There's nothing like making a big impact in your first V8 Supercar race and that's just what new Ford sensation Marcos Ambrose did at the 2001 Australian Grand Prix.
He claimed pole position in the dying minutes of qualifying - upsetting pole king Mark Skaife - set the fastest lap, biffed Steven Johnson off the road and copped a $2,500 fine from stewards. It wasn't a dream start but one that served notice that the then 24 year-old Tasmanian 'Devil' Racer is quick, not overawed, and ready to stick his car on the line to win.
Previous experience
Racing: Leaving Australian to chase the elusive F1 dream in England in 1996, he learnt quickly and won regularly. He out-qualified Jenson Button in the 1998 British Formula Ford Festival and did the same to Kimi Raikonnen in '99 and was the 1999 European Formula Ford Champion.
Home: Despite his success, Marcos needed further financial backing to continue chasing his F1 dream. Unforthcoming, it was time to come home and show Australia what he had learnt.
V8: The Stone Brothers and Ford signed him to drive for them in the V8 Supercar series from 2001: he finished eighth in the championship and won Rookie of the Year in his first season.
Win: Two years later Marcos went on to win the 2003 V8 Supercar Championship. It may have been a dream come true for the native Tasmanian, but it was his outstanding driving ability, backed by the power of his Stone Brothers Racing Pirtek BA Falcon that weaved that dream. In only his third year in a V8 Supercar, Ambrose took all before him, winning an incredible six out of the 13 Championship rounds, to regain the title for Ford for the first time since 1997. It was a case of 'Ambrose first, daylight second' in the final points table, with the Gold Coast-based driver finishing 102 points clear of closest competitor.
Medals: When Ambrose finally lifted the trophy, it sealed a dream 12 months in the making for the Tasmanian and for Ford, which celebrated its best ever debut with a Falcon in any Australian Touring Car season. 24 hours later, Ambrose capped off his victory by taking out the inaugural Barry Sheene Medal for "outstanding leadership, sportsmanship and fan appeal".
2006: In 2006, Marcus Ambrose moved to the US and entered the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, finishing the season 21st overall and 3rd in the Rookie of the Year standings, despite having missed the first three races of the year.
2007: In 2007, he moved up into the NASCAR Busch/Nationwide Series, finishing the season ranked 8th in the points standings, highest of any driver not competing in the Nextel Cup, and finished second in the Rookie of the Year standings.
2008: In 2008 Marcos achieved his first Nationwide Series win on August 9 in the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen, which he would win again a further six times, in addition to a seventh NASCAR win in Montreal before announcing his retirement in 2017.
Awards: Awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his racing achievements, Marcos is one of Australia's true racing legends and a passionate and humorous presenter.
Talking Points
Life at 300kph
What it is like to be a professional race car driver. Sharing stories of my ride through the racing ranks and ultimately what it’s like to live the 300kph life.
Life at 300kph
Life in the USA
My perspectives of a 10 year career in NASCAR and the USA. What I discovered about living and doing business in the USA as a self promoted professional athlete.
Life in the USA
Motivational / inspirational
Sharing my personal journey from childhood dreams to international success as a professional race car driver. Demonstrate how motivation, dedication, self awareness and stubbornness can inspire others to achieve their own dreams.
Motivational / inspirational
Life after racing
My experiences of a transition from being an international professional athlete back into everyday life. Share my story of why I chose to step away from professional sport (in somewhat awkward circumstances) and what it’s like to have such a dramatic “seas change” moment.
Life after racing
Marcos did such a great job speaking for us. We had lots of positive feedback on him and people really enjoyed his good nature and the humour of the talk. ... keep reading Justine Stevens, ANZ
Marcos Ambrose has been a fantastic ambassador for the Stegbar brand. Since becoming associated with Stegbar, Marcos has developed strong relationships with a number of our customers, and learnt about our business. This base knowledge, combined with analogies from his racing career make terrific content for Marcos to deliver a strong message to the audience. He speaks with such passion and commitment that people are truly held in awe - and the fantastic thing is all kinds of people are enthralled by Marcos.
Marcos was a pleasure to work with. He was so engaging with the audience and was happy to answer questions from our patrons which they loved! He was very accommodating, flexible and so easy to work with. He went over and above sticking around after his performance to sign things for his fans and interact with the crowd. We loved having Marcos at the Motor Show and would highly recommend using him for any event!
