One More Top-10 and Ambrose Will Hit Petty Milestone
Marcos Ambrose is still looking to get his first oval win, a fact that is not lost on the driver of the No. 9 DEWALT Ford. But, the two-time NASCAR Sprint Cup winner, and former track record holder at Michigan International Speedway, has stats that prove that he is one of the most successful to race for “The King” Richard Petty.
Since 1993 (when Richard became sole owner), over a dozen drivers have raced full-time for “The King.” It’s a list that includes Kyle Petty, Rick Wilson, Wally Dallenbach, Jr., John Andretti, Bobby Hamilton, Jeff Green, Buckshot Jones, Bobby Labonte, A.J. Allmendinger, Kasey Kahne, Elliott Sadler, Reed Sorenson, Paul Menard and Aric Almirola. Through the list of drivers, it’s Ambrose who is breaking through and has the potential to be one of the best Petty drivers, post 1993.
While racing for Petty, Ambrose has two wins, three poles, 10 Top-Five and 28 Top-10 finishes. His number of wins equal that of the late Bobby Hamilton and Kasey Kahne. His Top-10 finish mark is only behind Hamilton by one while driving for Petty. He can equal that mark this weekend at Michigan.
Ambrose has 11 previous starts at the track with a best finish of fifth in 2012 with RPM. He also has two more Top-10 finishes at the track. He won the pole in 2012 for this race.
Did you know? @Marcos Ambrose is only one Top-10 finish away from matching one of the greatest Petty drivers.
Did you know? @Marcos Ambrose #9 Fan Page is only one Top-10 finish from matching one of the greatest Petty drivers.
“I don’t pay attention to the stats much, but it’s good to know that I’m part of something special for this Richard Petty team. I came over here and things were a bit rocky, but we’ve pulled through that. I’m fortunate enough for having a partner like STANLEY who has been with us that entire time, Ford too, and we’ve climbed out of a hole and into something that looks bright for years to come. I want to be here and be a part of that, but that also means getting more wins and getting into the championship. That’s where our focus has been this season.
“Michigan is a track that has been kind to me in the past. It’s a very fast track after the repave and the tires are fast too. Luckily, I’ve had good results and I’m anxious to get there. We gained a little bit at Dover and Pocono, but still didn’t have the weekends we want. Michigan is a track where we’ve always performed well, and we’d love to get a win before getting to Sonoma. We know where our strengths are going to be in the next few weeks, and Michigan is up near the top of that list.”
No. 9 DEWALT Ford
A performance and marketing driven company, Richard Petty Motorsports, co-owned by NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty and successful business entrepreneurs Andrew Murstein and Douglas Bergeron, is one of the most recognized brands in all of motorsports. With a history of over 200 wins and business partnerships with national and global leaders, today the race operation fields two teams in competition in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Aric Almirola pilots the famous No. 43 Ford Fusion with primary partners Smithfield Foods, U.S. Air Force, STP, Strike Ten Entertainment and Fresh From Florida, and Marcos Ambrose drives the No. 9 machine with primary partners STANLEY, DEWALT, Mac Tools and Twisted Tea. In addition, Dakoda Armstrong wheels the No. 43 WinField Ford Mustang full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The team is headquartered in Concord, N.C.
