Last season's trip to the Infineon Raceway was one that Marcos Ambrose likely wants to forget about. In fact, he had forgotten all about his heartbreaking miscue in the final laps of last seasons race until reporters mentioned it to him this weekend. For those who didn't catch what happened, in the last few laps of last year's event the Tasmanian Ambrose was trying to conserve fuel under a late caution period. As the field crossed the start finish line he cut his engine off before they reached the hill in turn one. Perfectly routine... that is until the car wouldn't refire. The field then began their assent into turn one, making firing the engine in Ambrose's No. 47 car next to impossible. His car stopped at the top of the hill, Nascar penalized him for not maintaining "reasonable speed" and he was strapped with a sixth place finish.
Even i you're not a fan of the smiling driver from down under, you had to feel bad for him. Having a a shot to win your first race in Nascar's premier series and losing like that is unfathomable. But this season, Ambrose has a new team and some new colors on his car, but he still has the same passion he's had since his first truck series start in 2006.
Ever since he climbed in a stock car, Ambrose has been fighting to prove he belongs. He made his name racing (and dominating) the V8 Supercar Series in his native Australia. This series races strictly on road courses and uses a car similar to a Nascar stock car. They race the same Holdens and Fords that fans drive to the track. Ambrose won series titles in 2003 and 2004 and brought his expertise to our sport in 2006.
Despite his road racing prowess, Ambrose wants to be known as a racer, not a road racer. While he hasn't silenced all of his critics, he has proven that he does belong and he can get it done in Nascar. He has top five finishes at Las Vegas and Dover and has led laps in more than a few events this season. But while he has proven his worth on ovals this season, now the series returns to Ambrose's forte. Now they will turn left and right on the tricky Infineon Raceway. Ambrose and his Stanley team are pretty much a lock for a top ten.
But to win would mean so much to so many more people than just those on the No. 9 Ford team. The team's sponsor Stanley Tools has already committed $100,000 to the Children's Miracle Network. But if Marcos wins the race Sunday, Stanley will add a zero to the check and donate $1,000,000 to the hospitals. Yes a win would cement Marcos Ambrose a place in Nascar and the Sprint Cup Series, but it would also help some very sick children and their families and that would be the most important part of a Marcos Ambrose victory come Sunday.
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