Ambrose leaving JTG, could land at Petty Motorsports
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By Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service
Marcos Ambrose has decided to leave JTG Daugherty Racing at the end of the season, the team announced Tuesday.
Ambrose, in his second full year of Sprint Cup racing for the team, is a disappointing 27th in the standings after finishing 18th last year in his first full season.
Ambrose has been with the team for five years—one season in trucks, two in Nationwide and then two in Cup. Ambrose has recorded five top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in his Cup career, which includes 11 races in 2008.
“After five years, I personally felt it was time for a change,” Ambrose said. “I have no firm plans of what will come next for me and my career.
“I would like to continue in NASCAR and finish off what I started, but I have not discounted returning to Australia. I’m grateful to JTG Daugherty Racing for giving me an opportunity to become a NASCAR driver and I wish them the best in the future.”
Even though he has “no firm plans,” Ambrose is a candidate to replace Kasey Kahne in the No. 9 or Elliott Sadler in the No. 19 at Richard Petty Motorsports, sources close to the situation said. Kahne announced he would leave RPM in April and that he had signed to drive the No. 5 car for Hendrick Motorsports beginning in 2012. Sadler announced earlier this month he would not return to RPM. Neither has announced plans for 2011.
With a career-best second at Watkins Glen last year, Ambrose nearly pulled off his first career Cup win at Infineon Raceway last month but accidentally stalled his car while trying to save fuel late in the race.
Ambrose has two Nationwide victories, both at Watkins Glen, driving for JTG Daugherty Racing.
JTG Daugherty Racing is an affiliate of Michael Waltrip Racing and is based at the MWR shop. Team co-owner Tad Geschickter made the move to Cup with Ambrose after several years in the Nationwide Series.
“Marcos is a friend, and he is a great talent,” Geschickter said. “He will be an asset to his next team. While we hate to see him move on at the end of the season, we will remain focused on winning races with Marcos.”
JTG did not say who would replace Ambrose in its No. 47 Toyota but said it would make an announcement in the “near future” concerning its driver for 2011.
