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He’s already won two V8 Supercars championships, now Marcos Ambrose has his sights set on victory at Bathurst.
After nine years racing in the United States, Ambrose will return to Australia in November to lead the newly-formed Dick Johnson Racing/Team Penske outfit in 2015.
The 38-year-old hasn’t driven a new generation V8 Supercar – and he knows it’s not going to be easy to reacquaint himself with the highly-competitive series, which he’s had to watch from afar on DVDs.
“I am certainly not going to stand up here today and tell you I’m going to come home and dominate the world,” the 2003 and 2004 title winner said on Tuesday.
“I’ve got a big challenge in front of me to get reintegrated into the series … but I know what I’ve done in the past and I know what I’m capable of.”
Ambrose said the biggest factor in getting himself prepared was the series’ restrictions on testing, with a maximum of five days available between now and next year’s season-opening Clipsal 500 in Adelaide.
“As much as anything, I’ve got to get used to shifting with my left hand and sitting on the wrong side of the car,” he said.
“It’s going to take its time but we believe we’re in racing to win and that’s what our intent will be.”
Asked what was left for him to achieve in the category, Mount Panaroma was top of mind.
“I’m yet to win a Bathurst 1000,” Ambrose said.
“I’ve had five shots at it and have done an average job every go. That is certainly on the list.”
Ambrose decided to call time on his American dream before the northern summer, conceding his NASCAR career wasn’t heading in the direction he’d hoped.
“I felt like my opportunities were getting narrower and certainly my results had flattened off. It’s just a fact of life,” he said.
“I’ve certainly scratched the itch of NASCAR and I’m really proud of what I’ve achieved, but I’m happy to return to Australia and go to the next chapter in my racing career.”
Ambrose’s family will move to his home state of Tasmania in December.
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