Marcos Ambrose will debut the colors of Black and Decker this weekend on the Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) No. 9 Ford Fusion. Coming off a Top-10 finish last weekend, Ambrose hopes to bring the Black and Decker Ford another Top-10 to move closer to a Chase position in points.
To do so, the team will look to improve their mile-and-a-half program. The team has showed strength during qualifying and also during the race. However, finding the best setup over the course of the race has been the challenge this year. But, Ambrose and Crew Chief Drew Blickensderfer are confident that any race is one they can win and Ambrose has been strong at Kentucky.
Ambrose has three previous starts at Kentucky with RPM. The track has proved to be one his best ovals on qualifying day with an average start inside the Top-10. His best start is fifth just last season. He has completed every lap he’s ever raced at Kentucky and has a pair of Top-15 finishes. Ambrose’s best finish at Kentucky is 13th .
“It’s great to come off of a Top-10 at Sonoma, although we were hoping for a bit more. We now really have to focus on these mile-and-a-half ovals. We have to find that magic that puts us in contention all race. With it being a night race, hopefully that helps us find that grip that we need. We have had that struggle to find the right balance, but I feel that we’re putting the work in to get better.
“Kentucky has been a good track for us. We have qualified well, run well and have just missed a few Top-10 finishes. We are hopeful to continue that. We have the momentum from Sonoma, but don’t have all the eyes looking at us. Hopefully we can surprise some of these guys this weekend.”
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneurs Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP, Strike Ten Entertainment and Fresh From Florida, and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners STANLEY, D EWALT, Mac Tools and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.
