Gordon offers Ambrose Cup ride at Watkins Glen

By Sporting News Wire Service
August 7, 2007
10:50 PM EDT

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As Humphrey Bogart said to Claude Rains in the classic film Casablanca, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Three days after wrecking Marcos Ambrose moments after a green-white-checkered restart of the Busch Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve, Robby Gordon has offered the Australian driver a Nextel Cup ride for this weekend's Centurion Boats at The Glen.

Gordon will drive his No. 7 Ford in Sunday's race and has made his No. 77 Ford available to Ambrose.

Right and wrong

Celebrating a win that wasn't was a mistake on Robby Gordon's part. He knows that. He also knows NASCAR made mistakes that day in Montreal.

"There are a couple of reasons why I'm doing this," Gordon said Tuesday. "The first reason is that 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.'

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

"As a team owner, I'm excited about giving him this opportunity. I look forward to running two cars this weekend, I look forward to getting them in the show, and at the end of the day, I hope it comes down to the two of us to win the race."

Gordon himself was cleared to race in the Busch and Cup series at Watkins Glen International after serving a one-race suspension Sunday at Pocono for actions in the Busch Series event at Montreal. NASCAR suspended Gordon from the Pennsylvania 500 for repeatedly ignoring instructions from race control and failing to honor a black flag.

Though the sanctioning body on Tuesday added a $35,000 fine and probation through Dec. 31, 2007, to Gordon's penalties, he will not face further suspensions for actions NASCAR termed "disruptive" to the conduct of the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve.

NASCAR's sanction also contained the provision that, if Gordon is guilty of any other infraction NASCAR deems detrimental to stock car racing or to NASCAR, or is disruptive to the orderly conduct of a NASCAR event during the remainder of the season, he will be suspended from NASCAR racing indefinitely.

Although the entry deadline of Aug. 1 has passed for the road-course race at Watkins Glen, NASCAR can at its discretion allow participation beyond the deadline. Accordingly, should Ambrose qualify for the race, he will be competing for prize money but not for championship points or entry-deadline bonuses.

"Well, they say that America is the land of opportunity, and I guess this is proof of that," Ambrose 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.

"This is part apology and part compliment on Robby's behalf. I believe we can have a solid run this weekend and give Ford, Camping World and the rest of Robby Gordon Motorsports' sponsors a good return on their investment.

"In some respects this is a no-lose situation for me because I get to break into Nextel Cup without the regular burden of things like owner and championship points. Obviously, this indicates there is no animosity between us, and we will both be out there looking for the best result possible in our Fords."

Ambrose is under contract to Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the Busch Series and requires permission from that organization to race for Gordon in the No. 77 Ford.

NASCAR officials said that, as of mid-afternoon Tuesday, they had not seen an official entry from Gordon on Ambrose's behalf, and the preliminary entry list of 47 drivers does not yet reflect the addition of Ambrose.