TEAM REPORTS (DAYTONA, FLA.) - AUSSIE NASCAR RACER MARCOS AMBROSE PROCLAIMED MAYOR FOR THE DAY

Australian NASCAR driver Marcos Ambrose has been proclaimed the ‘Mayor for the Day’ in the city of Melbourne, Florida in the United States today.

Ambrose will embark on his third season racing in NASCAR this weekend with the Camping World 300 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida marking the start of the 35-race 2008 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

Mayor Harry Goode, who welcomed Ambrose into his city, presented the 31-year-old with the key to the city, the namesake of Melbourne in Australia.

“It’s great to welcome Marcos Ambrose to the City of Melbourne today and interesting to meet a person all the way from Tasmania, the most southern state of Australia,” said Goode.

“Marcos, who is competing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, took time out of his busy racing schedule in Daytona to join us this morning. As a NASCAR fan, I jumped at the opportunity to name Marcos ‘Mayor for a Day’ in Melbourne.

“In honour of Marcos being Mayor for today, I have suspended all red light traffic cameras in Melbourne. This should allow Marcos to tour the area quickly and not be unnecessarily detained by our police department.

“I received a note this morning from Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia John So. He was pleased to hear that Marcos was being recognised by his city’s namesake in the United States.

“I wish Marcos all the best for the upcoming series. The folks in Melbourne, Florida will be rooting for you. I hope Marcos enjoyed his stay and he comes to visit us again soon.”

Ambrose was suitably pleased with the welcome he received ahead of this weekend’s big race and enjoyed his time in Melbourne, Florida, a city of approximately 80,000 people.

Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia John So was pleased to hear that Ambrose was being recognised by his city’s namesake in the United States. Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city, with a population of approximately 3.65 million people.

“It’s fantastic that Mayor Harry Goode has proclaimed Marcos Ambrose as the Mayor for the Day in Melbourne, Florida,” said So.

“Marcos is achieving great things in NASCAR in the United States and doing Australia proud. I wish him all the best in Daytona this weekend.

“I hope he enjoys his time in Melbourne, Florida and trust he will be back in Melbourne, Australia to visit our great city in the near future.”

Ambrose enjoyed his day of political life in Melbourne, but will stick to his regular job of driving the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for JTG Racing at speeds of approximately 190mph (306km/h) this weekend at the 2.5-mile Daytona superspeedway.

“I’d like to thank Mayor Goode and Mayor So for their kind words,” said ‘Mayor Ambrose’.

“It is an honour to be recognised as the Melbourne, Florida Mayor of the Day. I can honestly say that I’ve never been given such a title.

“I noticed that your staff call you ‘Your Honour’ when you are Mayor. Does that mean my crew can call me that this weekend?

“I really appreciate this title and will serve the people of Melbourne to the best of my ability.

“On behalf of my team, JTG Racing, Kingsford and Ford Racing, I have made Mayor Goode an honorary pit crew member for our number 59 team. We hope to see you at the track and we’ll trade jobs there, too.”

“Today has been truly a unique experience. Mayor Goode and his staff gave me a few tips on being a solid leader. Communication is key in being a leader and a race car driver. The Mayor and his staff work really hard to keep the city running day to day. Mayor Goode has a terrific staff that advises him and he serves his community very well.”

Ambrose is excited about his prospects in this year’s NASCAR Nationwide Series after finishing eighth in his rookie season in 2007 and second in the rookie standings.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back on track this season. We had a great test in Daytona and Las Vegas last month and we’ll use what we learned to improve our standings from last season,” said Ambrose.

“I have a new crew chief in the Nationwide Series, a fellow Aussie Walter Giles. He was a great help in testing and we’ve put together a solid plan to run near the front and capture a few wins this year.”