Ambrose's NASCAR plans

spectator22 · 14 Sep 2005, 08:29 (Ref:1407384)

Great interveiw with Marcos Ambrose in this weeks Motorsport News. Hes going to US this week for important tests, but also talks about the reaction to his decision to go to the US and what he thinks could happen. He says he "got a lot of heat" from teams, fans, media but that things have turned around. Sounds like if all goes well he may get nearly full Busch series ride in 2006. He mentions an impressive list of people in Ford US who are helping him get a ride. As the story says none of the other V8 stars would risk there lifestyle and dollars here to go and start all over, for the second time overseas. Good luck to him.
How do the experts think hes going to go?

Hapul · 14 Sep 2005, 09:01 (Ref:1407414)

i'm surprised that he only has a part time drive!!

I'd have thought that being one of the top drivers in Australia, someone would take a gamble.

FPV GTHO · 14 Sep 2005, 09:36 (Ref:1407452)

Perhaps theyre waiting for the results of more of these tests. SBR gambled on him before and it payed off big time, but i dare say the jump from open wheelers to tin tops is alot harder than road courses to ovals and speedways

Beatcha · 14 Sep 2005, 09:42 (Ref:1407462)

In Australia Ambrose is a Big Fish in a Little Pond, In America he will be a little fish in a big pond. There are thousands of good american drivers who cant get a ride and a lot who get a ride and lose it after a few crashes. A few years ago (when Gordon started in Nascar) most teams would give you a few years to settle in. Now days you are lucky to get a year and a lot of teams use several part time drivers in Busch.

Ozfords · 14 Sep 2005, 10:03 (Ref:1407481)

Its not a big pond, rather a limited pond. Its a big red neck sport, for the good'ol boys. Big moustaches and red neck spirit, it's a sport that perpetuates a Southern stereotype.

Not many American's identify with the sport and many alternate websites I visit knock the buggery of NASCAR and not other American motorsports. Take the recent death in NASCAR, some people knock that.

Ozfords · 14 Sep 2005, 10:09 (Ref:1407492)

Dale Earnhardt thats the name: Russet Potatos

Beatcha · 14 Sep 2005, 10:09 (Ref:1407494)

Yeah a lot of people knock Nascar but you just need to look at the crowds to see it does have a huge following. Nascar has changed a lot in the last 10 years and isnt as much a closed shop anymore. That was Feb 2001 and it was sad as he was a great racer. Nascar does have a huge following and the atmosphere is amazing.

racer69 · 14 Sep 2005, 12:02 (Ref:1407604)

It will still be very hard for an overseas driver to make an impact.

There have been quite a few guys have a crack over the last few years (Christian Fittipaldi, lately Michel Jourdain) but they have ultimatly not gone very far.

The fact that he has good backing (it seems) from Ford over there is a big help, and i hope he makes it

Robert Ryan · 14 Sep 2005, 19:59 (Ref:1407975)

racer69, unlike Christain and Michael, he is coming from a sedan with very similar characteristics to a NASCAR and yes very strong backing. Unlike them, they ended up running for middle ranking teams and trying to cope with an openwheeler/NASCAR transition as well, with very little mentoring from NASCAR drivers.

RotorFan · 15 Sep 2005, 01:01 (Ref:1408160)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beatcha

In Australia Ambrose is a Big Fish in a Little Pond, In America he will be a little fish in a big pond. There are thousands of good american drivers who cant get a ride and a lot who get a ride and lose it after a few crashes. A few years ago (when Gordon started in Nascar) most teams would give you a few years to settle in. Now days you are lucky to get a year and a lot of teams use several part time drivers in Busch.

Actually I think we have a higher number of very skilled drivers per capita than America. Ambrose is a skilled driver but he is among quite a few equally-talented drivers.

I'd say our pool is pretty big and Ambrose is just one of many big fish.

There is more skill involved in V8 Supercars than in NASCAR racing.

Mattracer · 15 Sep 2005, 10:24 (Ref:1408376)

The key would be his adaptability, which I think has been proved in the several categories he has competed in with quite some success. It is another discipline which will require some learning time. He has the ability to be receptive and aware of change in racing style. The circumstances need to happen in the right way to assist that.

emjaya · 16 Sep 2005, 00:37 (Ref:1408964)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

Actually I think we have a higher number of very skilled drivers per capita than America. Ambrose is a skilled driver but he is among quite a few equally-talented drivers.

I'd say our pool is pretty big and Ambrose is just one of many big fish.

America's talent pool is an ocean compared to Australia's puddle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

There is more skill involved in V8 Supercars than in NASCAR racing.

I don't think so,it is a different type of driving skill that is needed,just ask Ryan Briscoe.

Robert Ryan · 16 Sep 2005, 04:24 (Ref:1409006)

Emajaya, theoretically it should be. Also theoretically no Australian driver should have a hope of making any impression at all in short oval and Drag Racing. They are the very strong backbone of US racing. Seven Australians took their cars to Knoxville, 100 US and Canadian Drivers did too. Three Australians made the A-Main. Kerry Madsen finished 6th in an Australian built Sprinter, he could have finished higher.
Dave Grubnic has been runner up to a major Top Fuel title Seven times, won a title just recently.
There are many more examples.

Robert Ryan · 16 Sep 2005, 04:42 (Ref:1409010)

Also ask David Besnard who won the USFF2000 championship in 1998. Scott Dixon who won the IRL title and Dan Wheldon from England who will win that title this year.
Adaptibility is one thing our drivers have in droves. Yes theorectically a US driver with a grounding on oval pavement driving SHOULD be a shoo in for the Title, but no, drivers with roadracing backgrounds are making big impressions in the IRL.

lcfp2297 · 16 Sep 2005, 05:26 (Ref:1409018)

Quote:

Originally Posted by emjaya

America's talent pool is an ocean compared to Australia's puddle.

I don't think so,it is a different type of driving skill that is needed,just ask Ryan Briscoe.

I never realised that a NASCAR is the same to drive as an Indy Car...

Thanks for clearing that up

Amusing to note that nobody from the Ocean has ever succeeded in the puddle!

lcfp2297 · 16 Sep 2005, 05:29 (Ref:1409020)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

There is more skill involved in V8 Supercars than in NASCAR racing.

Is that so!

I suppose you have driven AND raced both?

mixxer · 16 Sep 2005, 06:32 (Ref:1409033)

Quote:

Amusing to note that nobody from the Ocean has ever succeeded in the puddle!

Seeing as how we are including the turn left go fast brigade, I'd say a few USA sprintcar drivers may have an objection to that statement

racer69 · 16 Sep 2005, 06:40 (Ref:1409036)

Quote:

Originally Posted by RotorFan

There is more skill involved in V8 Supercars than in NASCAR racing.

My god

Robert Ryan · 16 Sep 2005, 06:54 (Ref:1409046)

Icfp2297 Yes all that talent and none have done all that well at Bathurst or any other Touring Car race in Australia. They were even beaten in Australian NASCAR, eventually.
I think there is some elements missing from the "vast population, must be a lot of talent, therefore they will beat everyone that challenges them "arguement

Robert Ryan · 16 Sep 2005, 07:01 (Ref:1409052)

Mixxer see my previous posts. That is the racing they should totally excel at, but even in Australia, major names in Sprinters from the US are getting beaten. I was surprised to see the very positive reaction to the Titan Garages backing of US Driver Darryn Pitman . Most US commentators were very impressed by Titan Garages operation, saying it was one of the largest and most professional in the US!!! Not bad for a mob from Queensland.

TheTaipan · 16 Sep 2005, 07:48 (Ref:1409090)

depends if you include Canada in the Ocean...

mountainstar · 16 Sep 2005, 07:53 (Ref:1409093)

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcfp2297

Amusing to note that nobody from the Ocean has ever succeeded in the puddle!

But I don't think any American has ever made a concerted effort to race on a full time permanent basis in Australia.

chavez · 16 Sep 2005, 10:52 (Ref:1409198)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ozfords

Its not a big pond, rather a limited pond. Its a big red neck sport, for the good'ol boys. Big moustaches and red neck spirit, it's a sport that perpetuates a Southern stereotype.

Not many American's identify with the sport and many alternate websites I visit knock the buggery of NASCAR and not other American motorsports. Take the recent death in NASCAR, some people knock that.

Clearly you know nothing about NASCAR.

The state with the most drivers represented in the field is California - hardly a hot bed of red necks.

Not many American's identify with the sport?

That would explain why it is the second most popular televised sport in the United States behind the NFL. That's right, it has a bigger audience than baseball, basketball and ice hockey.

Funniest post I've read in a long time.

deeks6 · 17 Sep 2005, 05:46 (Ref:1409758)

Quote:

Originally Posted by chavez

Clearly you know nothing about NASCAR.

The state with the most drivers represented in the field is California - hardly a hot bed of red necks.

Not many American's identify with the sport?

That would explain why it is the second most popular televised sport in the United States behind the NFL. That's right, it has a bigger audience than baseball, basketball and ice hockey.

Funniest post I've read in a long time.

Beat me to the punch...it is unquestionably the BIGGEST sporting audience in the USA. The on-track crowds (160,000 +) are sold out months in advance and the sponsorship dollars would equal Australia's GNP.

As for the other post about no skill? It almost does'nt bear a comment and I hope we are not becoming like the poms and knocking any American driver in favour of their "Brits".
However, keep in mind that far more Yanks have succeeded overseas (Hill, Gurney, Andretti, Foyt, Shelby, Gregory etc etc) than overseas people have succeeded in the USA. So it can't be THAT easy...

I suspect this is the main reason (ego?) that Ambrose wants to have a crack at it - imagine what sort of a legend he'd be if he could win a race, let alone a title at NASCAR, being an "outsider", well and truly. I won't even mention the paypackets that these guys are on...I saw where Jeff Gordon, for e.g. earns something like $28 million US ... no wonder he never went F1 or Europe or whatever!

Anyone who knows says that guys like Gordon, Newman, Stewart could have succeeded in any category.

Finally, I watch all the NASCAR races on FOX. I don't like the points sytem and a few other things but the racing is generally great (especially the Road courses and the short ovals) and the telecasts make Channel 10 look like the redneck back-blocks hicks, NOT the Yanks.

Robert Ryan · 17 Sep 2005, 10:27 (Ref:1409842)

A Lot of US fans who watch the V8Supercar races , like our way of commentating. I must admit some of the US commentators can put you to sleep. That is why Leigh Diffey, not exactly special here, was very well respected there as he was "So knowledgeable"

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Ambrose's 2006 helmet design	FPRXR-6	Australasian Touring Cars.	14	11 Jun 2010 09:25
Who will fill Ambrose's seat for next year? (Merged)	Grimace	Australasian Touring Cars.	516	28 Jul 2006 12:40
NASCAR Car of the Future Plans	kingfloopy	NASCAR & Stock Car Racing	24	18 Jan 2006 10:31
SBR sign Courtney as Ambrose's replacement?? (Ponderance)	Uncle Cranker	Australasian Touring Cars.	45	21 Oct 2005 11:27
Who Stole Ambrose's Driving Suit ??	The Tool Man	Australasian Touring Cars.	2	12 Oct 2002 01:53