Marcos Ambrose will not return as driver of the No. 9 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford in 2015 according to the team.
“I never thought I would achieve what I have at the Sprint Cup level,” Ambrose said following Saturday’s first practice at Chicagoland Speedway. “I have survived here for years … I have had some wins, but not enough and I feel like I was up against it early on from my background. I came from a country that doesn’t have any asphalt oval racing at all so I feel like I have achieved a lot and am really satisfied.”
Ambrose, a native of Launceston, Tasmania and former V8 Supercar champion said that if he ever thought his NASCAR career has plateaued then it was time for him to move on.
“I’ve always said that if I felt like I had flattened … my learning curve or success, that I was only in the U.S. to win and if I wasn’t able to contend like I want to, then I need to look at my situation and that has been the case.
“It has been a tough couple of years on the race track for me and the personal situation is clear and I just think the timing is right to go home.”
Ambrose won two races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, both coming at the series road course races at Watkins Glen. In addition Ambrose also had 18 career top-five finishes, and 44-top-ten finishes. Ambrose won five races in the Nationwide Series, four coming at Watkins Glen and the other at Montreal.
RPM said that the team is currently evaluating its options for 2015.
“Marcos will always be a part of our extended racing family,” team co-owner Richard Petty said. “He came over to the United States with his family and dedicated his time here to giving it the best he had each week.
“I couldn’t ask anything more from Marcos and his commitment on and off the track to our race team and our partners. Away from the track, he’s a family person first. That’s something I respect and we’ll miss Marcos, (his wife) Sonja and their children.”
