Marcos Ambrose’s Legacy Goes Full Circle as Daughter Prepares to Drive His NASCAR Machine

Former Australian V8 Supercars turned NASCAR Cup Series driver, Marcos Ambrose, has adored his daughters like anything, and in fact, his girls were the first ones he would reconnect with after a long race weekend, as he once admitted. And now, his daughter, Tabitha Ambrose, is ready to give him a nostalgic feel by driving the NASCAR machine he once drove for Richard Petty Motorsports.

Tabitha will drive Marcos’ No. 9 Ford Fusion, the same car he drove to NASCAR Cup Series wins at Watkins Glen in 2011 and 2012. Her first opportunity to get behind the wheel of her father’s winning racecar will come during a February 4 test day conducted under the supervision of Warren Luff, co-driver with Ambrose at the 2005 Supercars enduros. And then it will be followed by a public appearance at the Repco Adelaide Motorsport Festival from February 28 to March 1.

Lately, Marcos and Tabitha have increasingly appeared together at major motorsport gatherings, promoting events such as the Adelaide Motorsport Festival and the Adelaide Grand Final. In those roles, they serve as ‘Fanbassadors,’ connecting generations of fans to the sport.

Tabitha is currently a rising racing talent in her own right, taking a path that mirrors her father’s early climb, yet remaining distinctly her own. As of now, she competes in the Formula Ford series and has already turned heads by running liveries that echo Marcos’ championship-winning machines.

Tabitha Ambrose will drive her father Marcos Ambrose’s race-winning NASCAR at the Adelaide Motorsport Festival.https://t.co/OuZCUrzY3W

— Speedcafe.com (@speedcafe) January 23, 2026

Her racing resume already includes a class victory at the Bathurst Six Hour, an early milestone that proved her adaptability and racing skills. Alongside her Formula Ford commitments, Tabitha spent last season driving a selection of historic race cars and now prepares to make the transition into tin-top racing.

Tabitha’s recent campaigns also carry strong visual ties to her father’s legacy. She competed in the 2025 Formula Ford season wearing PIRTEK colors, the same branding Marcos carried when he claimed Supercars Championship titles in 2003 and 2004.

During Marcos’s time in NASCAR, he drove for over seven seasons in the Cup Series, making 227 starts and winning two races. He never claimed a championship, but earned a reputation as a road-course master, just like Shane van Gisbergen at this point in NASCAR.

After the 2014 Cup Series season, Ambrose stepped away from professional racing and returned to Tasmania. But distance from competition did not dull his connection to speed. The former competitor has even openly acknowledged the possibility of his daughter racing in NASCAR one day. For now, with Tabitha preparing to drive the very stock car that carried her father to Cup Series victories, that possibility may begin to take real form.

About the author

Neha Dwivedi

Neha Dwivedi is an experienced NASCAR Journalist at The SportsRush, having penned over 5500 articles on the sport to date. She was a seasoned writer long before she got into the world of NASCAR. Although she loves to see Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch win the races, she equally supports the emerging talents in the CARS Late Model and ARCA Menards Series.. For her work in NASCAR she has earned accolades from journalists like Susan Wade of The Athletic, as well as NASCAR drivers including Thad Moffit and Corey Lajoie. Her favorite moment from NASCAR was witnessing Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. win the championship trophies. Outside the racetrack world, Neha immerses herself in the literary world, exploring both fiction and non-fiction.

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