World-traveling Ambrose finds home in NASCAR, North Carolina
By: Paul Woody
Richmond Times-Dispatch
Published: September 09, 2011
When he was growing up, Marcos Ambrose called Launceton, on the island-state of Tasmania, Australia home.
When he had achieved all he could in motorsports in Australia, he moved to England, where he lived for 2 years.
Then, he moved to Paris for a year, all the time racing throughout Europe.
Ambrose and his family wife Sonja and two daughters get around.
And when you ask him to pick the favorite among the places he has called home during his travels, he puts Kannapolis, N.C. at the top of the list.
Pardon?
Paris vs. Kannapolis? And Kannapolis wins?
Ambrose, 35, might be the only person in the world to say the charm of Kannapolis outweighs the allure of Paris.
"Paris is beautiful, but it's not for me," he said. "I felt a bit boxed in. I had a flat that was about as big as a fuel cell in one of these cup cars. There was no room and people everywhere. But it was good experience to live in a big city like that."
But Kannapolis, that is the place for Ambrose.
"I've really enjoyed my time in North Carolina," Ambrose said. "It's a beautiful place, and there are great people. We've got more bang for our dollar living there than any place I've ever been. Homes are reasonably priced, there's lot of things to do and the weather's great.
"It's a great country, America."
Ambrose, who drives the No. 9 Sprint Cup car for Richard Petty Motorsports, is one of the few NASCAR drivers who can make international comparisons.
He has raced Down Under, on the other side of the pond and throughout Europe.
"Racing's taken me all over the world," Ambrose said. "I will go wherever the races take me, and do whatever I need to do to be competitive.
"I'm only the fourth international driver to win in NASCAR's premier series. I'm one of the few to come across and make it stick."
Ambrose just wishes he'd been able to stick more victories and points onto his totals for this season. He has one victory, on the road course at Watkins Glen, but stands 21st in points. To be eligible for one of the two wild cards for the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship, a driver has to have at least one victory and be within the top 20 in points.
Ambrose trails the man currently in place to take the second wild-card spot, Denny Hamlin, by 59 points.
Ambrose is in his sixth year in NASCAR and says, "I've paid my dues. I've been in some good deals and bad deals along the way. But I just put my head down and tried to learn the sport as best I can and apply myself.
"I try to be a good person whilst doing it, but not to be a pushover, all those things you've got to do. It's been a satisfying period in my life, no doubt. I've enjoyed myself. Racing's worked out well."
Ambrose took a bit of a chance this season. He left JTG Daugherty Racing for Richard Petty Motorsports. Ambrose had been affiliated with Daugherty since he arrived in the United States. He went to RPM uncertain about a major sponsor.
"It was a chance for both of us and a risk for both of us," Ambrose said. "I needed to shake things up a bit. I felt like I was getting stale and if I was going to get the most out of myself, I needed to step up and do something different.
"I wanted to know where I stood. I wanted to jump in with a new group."
So far, things have been OK. Ambrose has his Sprint victory at Watkins Glen he's always a threat road courses and a Nationwide victory in Montreal.
"We had a great month," Ambrose said of August. "But racing's all about the next race, not the last one. I'd like to feel we've stepped up in sport, but nothing's for certain. Nothing's forever."
Oh, and in case you're wondering, Ambrose begins conversations by saying, "Hello, mate," and ends them by saying, "Thanks, mate."
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updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM