Ambrose Starts 14th in No. 47 Little Debbie® Toyota at Auto Club Speedway

// Courtesy : Autostock Images //

Fontana, CA. (February 20, 2009) – Today Marcos Ambrose posted a time 39.636 seconds (181.653 mph) in the No. 47 Little Debbie® Toyota Camry to secure the 14th starting position for the Auto Club 500 at Auto Club Speedway. The top five starters for the 250-lap event are Brian Vickers, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray, Kurt Busch and Greg Biffle.  
 
“We had a really solid lap and a good pick up from where we were in practice,” Ambrose said. “We feel good about our car and the weekend ahead. The No. 47 Little Debbie® Toyota Camry JTG-Daugherty team did a great job. It feels good to have a solid starting position.”

His teammate David Reutimann had the seventh quickest time (39.541 seconds – 182.089 mph). Michael Waltrip experienced engine woes with his No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry and did not complete a lap. Fortunately, Waltrip is locked into the top 35 owner point standings and is guaranteed a starting position for the 500-mile race. Waltrip will make his 727th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start from the 42nd starting position.
 
After a one and half hour practice today before qualifying, Ambrose was 28th (40.391 seconds – 178.258 mph) out of 48 cars with Jimmie Johnson posting the fastest time of 39.584 seconds (181.892 mph) during that session. Tomorrow the Australian driver and his JTG-Daugherty Racing team have final practice from 2:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific.
 
On Sunday, Ambrose will make his 13th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start following a strong 17th-place finish in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. This is Ambrose’s second attempt in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry at the Auto Club Speedway two-mile D-shaped oval. In August of last year, the Australian driver finished 32nd in the 250 lap event.
 
To date, Ambrose’s career-best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start is seventh (6/22/08) at Infineon Raceway and his career-best finish is third-place at Watkins Glen International (8/10/08).
 
Live coverage of the Auto Club 500 on Sunday, February 22 will air at 5 p.m. ET on FOX, MRN Radio and Sirius XM Satellite Radio.