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NASCAR Sprint-Cup Series
VENTURINI: ‘Real Deal’ With Marcos Ambrose
SPEED’s Wendy Venturini with Marcos Ambrose on this week's edition of “Real Deal”...
Wendy Venturini  |  Posted August 09, 2009   Watkins Glen, NY
Wendy Venturini gives NASCAR fans the 'Real Deal' on NASCAR Raceday Built by the Home Depot, SPEED's premier NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pre-race show. (Image: SPEED)

Wendy Venturini "This track is home to your first NASCAR win in the Nationwide series. The next day you came out in the cup race, best career finish that day of third. How much were you looking forward to coming back here?"

Marcos Ambrose "I’ve had such a great year already that anything is a bonus from here on in. We knew the road races would be good for us if we finished the events so for me it’s about managing expectations. It’s not about one day or one race will make or break our year. It’s just been a greater season so far and I want to keep it rolling if I can."

Wendy Venturini "I know you want get that title road course ringer off your back and I think you’ve done so with the consistent finishes that you have had on the oval tracks but maybe the title course ringer isn’t such a bad thing to have this weekend."

Marcos Ambrose "I’ve definitely lost out on some press because every road ringer article I’ve read doesn’t have my name in it so I guess it has worked and now I’m known more as a NASCAR driver rather than a road course specialist. Who knows how that will work out but I like road racing, it’s great but my passion is definitely on the ovals. "

Wendy Venturini "I read in your press release this week that you had no expectations going into this year. We are past the halfway point; has that changed? Do you start setting goals and expectations now that you see how well you’re running?"

Marcos Ambrose "Not really, I mean for me, 2009 was all about making impressions - just trying to break into the sport and show people that I had speed, that I had some common sense and that I was worthy to be in the garage. That doesn’t change whether we are 18th in points or 28th in points. For me, it’s not about a points chase this year, it’s just about trying to show my speed every week. If I’ve got a fast car I am going to try to pass Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson if I can do and do it safely, and that’s what I’m all about. Whether it’s Watkins Glen this weekend, trying to win it, whether it is, you know, the next Talladega, it doesn’t matter. I’m just going to try to keep the car up in front as long as I can."

Wendy Venturini "...You came to American stock car racing, to NASCAR as a champion from the super car V8, Two-time champion. It is like Sam Hornish and Juan Pablo; they leave the fame, the fortune, the Championships, the wins behind them to come over for a rookie stripe and learning curve. Was that tough to swallow?"

Marcos Ambrose "Well, for me it wasn’t. Personally I just needed a new challenge. I had won a couple of Championships down home and I realized pretty quickly that winning a Championship in Australia didn’t mean a lot when I came to the USA. So, you know, I had to start again, start from the bottom again and it’s been a challenge; it has been exciting. It’s had some ups and downs along the way and it’s been a great journey and if it finishes tomorrow, it doesn’t really matter."


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