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CUP: Ambrose To Drive No. 00
Written by: Tom Jensen   
10/17/2008
Martinsville, Va.
 
Marcus Ambrose will take over the reins of the former No. 00 Toyota at Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images Photo) ยป More Photos

Marcos Ambrose is the latest contestant in what’s fast becoming the Michael Waltrip Racing reality show.

Ambrose, who next year will drive a Toyota for JTG-Daugherty Racing, will pilot an MWR Toyota in the Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. And he’ll bring some much-needed sponsorship support from snack food company Little Debbie with him as primary sponsor.

In addition to the driver change for Atlanta, the MWR car that Ambrose will drive will switch its car number from No. 00 to No. 47 for the final four races of the season, the team announced on Friday.

Rookie Michael McDowell had been the No. 00’s primary driver for most the season but was subsequently pulled out of the car in favor of Kenny Wallace, who drove the car at Talladega Superspeedway. Then it was AJ Allmendinger’s turn at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on Saturday night, while Mike Bliss is in the car this weekend at the Martinsville Speedway short track.

The team has not yet named a driver for the final three races of the season, which are at Texas Motor Speedway, Phoenix International Raceway and Homestead-Miami Speedway, respectively.

“It’s really nice to have a head start on the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season and integrate Marcos with our team,” Waltrip said in a statement released by the team on Friday. “We are pleased that NASCAR worked with us to switch our number so that Marcos and his sponsors have continuity. I, of all people, know the importance of car numbers to sponsors. We are very appreciative that everything worked out. This is a great opportunity for Marcos and it gives him a glimpse of what next season may look like for him. We are really happy about that.”

“It’s a privilege to have the opportunity to come to Michael Waltrip Racing,” Ambrose said. “There
is a lot of synergy here and I am looking forward to qualifying the No. 47 Little Debbie Toyota. Racing with the organization gives me the chance to have an early start on getting to know my team, Michael Waltrip and how the company operates.”

Tom Jensen is the Senior NASCAR Editor for SPEEDtv.com, the former Executive Editor of NASCAR Scene and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. He is the author of “Cheating: The Bad Things Good NASCAR Nextel Cup Racers Do In Pursuit of SPEED,” and has appeared on television and radio shows to discuss NASCAR racing. Jensen is the President of the National Motorsports Press Association. Jensen is the 1997 National Motorsports Press Association Writer of the Year and has won numerous national and state awards for news reporting, columns and feature writing. The Answer Man is back at SPEEDtv.com. Tom Jensen answers your questions during every race week and looks forward to hearing from you - please e-mail it to

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