20 years ago – Ambrose announces his American dream
By Auto Action
Date posted: 5 March 2025
On this day 20 years ago Marcos Ambrose sent the V8 Supercar fraternity into a spin with his decision to leave for America and compete in NASCAR series in 2006, vacating the most prized seat in Australia.
On March 5 2005 Ambrose announced the bombshell during the 2005 Australian Grand Prix weekend, on the eve of his final V8 Supercars season with SBR.
His move to America was first mentioned in AA way back in June 2003 and he has received the full blessing of Ford Australian and SBR, with Ross Stone revealing they are releasing him from his contract one year early.
Although Ambrose’s plans to move into NASCAR are “very liquid” at present, he’ll head to America next month to begin the ground work.
He will attend the Phoenix round of the Nextel Cup and Busch Series on April 23-24, before heading to North Carolina for a seat fitting.
Ambrose’s program will have the full support of Ford USA, but it will only provide contacts and opportunities for the Tasmanian, so he is expecting to have to work hard to earn a drive.
The chance came about through Ford Racing boss Dan Davis who spoke with Ambrose during his recent trip to Daytona 24 Hour.
Ambrose says he is fully prepared to work through deeper Craftsman and Busch Series in the hope of reaching the premier Nextel Cup.
“Im the first guy to say to you, I know what NASCAR is all about,” he said.
“It is not about going around in circles. I understand it behind the scenes.
“I understand how difficult it must be to get the car working well on those ovals.
“The fact that its on an oval entices me even more.
“Im confident I have got the attributes and I’m going to take my time to learn the skill.
“Time will tell whether I can adapt.”
On the track the V8s produced three different winners at Albert Park with Todd Kelly, John Bowe and Mark Skaife victorious from the dramatic sprint races.
A new F1 regulations era arrived with a new team on top with Giancarlo Fisichella beating Ferrari to claim a dramatic opener where Red Bull debuted with David Coulthard in fourth and rain had a big say on Saturday.
array (
0 =>
WP_Term::__set_state(array(
'term_id' => 11,
'name' => 'Latest News',
'slug' => 'latest-news',
'term_group' => 0,
'term_taxonomy_id' => 11,
'taxonomy' => 'category',
'description' => '',
'parent' => 0,
'count' => 15528,
'filter' => 'raw',
'cat_ID' => 11,
'category_count' => 15528,
'category_description' => '',
'cat_name' => 'Latest News',
'category_nicename' => 'latest-news',
'category_parent' => 0,
)),
1 =>
WP_Term::__set_state(array(
'term_id' => 38,
'name' => 'Supercars',
'slug' => 'supercars',
'term_group' => 0,
'term_taxonomy_id' => 38,
'taxonomy' => 'category',
'description' => 'The Supercars Championship, currently known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia\'s biggest sports. It originated from the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC), which held its first race in 1960 at Gnoo-Blas in Orange, New South Wales. The ATCC evolved over the years, and in 1997, it was rebranded as the V8 Supercars Championship, eventually becoming the Supercars Championship we know today.
Some of the leading drivers in the history of the Supercars Championship include Peter Brock, who is often referred to as the "King of the Mountain" for his nine victories at the Bathurst 1000, a race that is considered one of the biggest in the series. Other notable drivers include Dick Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup, who holds the record for the most championship titles, and Mark Skaife, who has also been a dominant force in the series.
The Bathurst 1000, held at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, is arguably the most famous race in the Supercars calendar. Other significant races include the Sandown 500 and the Adelaide 500, which are known for their challenging circuits and thrilling competitions.
The Supercars Championship has grown to become a globally recognized series, known for its competitive racing and passionate fan base. It continues to be a major part of Australia\'s motorsport culture, attracting top drivers and teams from around the world.',
'parent' => 0,
'count' => 5238,
'filter' => 'raw',
'cat_ID' => 38,
'category_count' => 5238,
'category_description' => 'The Supercars Championship, currently known as the Repco Supercars Championship, is the premier motorsport category in Australasia and one of Australia\'s biggest sports. It originated from the Australian Touring Car Championship (ATCC), which held its first race in 1960 at Gnoo-Blas in Orange, New South Wales. The ATCC evolved over the years, and in 1997, it was rebranded as the V8 Supercars Championship, eventually becoming the Supercars Championship we know today.
Some of the leading drivers in the history of the Supercars Championship include Peter Brock, who is often referred to as the "King of the Mountain" for his nine victories at the Bathurst 1000, a race that is considered one of the biggest in the series. Other notable drivers include Dick Johnson, Marcos Ambrose, Craig Lowndes, Shane van Gisbergen, Jamie Whincup, who holds the record for the most championship titles, and Mark Skaife, who has also been a dominant force in the series.
The Bathurst 1000, held at Mount Panorama Circuit in Bathurst, New South Wales, is arguably the most famous race in the Supercars calendar. Other significant races include the Sandown 500 and the Adelaide 500, which are known for their challenging circuits and thrilling competitions.
The Supercars Championship has grown to become a globally recognized series, known for its competitive racing and passionate fan base. It continues to be a major part of Australia\'s motorsport culture, attracting top drivers and teams from around the world.',
'cat_name' => 'Supercars',
'category_nicename' => 'supercars',
'category_parent' => 0,
)),
2 =>
WP_Term::__set_state(array(
'term_id' => 2029,
'name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
'slug' => 'email',
'term_group' => 0,
'term_taxonomy_id' => 2029,
'taxonomy' => 'category',
'description' => '',
'parent' => 2031,
'count' => 6115,
'filter' => 'raw',
'cat_ID' => 2029,
'category_count' => 6115,
'category_description' => '',
'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-Email',
'category_nicename' => 'email',
'category_parent' => 2031,
)),
3 =>
WP_Term::__set_state(array(
'term_id' => 2031,
'name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
'slug' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
'term_group' => 0,
'term_taxonomy_id' => 2031,
'taxonomy' => 'category',
'description' => '',
'parent' => 0,
'count' => 5484,
'filter' => 'raw',
'cat_ID' => 2031,
'category_count' => 5484,
'category_description' => '',
'cat_name' => 'ZZZ-RSSFeeds',
'category_nicename' => 'zzz-rssfeeds',
'category_parent' => 0,
)),
)
