Atkinson and Ambrose sign overseas deals

Australian racers Chris Aktinson and Marcus Ambrose have both signed high profile international motorsport deals for 2006. Atkinson will again race in the World Rally Championship for Subaru while Ambrose will leave the local V8 Supercar ranks for a seat in the USA.

Atkinson (25) will partner Petter Solberg in the 2006 FIA World Rally Championship with Subaru World Rally Team. He will contest all 16 rounds of the high-profile series with current co-driver, Glenn Macneall.

Atkinson made his WRC debut in 2005 with the same squad. He was the first Australian to step onto a WRC podium for 13 years when he finished third in Rally Japan. In addition he was fourth in Australia and seventh in New Zealand and recorded 15 stage wins.

Only 2005 world champ Sébastien Loeb, Marcus Gronholm and Atkinson's teammate Petter Solberg, all previous World Champions, scored more stage wins.

Ambrose meantime has signed a NASCAR Driver Development contract with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing.

The agreement calls for Ambrose to pilot a Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck series next season, with an eye toward driving one of the team's Ford Fusions in the NASCAR Busch Series and Nextel Cup series.

The Wood Brothers racing team is the longest tenured team in NASCAR’s premier series and the most succesful Ford Racing team in NASCAR history. Past Wood Brothers pilots include NASCAR greats David Person, Neil Bonnett, Cale Yarborough, Buddy Baker and, most recently, Ricky Rudd.

Ford Australia chief Tom Gorman has been key in helping Ambrose secure the development contract.

"My dealings with Ford and Ford Racing both here in Australia and the US as well as Wood Brothers/JTG have been excellent. Ford Australia President Tom Gorman has been outstanding and without his direct input this deal would never have got off the ground," Ambrose said.