THE WIZARD OF OZ FOURTH IN KANSAS


Team Australia NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series driver Marcos Ambrose will start tomorrow’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 250 from the second row after qualifying fourth today at Kansas Speedway in Kansas.

Ambrose set a time of 31.869 seconds in today’s qualifying to put the Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards F-150 truck on the outside of the second row for tomorrow’s 167-lap race around the 1.5-mile tri-oval.

The two-time Australian V8 Supercar Champion was also the fastest rookie in qualifying, the next best Raybestos Rookie of the Year contender being fellow Ford driver Erik Darnell in eighth.

This is the third-consecutive event that Ambrose has qualified the Team Australia entry inside the top 10 and the third time this year that the Tasmanian has qualified on the front two rows, a great achievement considering this weekend’s race in only Ambrose’s ninth start in the truck series.

Mike Skinner will start tomorrow’s race from pole, followed by the Fords of Rick Crawford, David Ragan, Ambrose and Terry Cook.

WHAT THEY HAD TO SAY …

MARCOS AMBROSE – TEAM AUSTRALIA FORD F-150
"I always have done reasonably well in qualifying,” said Ambrose.
“I don't know why I'm good in qualifying, but it was one of my strengths at home back in Australia. The race track is out there to be beaten and I try to beat it every time I go out. I have no answer for it.
“We're learning in this deal every race on how to race. It's hard to learn how to race people, and I'm just out there to experience it first-hand. Still, we're qualifying well, but we're not racing as good as we should be, so I've got plenty to learn on that side of the fence.
"I’ve learned to put a cool box in the truck and I’ve learned to wear boots with heat shields on them. These trucks are hot, but we're all professionals out there, and I have made some adjustments since Mansfield and I don't think there will be any problem (with the heat)."

CRAIG GORE – TEAM AUSTRALIA
“What another amazing effort from Marcos in the Team Australia/Aussie Vineyards truck,” said Gore.
“He is obviously getting the hang of those larger 1.5-mile ovals and has little trouble with the speeds.
“It’s great that he gets another chance to start towards the front and gain even more experience racing with three or four trucks all around him.
“There is no doubt that Marcos is getting the job done for himself, the team and all involved in the Team Australia program.”

Marcos Ambrose Fast Facts
– Ambrose will be making his ninth career start in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series
– Ambrose has earned $73,043 in eight starts this year
– Born in Launceston, Tasmania
– Ambrose won two consecutive V8 Supercar Series Championships in Australia in 2003 and 2004 for Ford
– Will drive the No. 20 Ford F-150 for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in 2006

TIPS FOR AUSTRALIAN FANS
There are several websites relating to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series where you can follow Ambrose’s progress. The best three we have discovered so far are the official NASCAR.com site, truckseries.com and woodbrothersracing.com.

You can register for Track Pass on the NASCAR site which will give you access to radio broadcasts, in-car audio and video of most races for a fee, but you will need a US credit card (so ring a mate!).

You can get a free lap-by-lap written commentary of the races on truckseries.com by going to the trackside area of the site. There are also pre and post race audio interviews.

2006 CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS – After Round 11
– Marcos Ambrose did not compete in the first three rounds of the championship.

1: Todd Bodine 1758; 2: David Reutiman 1632; 3: Johnny Benson 1638; 4: Ted Musgrave 1560; 5: Jack Sprague 1502; 6: Mike Bliss 1483; 7: Dennis Setzer 1463; 8: Rick Crawford 1461; 9: David Starr 1458; 10: Ron Hornaday Jr 1433; 31: Marcos Ambrose 635.

WEEKEND SCHEDULE
Race
Saturday, June 30, 2006
3:15pm ET
AUSTRALIAN TIME
Race
Sunday, July 1, 2006
5:15am EST

ABOUT KANSAS SPEEDWAY
Location: Kansas City, Kansas
Race Distance: 167 laps = 250.5 miles (403.14km)
Track Length: 1.5 miles
Degree of Banking in Turns: 15 degrees
Degree of Banking on Straights: 10.4 degrees front, 5 degree back

CRAFTSMAN TRUCK RECORD BOOK
Race Record: Ricky Hendrick, 2001 (125.094mph/2hr, 0min, 9secs)
Qualifying Record: Bill Lester, 2005 (173.833mph/31.100secs)
Defending Champion: Todd Bodine
Defending Polesitter: Bill Lester