Robby Gordon/Marcos Ambrose

[Schwartz Fan]

Robby Gordon will exact his revenge at Watkins Glen this weekend.

Not only will Gordon be racing the No. 7 Ford, the team owner will field a second car — the No. 77 — for Busch Series regular Marcos Ambrose, who he fiercely battled in the closing laps of the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Saturday.
"Marcos did a helluva job," Gordon said. "He led a lot of laps on Saturday. It will be great to have him as my teammate."

Ambrose, who drives the No. 59 Kingsford Ford for Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, qualified fifth and led the most laps before Gordon spun him out with two laps remaining in the event. Ambrose finished seventh and is currently eighth in the Busch Series point standings.

If he qualifies for the race, Sunday will mark the Nextel Cup debut for the 30-year-old Launceston, Tasmania native who began his career in NASCAR with the Wood Brothers last season.


FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - Ambrose to drive Cup car for Robby Gordon

[Scooters]

<smirk>

[Schwartz Fan]

Robby Gordon avoids NASCAR suspension

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Robby Gordon avoided a lengthy suspension Tuesday when NASCAR fined him $35,000 and placed him on probation through the end of the year for his misconduct during the Busch Series race in Montreal.


The penalties came with the stipulation that Gordon will be suspended indefinitely if he disrupts another event this season or NASCAR deems his actions inappropriate.

Hours later, in a gesture he called a "peace offering," Gordon said he would field a car for Marcos Ambrose in this weekend's Nextel Cup event at Watkins Glen. Gordon wrecked Ambrose in the closing laps of Saturday's race to deny him his first NASCAR victory.

"It's unfortunate that Marcos got put in a position in Montreal where I was thinking, 'OK, if I'm not going to win, he's not going to win,'" Gordon said in a statement.

Gordon protested a NASCAR ruling during late in Saturday's race, when he was ordered to surrender his second-place position and move back to 13th. He refused and was immediately disqualified.

Gordon then spun Ambrose, who was leading, and NASCAR ruled it was intentional. Gordon was ordered off the track immediately. He refused, completed the final two laps of the event and celebrated as if he were the winner by doing burnouts and pumping his fists in the air.

The celebration, and his lack of contrition in a post-race meeting with NASCAR, got him suspended from Sunday's Nextel Cup event at Pocono Raceway. Although Gordon believed he would be cleared to race this weekend on the road course at Watkins Glen, NASCAR officials said they still were reviewing his status.

Gordon is a strong contender to win both the Busch and Cup events at Watkins Glen.

Ambrose, meanwhile, will get to make his Nextel Cup debut in a joint effort between Gordon and Wood Brothers/JTG Racing, his current team. They had hoped to put Ambrose in the Cup race this weekend, but announced Monday they wouldn't be able to pull it off.

"I think he's a talented race-car driver, and obviously he has the ability to compete at the highest level," Gordon said. "He showed that last weekend in the Busch race, and I felt that this opportunity would be a makeup.

"Unfortunately, we didn't get to finish the race the way either one of us wanted to finish it last weekend, and now we've got an opportunity to try to put on a good show again this weekend at Watkins Glen."

Ambrose, an Australian, was pleased with the turn of events.

"Well, they say that America is the land of opportunity, and I guess this is proof of that," he said. "A bit of old outback Australian culture involved playing a game of Australian football, having a fight and then heading to the pub together for a beer — I guess this is a bit like that."


Robby Gordon avoids NASCAR suspension - Yahoo! News

[24n48fan]

Boy, I was hoping he would have gotten an indefinite suspension from NASCAR but he dodged a major bullet that time. BUT he now has to ge on his BEST behavior from here on out for the rest of the year he'll get exactly that. Think you can do it Robby? <<snickers>>

[Schwartz Fan]

Gordon: Ambrose could win in first Cup start
SCENEDAILY - 4:57PM ET WEDNESDAY AUGUST 8, 2007 - BY JEFF GLUCK - ASSOCIATE EDITOR



CHARLOTTE - Just for fun, Robby Gordon and Marcos Ambrose were supposed to hang out in the Charlotte area on Wednesday, maybe head out to Lake Norman for a good time.

Ambrose, the likeable Busch Series rookie from Australia, had made an impression on Gordon, so the veteran driver offered to take the Charlotte newcomer out on the town.


But that was before Gordon wrecked Ambrose in Saturday's Busch race in Montreal, spoiling the Aussie's chances at a first Cup victory.

So when Ambrose's phone rang on Monday evening - Ambrose answered because he didn't recognize the number - the voice on the other end said, "Does this mean we're not getting together Wednesday?"

The two cleared the air, and three hours later, Gordon called again. He had just read an e-mail from a fan - one of 24,000 positive e-mails he said flooded the Robby Gordon Motorsports in-box - that suggested Gordon field a car for Ambrose this weekend at Watkins Glen as a gesture of goodwill.

After getting sponsor approval from Jim Beam and Camping World, Gordon literally put the wheels in motion. Ambrose agreed to accept Gordon's olive branch offer to drive a second RGM Cup car and will attempt to make his Nextel Cup debut at the Glen.

"It's a real thrill for me," a grinning Ambrose said during Wednesday afternoon's news conference at RGM. "I appreciate Robby coming to me with this gesture. It's part apology and part compliment, as far as I'm concerned."

Gordon said he and Ambrose and will drive identical equipment this weekend, the same caliber of car that claimed a front-row starting spot at the Sonoma road-course race in June.

"He's going to have all the tools to win," said Gordon, who was suspended for last week's Cup race after he failed to obey NASCAR's instructions at Montreal. "... When I say win, I know you guys probably roll your eyes and say, 'What do you mean, win?' There's no doubt in my mind that this guy can come out here and easily run in the top 10.

"And in Nextel Cup racing, if you run in the top 10, the door is gonna be open because things are gonna happen. And if you put yourself in position, he might just find himself in victory lane in his first race."

Ambrose, who has only been in a car of tomorrow one time during a test for his Wood Brothers/JTG Racing team and has never visited Watkins Glen, will have to qualify based on speed.

His Busch crew will pit the car and crew chief Ernie Cope will call the shots atop the pit box. Those people, Gordon said, also had to be willing to accept his "make-good offer."

What Ambrose termed as "a nasty situation" has turned positive for both drivers and their teams.

"I think it's a big thing for him to ring me up on Monday and give me this opportunity," Ambrose said, then laughed. "I hope we don't run 1-2 with five laps to go - it could get a bit interesting."




Gordon: Ambrose could win in first Cup start

[admin]

Originally Posted by Schwartz Fan "I hope we don't run 1-2 with five laps to go - it could get a bit interesting."

Does he mean that he'd spin Robby, or does he think Robby would take him out for the win? :d

[Scooters]

Originally Posted by admin Does he mean that he'd spin Robby, or does he think Robby would take him out for the win? :d

Yes

:D