Even though it has been pretty much of a lost season for him in Australia’s V8 Supercars series, Marcos Ambrose believes he can still find some success before the racing year is over.
Despite the fact he’s missed almost the entire season up to this point – by choice – Ambrose is ready to reach back for some old magic at one of his homeland’s biggest races of the year, Bathurst, in October, according to FoxSports.com.au.
And even though the V8 Supercar series has severe limits on practice sessions, which has further compounded Ambrose’s problems with so little time behind the wheel, he still hopes to get back into the swing in a test session Friday at Australia’s noted Queensland Raceway.
“I think we can be competitive at Bathurst,” Ambrose said, FoxSports.com.au reported. “We’re going to have our best shot at winning those endurance races.
“Driving again is about getting back on time for the enduros, getting some seat time. I’ll do my very best and that’s why I’m going to be at (Queensland) at 8:40 on a Friday morning on used tires on a green track. I’ll just do what I can do. I’m not planning a time attack or anything.”
On one hand, Ambrose has been fortunate in that teammate Scott Pye has stepped up and kept the DJR Team Penske Falcon competitive. That was the car and team Ambrose left NASCAR for at the end of last season, with hopes of adding to the two Supercars championships he earned in 2003 and 2004 in his home land.
“My experience hasn’t been a good one,” Ambrose admitted. “It’s a difficult series to break into. It’s tough, it’s tough for anyone to get in.
“It’s just the level it’s come to. That’s OK, that’s what we’ll do.”
Even with the struggles he’s had in reacquainting himself with his former style of racing and the vehicles themselves, Ambrose has not second-guessed himself about moving on from NASCAR.
“It hasn’t been bad for me at all,” he said. “Moving on from NASCAR racing in America, I haven’t had any issues. It’s been very easy for me to move on. I’m not sitting there on a Sunday and wishing I was driving the car.”
And while the 12-hour race at Bathurst is definitely on Ambrose’s dance card, he’s still not saying whether he’ll return to racing in 2016 or not.
“I’ve telegraphed pretty clearly that I’m going to do the endurance races this year and not going to think about anything until then,” he said. “The stars will naturally align. When I stood back from the car (when he took a leave of absence early on this season due to his lack of ability to adapt), the very minimum I was going to do was the endurance races.
“I haven’t spoken to anyone about anything (after this season). I’m not in discussion with anyone about anything.”
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