Roger Penske, Marcos Ambrose and Dick Johnson have outlined the basic operation that will attack the V8 Supercars Championship next year.
Holding a teleconference with Australian and US press this morning, more detail on the team structure, background on the deal and everyone's expectations were revealed.
Key parts of the teleconference detailed:
- Ambrose was ready to return home to Australia, and returning to the V8 Supercars Championship was a natural move and key for Penske Racing.
- While they are there to win, expectations are a full-on assault will come in 2016, with next year's focus finding their feet.
- The team will continue to run Fords for 2015.
- Penske will have a 51 per cent ownership of the team, subject to board approval and willtake over both RECs (Racing Entitlement Contracts).
-Dick Johnson will continue to run the day-to-day and be the man on the ground, along with managing director Ryan Story.
- Penske will bring in Jeff Swartwoutand Aussie Nick Hughes as team manager and technical director, respectively, with V8 Supercars stalwart John Crennan to leverage the team's business interests.
- Ambrose expects to get behind the wheel of a V8 Supercar late this year, whether it is at one of the remaining test days, or a corporate ride day.
- The team's second driver has not yet been determined.
- Discussions began loosely between Ambrose and Penske, and when Dick Johnson came for a tour of their racing facilities Roger began considering it more seriously.
- Ambrose will be based in Tasmania but also use his Queensland home, which he has maintained since the Stone Brothers Racing days.
More to come.