Truck: Team Australia expands to back Ambrose.

The ambitious Team Australia umbrella has been expanded to include a new partnership that guarantees backing for ex-pat Australian Marcos Ambrose's NASCAR Craftsman Truck campaign in the United States.

Already the sponsor of two-car Champ Car, Atlantic and Formula BMW teams in the US, Team Australia has established a naming-rights deal with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing which will see Ambrose's entry decked out in the initiative's now familiar gold-and-green colours. The new sponsorship will also be woven into a nationwide marketing campaign designed to promote Australian-themed products and the country as a tourism destination for Americans, with Ambrose's Ford F-150 carrying the logos of Team Australia, Aussie Experience, Aussie Vineyards and RM Williams when it makes its debut at Charlotte this weekend.

"The goal of the Team Australia concept is to give the best and brightest Australians the opportunity to shine on the world motorsport stage," Team Australia originator Craig Gore confirmed, "But, before we can do that, we need to ensure we can continue to provide on-going sales opportunities for our partners in the US market in particular.

"The Team Australia concept lives or dies on the business we can create through it, and I believe this latest venture will be tremendously rewarding for our current and future partners. There is no greater American sport than NASCAR, and Marcos Ambrose is undoubtedly one of Australia's greatest exports to the US ?EUR" my own wine not withstanding!

"We have been working on a deal in NASCAR for sometime and the opportunity with Wood Brothers/JTG Motorsports really came from left field. The fact that Marcos is a driver for the team is a fantastic bonus and an ideal fit for our programme."

Ambrose tested his reliveried truck for the first time ahead of round six of the championship, scheduled for Lowe's Motor Speedway tonight [Friday], and will now complete the remainder of the schedule. The 29-year old is the first Australian to compete in the Craftsman Truck series, having made the switch on the back of two V8 Supercar titles with Ford.

"I am looking forward to competing against the best drivers on the biggest stage in motorsports," he said, "Securing a major Australian sponsor for the team is an extraordinary accomplishment and I applaud Craig Gore's initiative and his investment in the Team Australia concept and Australian motorsport. I am truly proud to be part of Team Australia's effort to promote Australia around the world."