Dick Johnson is closing on a deal with Roger Penske. The Johnson-Penske deal could be finalized before the end of the month and could even include the signing of Marcos Ambrose as lead driver for the 2015 V8 Supercar season.
Ambrose, a two-time champion in Falcons with Stone Brothers Racing, is strongly rumored to have plans to return to Australia with his family after battling to make the top grade in NASCAR racing in America despite several big road-course wins.
No one on either side of the Pacific is giving any confirmation yet but there are strong pointers to a Penske-Johnson super team as Penske expands his giant motoring empire into Australia with a string of new-car dealerships and local ownership of the Western Star truck brand.
Johnson is not prepared to comment on the Penske negotiations but admitted he would welcome a buy-in. Penske’s interest in V8 Supercar racing became public at the Bathurst 1000 last year when his motorsport boss, Tim Cindric, visited the race and spent time with Johnson.
The trip included senior Ford Motorsport figures and Penske has also flown to Australia, with a recent rumored sighting at the Dick Johnson Racing race base at Yatala on the Gold Coast. “There is nothing to report at the present time,” a DJR spokesman said.
(Courier-Mail)
