August 12, 2008
By Allen Madding
Marcos Ambrose's win Saturday in the NASCAR Nationwide Series Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen may come as a surprise to many. But to those who have followed his career, the win is just another addition to a long impressive racing resume. Ambrose began his racing career in karting, logging four Tasmanian Junior Karting titles.
In 1996, he headed to England to compete in Formula One. Lack of funding sent him packing back to Australia.
In 2001, He was tapped by Stone Brothers Racing to wheel their entry in the V8 Supercar Series. He quickly qualified on the pole in his first event in the series and finished his rookie season 8th in the championship points. Ambrose bettered his record the following year qualifying on the pole and winning the first race of the season at Phillip Island and finished the season 3rd in the points.
Ambrose opened the 2003 season with a win in the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide, followed by a win at Eastern Creek Raceway. Ambrose went on to win the 2003 V8 Supercar Series Championship. How did Ambrose follow up the 2003 season? He did it by recording three poles and five wins in 2004 to clinch the V8 Supercar Series Championship for a second year in a row. In 2005, Ambrose finished second in the title chase.
In 2006, Marcus Ambrose was faced with a new challenge. He was hired by Wood Brothers/JTG Racing to drive the team’s No. 20 Aussie Vineyards Ford F-150 in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Ambrose rose to the challenge recording a pole, two top-five and four top-ten finishes.
Ambrose's performance in the Truck Series launched him into the NASCAR Nationwide Series for the 2007 season. He was chosen by Tad Geschickter to drive the No. 59 Kingsford Ford. During the 2007 season, he recorded one top-five, six top-ten finishes, and finished second in the 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series Championship points.
Ambrose picked up the 2008 season where the 2007 NASCAR Nationwide Series left off. He was a threat to win in the Corona Mexico 200 on the road course at Mexico City, Mexico where he finished second to Kyle Busch. A sixth place finish followed in the Meijer 300 at the 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway. Ambrose then recorded a third place finish in the NAPA Auto Parts 200 at the 2.7-mile road course in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
In the closing laps of the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen’s winding 2.45-mile road course, many thought that Kyle Busch would score the win after Busch knocked Jeff Burton out of the lead. Burton got himself back around Busch but would later run out of fuel and have to duck onto pit road. Race leader Jimmie Johnson would endure the same fate. Suddenly the white flag was waving and Marcus Ambrose was leading the final lap. Ambrose steered the No. 59 STP Ford to victory lane at Watkins Glen for his firs NASCAR Nationwide Series win.
Ambrose currently sits in tenth position in the NASCAR Nationwide Series championship points and has made three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts. His NASCAR career is just beginning to produce the results that he has enjoyed throughout his racing career. Expect great things in the coming years from the driver from Launceston, Australia.
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