Marcos Ambrose will race a Ford Mustang in next month’s Hi-Tec Oils Bathurst 6 Hour and also work as a television commentator on Stan Sport.
The two-time Supercars champion is already a familiar face in the Shannons SpeedSeries paddock in his capacity as Competition Director at Garry Rogers Motorsport.
However, after a false start last year, he will also compete in the Bathurst 6 Hour itself in 2023.
Ambrose will partner George Miedecke and Tim Brook in Class A2 (Extreme Performance Naturally Aspirated) in a Mustang run by Andrew Miedecke Ford/Miedecke Motor Group.
It is the same vehicle which the NASCAR race winner was supposed to drive in last year’s Mount Panorama production car enduro, but was a late withdrawal due to new car electrical gremlins.
The drive continues a relationship which began when George Miedecke competed for Marcos Ambrose Motorsport in Late Model stock cars in the United States.
“I am looking forward to finishing this story of the GRM Mustang that we built for the Miedeckes,” said Ambrose.
“It was supposed to run last year but we had issues with the transmission and the car just wasn’t ready.
“They have been working on it in Queensland for a while, been testing and it’s ready to go. We’ll have a shakedown at Queensland Raceway on Tuesday.
“I’m really looking forward to teaming up with George and Andrew, we’ve been good friends for a long time and it should be a good weekend enjoying the car and the race.
“It’s great to be part of the race and the broadcast team this year. I’ve been up there at the 6 Hour and it’s become one of my favourite events to visit on the crew side.
“It feels old school to me; private teams, working on their cars all year for the one big race.
“There’s lots of speed difference between the cars, different configurations and 6 hours is the perfect length for the race.”
Andrew Miedecke added, “I’ve been to Bathurst many times and I see the Bathurst 6 Hour as being the race that I first started competing in 1986.
“The cars are quite similar – Group A cars were essentially production cars with relatively limited modifications and they are surprisingly similar to the modifications allowed in the 3E Production Car regulations.
“It’s a true Bathurst as it used to be with the classes and the challenges that entails – the different cars, drivers and speeds between them all. To me it’s nostalgic and a really good race.
“I think there’s opportunity for an upset. The Mustang won’t be as quick up the hill as the BMWs [which race in Class X for Ultimate Performance] but we’re hoping with our reliability, strategy and our drivers we hope to be in the fight at the end.”
Ambrose has been a popular addition in his cameos on Supercars broadcasts in the past two years.
At Bathurst for Stan Sport/the Australian Racing Group, he will join a team comprised also of host Matthew White, reporters Chris Stubbs and Molly Taylor, and commentators Matt Naulty and Richard Craill.
Supercheap Auto TCR Australia driver Josh Buchan will also put on a headset, while regulars Greg Rust and Fabian Coulthard have the weekend off for family commitments.
SpeedSeries Head of Broadcast Andrew Janson said, “Marcos is a great addition to the team and the fact he is also racing in a competitive car means we’ll have the best possible insight into what it takes to conquer the Mountain in the Bathurst 6 Hour.
“He’s still highly current, forthright and honest in his opinions and that’s why he’s so good on TV.
“Our plan is that he will be able to jump straight out of the car and debrief with us at the same time, if not just after, he does with the team. It will be great access and insight for the audience.
“We’re happy to add he and Josh Buchan to the team, plus some other guest callers, across the weekend. Rusty and Fabian will be back for Phillip Island and the remainder of the season, but this is also a chance to get some different voices into the mix.”
Stan Sport’s live, ad-free, and on-demand coverage of the event starts on Saturday, April 8 at 12:00 local time/AEST, and resumes on Sunday at 09:00 local time/AEST.
Aside from the Bathurst 6 Hour itself, the bill features Fanatec GT World Challenge powered by AWS, GT4/Australian Production Cars, Excel Cup, and Nissan Pulsars.
Every SpeedSeries event can be seen live, ad-free, and on-demand on Stan Sport.
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