The Mark Martin 2007 story got even more interesting following his impressive third-place finish in Sunday's Samsung 500 Nextel Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. After taking the previous two races off as part of his limited schedule for Ginn Racing, Martin came back with another solid performance. The U.S. Army driver, who has now competed in five Cup races this season, posted his fifth straight top-10 result and fourth top five. Despite missing the two races in Bristol, Tenn. and Martinsville, Va. Martin is 11th in driver points,within the top-12 of the Chase cutoff. In Nextel Cup owner points, the 01 team jumped from sixth to fourth.
"This team is just awesome -- they are the best I've ever worked with," said Martin moments after climbing out of his No. 01 U.S. Army Chevrolet. "I want to be careful about bragging too much, but I have hit the lotto. To be able to drive these cars for this team is a dream come true. And to be able to step away when I want to, I just could not imagine having that kind of privilege. I just really, really love working with Ryan (Pemberton, crew chief) and the team. They are so excited and that makes it so much fun to go to work."
GLADEVILLE, Tenn. (AP) - Marcos Ambrose could have stayed in Australia, racing cars and earning nice paychecks. Maybe buy a boat, a farm and settle down with his new wife. Instead, he came to the United States to pursue his dream of becoming a NASCAR driver. His biggest problem? He should have emigrated sooner.
Ambrose, 31, is sixth in the NASCAR Busch Series points standings after seven races and is the series' top non-Nextel Cup driver. He's the top rookie after finishing 17th at the Nashville Superspeedway last weekend, well ahead of former Formula One driver Juan Pablo Montoya, who sat out the race. "Now the goal posts have moved," Ambrose said. "I've got to build my experience levels, my confidence levels. I still don't quite feel like I belong here. I'm such a fan and respect it so much. I'm really pleased to be here, pleased to be a part of it."
Ambrose grew up a fan of racing. But for a boy from Launceston, Tasmania - the island south of Australia - becoming a fan of NASCAR, with its roots in the American South, took work and dedication. His father had been a racer who once tested himself in Europe. But he was in the hotel business by the time his son showed an interest in racing, pushing his father to let him drive go-karts in a racing community small enough that Ambrose was one of 12 go-kart racers.
"Occasionally, we travelled to the mainland, the big island, and raced against those mainland drivers, got our butts whipped and went home," Ambrose said. "After a couple years of that, I decided to work out what I needed to do and how I needed to be better." That he did. He won four Tasmanian Junior karting titles and moved to senior competition by the age of 16.
The man nicknamed "Devil Racer" went to England in 1996 to see if he could reach the Formula One circuit, and did well enough to win the 1999 British Formula Ford title. He returned home and signed with Ford and Stone Brothers Racing for the V8 Supercar Series in 2001, which is similar to the Trans-Am Series in the United States. He won 27 races and the series title in 2003 and 2004. But go-karts and road racing were the only choices in Australia.
Ambrose, who had followed NASCAR through magazines, started watching it seriously in 2000 when cable feeds finally came through. In 2003, he got a ticket through Ford to watch a NASCAR race in Bristol, Tenn., in person. He was hooked.
"But all this must be suffered by those who profess the stern order of chivalry" Most Interesting Blog, June 16, 2008 and six other occasions. Lisa awarded him Best "breaking news" blogger March 31, 2008. Blog of The Day, Christmas Day, 2007. edhardiman wrote, "Falco's tribute to Rocket Richard reminds us all the stars of today stand on the shoulders of giants..." October 23, 2007. Three Golden Swirrly p00p Awards (Hockey, NASCAR and Use of Graphics), FlyingPig, July 18, 2007. 2007 Memorial Day Weekend Trifecta sponsored by williamwilman . Featured on WFORacingFans April, 2007. "Stylin'" award, Dusty, February 07. "One of ten new bloggers to watch" Dudski, January 2007.
