Ambrose enters race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

AMBROSE EYEING VICTORY LANE IN MONTREAL
Marcos Ambrose to Race in NASCAR Nationwide Series Event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve

Marcos Ambrose, Petty Motorsport Ford

Photo by: Ashley Dickerson, ASP Inc.

CONCORD, N.C. (Aug. 12, 2011) – Richard Petty Motorsports driver Marcos Ambrose is set to compete in the NASCAR Nationwide Series 200-mile event at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Canada on Aug. 20.

Known to many for his expertise in road course racing, Ambrose has come close to winning in Montreal but has yet to visit Victory Lane at the 2.709-mile track. Next weekend, Ambrose hopes to change that stat as he will make his fifth attempt at taking home the trophy in a Richard Petty Motorsports Ford Mustang sponsored by Stanley.

“I’m really excited to go to Montreal, it’s one of my favorite tracks,” said Ambrose. “I love the city and I love the fans. It’s a place where a win has eluded me for the past couple of years, so it makes me really want to bring home the trophy this year more than ever. We’ve got a great partner in Stanley and I appreciate them giving me the opportunity to race for the win in Canada.”

Ambrose is no stranger to the Montreal road course. He has competed in every NASCAR Nationwide Series event held at the track since it became part of the Series schedule in 2007. He also has some of the most impressive stats of any Nationwide Series driver at the track: three Top-10 finishes, including second and third-place efforts. In addition, Ambrose holds the record for leading the most laps at the Canadian track, 149 of the 276 laps attempted.

“When I think of racing in Montreal, I think of Marcos Ambrose always running up front,” said Chief Operating Officer, Robbie Loomis. “He’s led more laps there in Nationwide Series races than any other driver and he’s come close to winning several times. When this deal came together with Stanley we were very excited. Marcos knows how to get around the track and it will be great if he brings home the win for RPM.”

The task at hand is not going to be easy for Ambrose as he will perform double duty racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway the same weekend.

“It’s going to be a tough weekend racing in both events,” explained Ambrose. I’ll practice and qualify in Michigan on Friday, race in Montreal Saturday and then fly back to Michigan for Sunday’s 400-mile event.”

Since Ambrose and Cup Series Crew Chief, Todd Parrott, will be busy racing in Michigan, fellow Tasmanian Owen Kelly will jump in the driver’s seat of the No. 9 Stanley Ford in Montreal on Friday for practice and qualifying and Chad Norris will act as crew chief for the weekend. Kelly is a former V8 Supercar driver who made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last year at Road America in Wisconsin, and Norris is a former NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chief with one win, nine Top-five and 21 Top-10 finishes. Ambrose’s Cup Series pit crew will also act as his pit crew for the Nationwide Series race.

In addition to sponsoring Ambrose’s car in Montreal, Stanley will donate $100,000 on Ambrose’s behalf to the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program next weekend. Canadian Tire Jumpstart is a national, charitable program that helps kids aged four to 18 with financial need to participate in organized sports and recreation. The program helps cover the cost of registration, equipment and/or transportation. Since its launch in February 2005, Canadian Tire Jumpstart has helped give more than 330,000 Canadian kids the chance to play. One very special family that has benefited from the Canadian Tire Jumpstart program will also be guests of Ambrose and serve as Honorary Pit Crew Members of the No. 9 Stanley team for the race weekend.