Marcos Ambrose

Marcos Ambrose brought a world-class road racing pedigree from his native Australia to NASCAR, and across 236 Cup starts and two victories, the Launceston, Tasmania native left an indelible mark on the sport's road course events. Ambrose was a two-time V8 Supercars champion in Australia, and when he transitioned to American stock car racing, he brought a level of road course expertise that the Cup field had rarely seen. Both of his Cup victories came at Watkins Glen International, in 2011 and 2012, where his ability to brake later, turn in harder, and carry more corner speed than his competitors was nothing short of breathtaking. His duels with Brad Keselowski at the Glen produced two of the most dramatic road course finishes in recent Cup history. Ambrose's adaptation to oval racing was impressive as well, with consistent top-15 and top-20 finishes on tracks that bore no resemblance to the road and street circuits where he had built his reputation. His willingness to learn the craft of oval racing, and his steady improvement in that discipline, demonstrated the adaptability that great drivers possess. When Ambrose returned to Australia, he left behind a small but powerful legacy in NASCAR. His two Watkins Glen victories remain benchmarks for road course racing in the Cup Series, and he proved that world-class talent can translate across the globe.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference