MOTORSPORT: American hiccup for Ambrose

Midweek motorsport reportJune 20, 2007

Indeed, it was touted that he may do as many as 10 Nextel Cup races.

The first of the two that looked pretty certain was this Sunday's road race at Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, California.

However, with that race now just four days away, there has been a noticeable silence about the Tasmanian Devil going to Sonoma.

Quite a contrast to the long and regular bulletins about his progress in the Busch Series, in which it must be said he's been doing a very creditable job -- and he'll front at the famed Milwaukee Mile for this Saturday's round.

Ambrose is sitting eighth in the Busch points standings, has been the top rookie finisher in some races, and there have been other ticks along the way as he makes history as the first Aussie to go full-time in the NASCAR ranks.

It was a bold decision to uproot from Australia to take on American stock car racing, which is huge over there -- dwarfing not only Formula 1 but also Champ Car, the Indy Racing League and any other forms of motorsport.

But we sensed early this week, as we wondered how Ambrose would combine race meetings in Wisconsin and California, that something was amiss regarding Sonoma.

We saw a message hinting that there were some problems with monies being paid for the deal.

Our suspicions have grown stronger today after being unable to find Ambrose's name among the 52 drivers on the entry list for the Nextel Cup round at Infineon Raceway.

We are trying to clarify matters today, and suspect that if there is indeed such a problem it would relate to payments, or non-payments, by a sponsor or sponsors rather than Ambrose himself.

The other race mentioned over the past six months as the other virtual certain start for Ambrose is at Watkins Glen, New York, on August 12.

That's another road race -- that track being the home of the US Formula 1 grand prix in its 1960s and '70s heyday.

We hope things come together for Ambrose in his quest to make it to the Nextel Cup, but for the record here are extracts from what was announced on December 21 last year.

"Australian motor racing ace Marcos Ambrose will compete at the highest level of US motorsport next year (2007) when he competes in up to 10 NASCAR Nextel Cup events under the Team Australia and Aussie Vineyards banner.

"Program creator and Australian businessman Craig Gore has finalised a deal with Wood Brothers-JTG Racing which will see Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards branding on the back quarter panel of Ambrose's #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for all 35 rounds of next year's NASCAR Busch Series.

"Part of the agreement will also see a full Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards entry in a minimum of two, and up to 10, NASCAR Nextel Cup events.

"Ambrose will campaign the full Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards entry in Nextel Cup road course events at Infineon Raceway at Sonoma, California on June 24 and at Watkins Glen International Raceway in New York State on August 12.

"An extension of the two-race Nextel Cup program will be evaluated by Gore and Wood Brothers-JTG Racing and will be influenced by results and further involvement from Australian companies looking to increase their US and global branding."

Ambrose was quoted then as saying: "The confirmation of at least two NASCAR Nextel Cup races for me in 2007 is fantastic news.

"It is great that Craig (Gore) and his Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards program will not only be continuing with me as secondary sponsors on the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford next season, but that we will be flying the Team Australia colours in a minimum of two Nextel Cup events."

Once we get some clarification on what's happened regarding Sonoma this weekend we'll update here.

The speculation now is that No Limit's Marshall is looking at either Craig Gore's or even Dick Johnson's teams.

However, the Marshall camp has had some unhappy dealings with Gore in the past.

Marshall's son Marcus was driving for Gore a couple of years back but the relationship ended in acrimony.

Meanwhile, Kees Weel is now pledging long-term commitment to the Supercheap team.

When the 22-year-old black Brit won his first GP in Montreal 10 days ago 7.7 million viewers in Britain were tuned to the ITV telecast, compared with 5.4 million for last year's Canadian GP.

When the new McLaren-Mercedes won again in the US GP at Indianapolis this week 7.3 million were watching ITV - 2 million more than last year.

Despite the retirement of German seven-time world champion Michael Schumacher, F1 viewing figures are even up in Germany.

The biggest audience for RTL's free-to-air coverage of a GP last year was 7.3 million, but Hamilton's victory in US GP drew 7.7 million Germans to their TV sets.

Granted, Nick Heidfeld is doing well this season and there was a German rookie, Sebastien Vettel, in the other BMW-Sauber at The Brickyard -- and both finished in the points.

The time of the Montreal and Indianapolis races will not have done Australian telecaster Channel 10 any favors, but it's now going to be interesting to see the viewing figures it generates on the upcoming French and British GPs -- back-to-back races on the first two weekends of July.

British GP tickets are selling madly on the back of Hamilton's success.

This weekend's Festival of Speed at Goodwood, in the south of England, is also sure to have a bumper crowd with Hamilton booked to demonstrate a McLaren-Mercedes there.

RaceFax is an American electronic newsletter that casts a keen eye over F1 all year round and it commented caustically this week that, with Bernie Ecclestone's rush to grant races in new markets, particularly India, at the possible expense of the US, perhaps F1 will become the Third World Championship!

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