Ford Fusion, backed by US snack food giant Little Debbie, at California's Infineon road circuit in Sonoma on June 22.

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It will be the first time Ambrose has taken the plunge into the NASCAR big time.

He came close to breaking into the top field last year when he was scheduled to drive for Robby Gordon at Watkins Glen, New York, but rain robbed him of the chance to qualify.

The plan is for Ambrose, who is running the full schedule in the second-tier Nationwide NASCAR series, to contest seven races in the Sprint Cup for Wood Brothers at New Hampshire, Watkins Glen, Michigan, California, Dover, Texas and Phoenix.

Also on the agenda are four Sprint Cup races for JTG Racing, at Indianapolis in August, Kansas, Atlanta and Homestead (Miami).

Yesterday's tests were not officially timed but Ambrose was said to be running with the top five, with most of the Sprint Cup field in attendance.

“We did good times throughout the day in the changing conditions and there was some really positive feedback from inside and outside the car,” Ambrose said.

“It was great to have both Eddie and Len Wood at the test and to continually bounce things off them as we progressed through the day. We certainly have a reasonable package underneath us for qualifying at Sonoma.”

Eddie Wood was impressed with Ambrose's professionalism.

“Marcos is obviously a very talented road racer and had plenty of input into the car today with some positive results,” Wood said.

“With three different types of tyres being used here it is really hard to provide an exact account of where we finished on the time sheets, but I would certainly say we were well within the

top five.”

Ambrose continues to make inroads in the US, where he has been based for three seasons since pulling the plug on his brilliant V8 Supercar career. He is 15th in the Nationwide Series points standings after 14 of 35 races.

Ambrose runs next in the Nationwide series at the Nashville Superspeedway in Tennessee this weekend.

Standings

V8 Supercars

(After 4 of 14 rounds)

1 Garth Tander (Holden) 896

2 Rick Kelly (Holden) 882

3 Mark Winterbottom (Ford) 872

4 Jamie Whincup (Ford) 776

5 Steve Richards (Ford) 721)

Previous round: Winner - Mark Winterbottom, Perth, May 11.

Next round: June 7-9, Sandown.

TV times: Ch 7 — Sunday, June 8 - 4-5.30pm. Monday, June 9, 1pm-5.30pm.