Marcos Ambrose has collected a solid 22nd place finish in the Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indiana today.

Ambrose’s consistent run at the ‘Brickyard’ means that the Australian maintains 18th in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings after 20 races.

The Australian ace qualified 11th aboard the #47 Little Debbie-backed entry of JTG Daugherty Racing, his 12th top 20 qualifying performance this season.

Ambrose ran as high as ninth in the 160-lap race, but battled with a tight race car (understeer) in the first half of the race, soldiering on to stay on the lead lap all day and collect vital championship points.

The finish repeats his effort at the same event last year, where Ambrose was 22nd in his second Sprint Cup event and his first on an oval.

Jimmie Johnson won his second straight Allstate 400 at the Brickyard today ahead of Mark Martin and Tony Stewart.

Ambrose will take to Pocono Raceway for the second time this season in the Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 next weekend.

WHAT MARCOS HAD TO SAY …

“It was a long day for us today, which was unfortunate,” said Ambrose.

“We started off too tight (understeer), and worked at improving the car, but it was a tough race.

“In the end, we probably deserved to run better than that, but it just wasn’t our best showing today.

“I think we’re all a bit disappointed with that because we wanted to run well here at Indy.

“We wont get too down because we ran OK, we just weren’t right on the pace like we would like to be.

“This team continues to come on strong and I guess it shows how far we’ve come that our bad days are finishes in the 20s. We still ran around on the leap lap and got those points.

“I’ve got so much confidence and belief in this team. We’re doing well so I’m confident that we’ll step it up for Pocono next week.”

Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race 20 in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
1. #48 Jimmie Johnson 160 laps
2. #5 Mark Martin
3. #14 Tony Stewart
4. #16 Greg Biffle
5. #83 Brian Vickers
6. #29 Kevin Harvick
7. #9 Kasey Kahne
8. #00 David Reutimann
9. #24 Jeff Gordon
10. #17 Matt Kenseth
22. #47 Marcos Ambrose

2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver’s Standings – After Race 20 of 36
1. Tony Stewart 3054
2. Jimmie Johnson 2862
3. Jeff Gordon 2847
4. Kurt Busch 2608
5. Carl Edwards 2556
6. Denny Hamlin 2518
7. Ryan Newman 2506
8. Kasey Kahne 2482
9. Mark Martin 2471
10. Juan Pablo Montoya 2461
11. Greg Biffle 2445
12. Matt Kenseth 2429
13. David Reutimann 2361
14. Kyle Busch 2347
15. Brian Vickers 2309
16. Clint Bowyer 2278
17. Jeff Burton 2201
18. Marcos Ambrose 2175