Ambrose Proved to Be Fan Favorite Everywhere
In his final run at the Phoenix International Raceway for Richard Petty Motorsports, Marcos Ambrose heads west for the last time. Ambrose and the No. 9 STANLEY team will compete in Sunday’s race with plenty of fans in the “Valley of the Sun” cheering for Ambrose.
Coming over from Australia to the Southern-born NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Ambrose quickly found friends in his adopted new home state of North Carolina. But, with many Australian friends wanting to see Ambrose race, the West Coast proved easier for them to travel. In return, Ambrose developed a solid fan base from all nations.
Ambrose wants nothing more than to go out with a win. At Phoenix, he has one Top-10 finish.
“In my time here, I’ve seen plenty of excited NASCAR fans. And let me tell you, they have passion! They cheer for their favorite driver, favorite team, and in our case, their favorite ‘King’. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to race all across America for them, hear them and try to give them some excitement. And, yes, even when we go out west, the fans are great. They love NASCAR, and I’ve been fortunate to see friends there and make new ones.
“Every motorsports fan is passionate. But, with NASCAR, it’s a whole other level. They buy your shirt, wear your hat, support our sponsors and everything. It’s great and that’s a lot of fun to be a part of. They are cheering for you, in most cases, and you want to deliver for them. I give it my best each week, hopefully I’ve given them some highlights, and maybe we can make more memories this weekend.”
No. 9 STANLEY 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.
