AMBROSE CHANCES GO UP IN SMOKE IN MICHIGAN

 SUBSCRIBE TO RSS FEED

SEND TO FRIEND

Marcos Ambrose has had an early end to his fourth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race with engine failure in the opening stages of the 3M Performance 400 at Micigan International Speedway in Brooklyn, Michigan today.

One day after a strong performance in the NASCAR Nationwide Series rac= at Michigan, Ambrose was denied the chance to post another solid result driving for the Wood Brothers Racing operation.

After only 17 laps of the 200-lap event, the #21 Little Debbie Ford Fu=ion began dropping oil and spewing smoke.

Ambrose initially brought the car into pit lane, but after an inspecti=n by the Wood Brothers Racing crew the engine damage was terminal and the car was taken back to the garage and was done for the day.

Fellow Ford driver and winner of yesterday's Carfax 250 Carl Edwards=won today's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway ahead of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader Kyle Busch and David Ragan.

Ambrose will concentrate on NASCAR Nationwide Series duties next weeke=d, racing the #59 Kingsford Ford Fusion of JTG Daugherty Racing in the Food City 250 at Bristol Motor Speedway.

QUOTES ˜ MARCOS AMBROSE

‘It's just really disappointing for us,’ said Ambrose.

‘The water temperature, everything was pretty good there. We just =ot unlucky.

‘I was looking forward to getting a lot of laps under our belt here =nd getting comfortable, and making sure everything was together underneath me, and we were going to have a great day.

‘It just didn't work out. It's just experience so it's just =ard. That's what's bad about this deal here.

‘I could move the car around. I wasn't tight at all, which is re=lly good for us. I felt like it was coming to me there.

‘But, I was just riding around there, being good and just trying to =et to the first pit stop and get a good feel on the car, but was just unlucky.’

RESULTS: 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedw=y
Race 23 in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
1. #60 Carl Edwards 200 laps
2. #18 Kyle Busch
3. #6 David Ragan
4. #16 Greg Biffle
5. #17 Matt Kenseth
6. #8 Mark Martin
7. #83 Brian Vickers
8. #29 Kevin Harvick
9. #19 Elliott Sadler
10. #26 Jamie McMurray
43. #21 Marcos Ambrose 17 laps

2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Standings ˜ After Race 23
1. Kyle Busch 3429
2. Carl Edwards 3207
3. Jimmie Johnson 3127
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr 3084
5. Jeff Burton 3080
6. Tony Stewart 2871
7. Greg Biffle 2854
8. Kevin Harvick 2812
9. Jeff Gordon 2791
10. Matt Kenseth 2783
11. Kasey Kahne 2756
12. Denny Hamlin 2735
49. Marcos Ambrose 333 (four races)

2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series Prizemoney after 25 races:
Marcos Ambrose: US$808,365

2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Prizemoney after 4 races:
Marcos Ambrose: US$467,422

ABOUT MICHIGAN INTERNATIONAL SPEEDWAY
Location: Brooklyn, Michigan
Track Length: 2.0 miles
Race Distance: 125 laps Nationwide/200 laps Sprint Cup
Degree of Banking in Turns: 18 degrees

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Sprint Cup Race Winner: Kurt Busch
Defending Sprint Cup Polesitter: Jeff Gordon
Marcos Ambrose Michigan Sprint Cup debut

NASCAR NATIONWIDE SERIES RECORD BOOK
Defending Nationwide Race Winner: Denny Hamlin
Defending Nationwide Polesitter: Greg Biffle
Marcos Ambrose 2007 Race Finish: 19th