Aussie V8 Supercars ace Scott McLaughlin says he wants to follow in the footsteps of fellow countryman Marcos Ambrose, who won seven NASCAR races in a nine-year career in the U.S. McLaughlin, 24, currently drives Down Under for Roger Penske as part of the powerful DJR/Team Penske Supercars team. He replaced Ambrose on the team when the former Wood Brothers and Richard Petty Motorsports racer failed to deliver for The Captain when he returned home in 2014. The New Zealand-born McLaughlin has won six races this year in the road racing series at the wheel of the No. 17 Shell V-Power Racing Team Ford. He led the championship going into the Bathurst 1000 (he dropped to third in the standings after engine trouble at Bathurst ended his day early) and has his sights set firmly on the Supercars title, which would be a first for Penske. “I’ve got a championship to win,” said McLaughlin during the Supercheap Auto Bathurst 1000 touring cars weekend. “But it’s my goal one day to drive in NASCAR.” McLaughlin, who went out with engine troubles early in this year’s 1000, was a fan of two-time Supercars champ Ambrose as a kid in New Zealand. “He was a terrific driver,” said McLaughlin of Ambrose, who made 227 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup starts from 2006-2014. “I’d like to at least emulate him.”

Scott McLaughlin celebrates following a big weekend in Queensland, Australia, in July. LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

And McLaughlin would love to do it at Team Penske. “When a person like Roger (Penske) thinks you can drive a bit, it’s not a bad feeling,” said McLaughlin. “It would be awesome to compete in America. I am 24, and I do have a long way to go. The best thing to do is check off the boxes, and once I’ve done that, I’ll probably go somewhere, and that could be to NASCAR.” McLaughlin said he has always admired NASCAR and IndyCar. Team Penske competes in both. “I love the categories,” he said. “I was a Penske fan from way back and to align myself with them was a no-brainer.” Ambrose ruled road racing in NASCAR during his time in the series. He was solid on ovals too after learning the driving style necessary to be competitive on them. McLaughlin has never raced on an oval. “I’ve done a few computer simulations on them,” said McLaughlin. “I understand the racing, where to find the grip, but it is certainly different.”

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