Thanks for the memories Marcus

[Speed Kills]

Win, lose or draw this weekend you have certainly left us with some wonderful memories of your time in the V8s. It’s rare in this category for someone to leave when they are on top (or very close to it), but congratulations to you for following your dreams, there are many of us out there who never do that.

But in your relatively short time here who could forget…..just to name the first few that popped into my mind;

The pass on Skaife at the final corner in Darwin.

The pass on the kink on the back straight at Sandown, last year I think, when you had missed a gear (or something) up the front straight and had lost a couple of places only to take them back with such nerves of steel was fantastic to watch.

Your poll at Bathurst upon debut – rarely done.

Generally sticking it up the Holden boys, and ending their dominance.

But for me the highlight is from last year when my 5 year old son wrote a letter to you, in his barely legible 5 year old chicken scratching, asking you for one of your race suits for show and tell at school. To my amazement and to your credit, you replied. My son was a little disappointed that you needed your race suits for racing, but the fact that you took the time to write says a lot about your character and that will be missed. My son did get over his initial disappointment about the race suit, and now holds your reply as one of his truly treasured possessions and it’s been to school for show and tell a few times now.

Good luck to you Marcus. Be true to yourself, make yourself proud and with that Australia will be too.

There will be many who will miss you next year, but I’m sure if you ever decide to return to these fine shores and wish to race a V8 again there will be a legion of fans waiting

[retro]

.......it's Marcos?

[D.R.T.]

No question. What Maros has achieved in 5 year stay is nothing short of brilliant. He came, he saw and he conquered.

An amazing driver and will do great in the US

[Henry]

Great post SK.

I'll remember the passes in the most unlikely places... The head-down grit that prevailed in situations where other drivers would or could only implement blind rage and tantrums... the awkwardness in the press which seemed to mask a truly good bloke... two emphatic championship victories, and one that might've been...

Marcos, thanks for ramming Project Blueprint so far up Holden that the canary would've died. Thanks for being a little different from the rest. Thanks for not letting a good nature and a rage to win compromise one another too much. Thanks for daring to aspire to more than Tony Cochrane's supposed dream of world domination. Thanks for giving me a reason to watch another discipline of motorsport.

Thanks, mate, we'll miss you here.

[Buckshot]

Eastern Creek, 2002 I'm in the Orcon Corporate box which was situated above the Stone Bros pit. Marcus in his AU has been chasing Skaife around for the last 40 odd minutes, managing to stay in touch, not getting close enough to have a go but there all the same.

At the end of the race after coming second he gets out of the car directly below me and starts high fiving his pit crew, thanking them etc...

Greg Rust and a camera crew come running over for his after race comments and ask him their first question at which point I called down "Good drive Marcus". Marcus stops talking to the Channel 10 guys, turns and looks up to me giving me the big thumbs up and replied "Thanks mate !".

I used to hold Mr Ambrose in the highest regard, even back then you could tell he was going to change the landscape of V8 Supercar. At the time with the disappointing results from Lowndes it looked liked Ambrose had popped up out of nowhere to become Fords golden boy.

Fast forward to Indy 2004 where a controversial after race brake test on Rick Kelly results in a press conference verbal stoush with Greg Murphy...hmm not like Ambrose...

Then take a step forward again to 2005. Marcus announces his US plans and good on him for chasing a bigger picture but along with that we see his attitude change. Marcus this year has changed into a spoilt little brat punting anyone off that challenges him (Lowndes NZ, Skaife Barbagallo, EC) and having hissy fits on the odd occasion that the officialdom did penalise him for it, the biggest tantrum coming from the balaclava incident at Bathurst.

My appreciation for Marcus went from being a driver I had the utmost respect for to unbelievable disgust.

Good riddance Ambrose, your departure can't come soon enough. I'll even drive you to the airport myself for your US departure.

I can't wait to hear about one of NASCAR's good ol' boys sorting you out in the pits after a race if you employ the same tactics over there that you've been using here for the last 12 months.

Don't hurry back.

[Razor]

With Marcos- he came, he saw, he kicked butt. Without some ugly secnes, Indy 300 last year, Rick Kelly vs Ambrose, Greg Murphy vs Ambrose, Mark Skaife vs Ambrose (quite a few times), Wring Loom vs Ambrose, my favioute, Balaclava vs Ambrose and also IPO vs Ambrose any add ons people

[D.R.T.]

Originally Posted by Buckshot

Then take a step forward again to 2005. Marcus announces his US plans and good on him for chasing a bigger picture but along with that we see his attitude change. Marcus this year has changed into a spoilt little brat punting anyone off that challenges him (Lowndes NZ, Skaife Barbagallo, EC) and having hissy fits on the odd occasion that the officialdom did penalise him for it, the biggest tantrum coming from the balaclava incident at Bathurst.

Those incidents are matters of opinion there Bucky.

Marcos always gave the sport, the spectators exactly what he thought. In a time when people are calling sports people clones, censored and all the rest Marcos' approach was refreshing. Obvioulsy some didnt like it however what cannot be denied is the part he has played in the sports history.

When guys like Murphy, Skaife, Ingall et al are still running around v8 championship in a few years time worrying about their own importance, Marcos will be (hopefully) standing in Daytona 's victory circle with a huge smile on his face.

[Woolley]

I have only one experience of him, marshalling Surfers this year. He's standing in the pitlane and I wander across to see if I can get a signature on a shirt for the son of a friend. I introduce myself and explain that I'm a visting Pom, over there mainly to see the V8s for feal. His reply?

"Thanks for your help, we couldn't race without you guys, we really appreciate your time and effort." And of course, he signed the shirt.

Bearing in mind at the time, he was really busy with sponsors and had a tv crew standing by. Top bloke, Marcos, thanks in return. The lad was thrilled with the signature.

[Timu]

The best memory of Marcos racing in the Pirtek falcon will stay with me for ever! and that was because it happened right in front of our grandstand at the hairpin at Pukekohe!!!!

2002, race 3, and with two laps to go leading the race and on target for the round victory, he had a 200 metre brake lock up and had a blow out, leaving Murph to take the won the round win and the crowd to go birko!!! That was the year of the dislodged tyre bundle at the esses popped all the tyres!

[peckstar]

sandown 2002 final round.

it had been over 5 years since i had seen a ford win a round Marcos fwins the day. We hang round the pits, for a while, walking through the grandstand afterwards, its deseted except for us and one bloke walking back from a corporate gig. It Marcos, he settles in and has a chat for a few minutes. it was great

Clipsal Saturday 2003. in the pits and the crowd is gatherd 5 deep around the race winners pit. he is signing autographs, 3 cheers for marcos ambrose someone yells, the crowd cheer him on as one. Suddenly, there is a tap on my shoulder, its a clipsal girl, Whos this she asked "marcos ambrose: i say "Who" eyebrows raise. the winner of the race, i reply. This race shes asks. Sarcastic yes. Can i go in front of you. Make way i yell clipsal girl coming through. suddenly im getting my 4th hat autographed. just a few seconds from 5 rows back, pretty ahppy with that effort.

I thought Paul Morris summed it up pretty well yesterday on RPM and Superegos. Marcos gave the Ford fans hope, something to cheer for and then he gave us the championship, not once , but twice.

And thats why my sons middle name is ambrose. because marcos brought the glory back to Ford. Plus he got pole on the same day (Skaifey's birthday by coincidence)

I'm saving up for Austar for next year if the trucks are on

C

[rdmdog]

I can recall getting the copy of Auto Fiction the week that SBR announced that they had two as yet unheard of drivers in V8s signed for the upcoming season, big risk everyone said, flash forward to the first session of the first meeting (AGP), Big Nose shows his true form when the new bloke is fastest, "He must have cut a f#%&ing corner!" only to be shown by Rossco S the map of the lap from the dash. (I wish MS would go OS too!!)

Plenty of great moments since, enough to be targeted by plenty. Hopefully the tall poppy syndrome dosent follow you mate, good luck (PS Im a Holden Supporter!!)

[plonkey]

He is a good driver and seemed a cut above the rest. All the best in the States.

[Mattracer]

Has made every post a winner. Hit the ground running in V8Supercar and that has made his career virtually as far as domestic success and a springboard anywhere is concerned. Instant headlines translated into front-running pace which has resulted in back to back titles. The only thing missing is a Bathurst win, but the first priority was to get Ford back to winning. He may have more chances at Bathurst in the future. Somehow, I don't think the impact and the legacy for Ford would have been quite the same had he taken a Bathurst but not a Championship or two, considering the win void he took upon himself to fill. Good effort. No one, either side of the fence can deny him that.

[GROUPA]

I thought his drive in the one make Integra race @ Surfers where he toweled them was good....he won by heaps

ALong with pole @ Bathurst

It would be fair to say he has had his good and bad points whislt in V8 Supercars just like the rest of the drivers

At least he is having a crack overseas....Steve Richards gave it a go, Longhurst in WTCC Cup race, Lowndes got home sick, Skaife even had a crack as well

Nothing ventured nothing gained

I hope he does well...just hope he has some decent engine.chassis under him

[plonkey]

Originally Posted by GROUPA

I thought his drive in the one make Integra race @ Surfers where he toweled them was good....he won by heaps

ALong with pole @ Bathurst

It would be fair to say he has had his good and bad points whislt in V8 Supercars just like the rest of the drivers

At least he is having a crack overseas....Steve Richards gave it a go, Longhurst in WTCC Cup race, Lowndes got home sick, Skaife even had a crack as well

Nothing ventured nothing gained

I hope he does well...just hope he has some decent engine.chassis under him

I think Richo left Kmart or GRM to become a test driver for Nissan in the BTCC series..(I think??). Apparently his father advised him to get as much experience as possible and it certainly appears to have paid off

[pplater]

My fave Marcos Moment is from Sandown 2004.

Excerpt from my Race Report:

"A somewhat frustrated Ambrose was passed by Kelly and Lowndes when the champ missed a gear while accelerating at the race restart, though this did not deter Ambrose too much, as he put awesome passes on Lowndes and Kelly, regaining the lead just as Scifleet's Commodore caught fire, the Konica driver abandoning his car at turn eight, forcing the safety car into action yet again."

Slipping past Lowndes, then Kelly, in the wet.

Art.