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Satellite view of New York's Finger Lakes. In addition, Lake Ontario appears at top, Oneida Lake upper right, Cazenovia Lake directly below Oneida.

The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and narrow (resembling fingers), and are oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in America. Both are close to 40 miles (64 km) from end to end, and never more than 3.5 miles (5.6 km) wide. Cayuga is the longest (38.1 miles, 61 km) and Seneca the largest in total area. Seneca is the deepest (618 feet, 188 m), followed by Cayuga (435 feet, 133 m), with their bottoms well below sea level. These largest lakes resemble the others in shape, which collectively reminded early map-makers of human fingers. Oneida Lake is generally not considered one of the Finger Lakes, but it is sometimes called the "thumb".

Lakes[link]

Map of the Finger Lakes

The eleven Finger Lakes from east to west are: Otisco Lake, Skaneateles Lake, Owasco Lake, Cayuga Lake, Seneca Lake, Keuka Lake, Canandaigua Lake, Honeoye Lake, Canadice Lake, Hemlock Lake, and Conesus Lake.

Cazenovia Lake to the east, although smaller, is sometimes called "the twelfth Finger Lake," because it is similar in shape, located in Appalachian hill terrain, with a historic village linked to other Finger Lakes by US 20. It may have been formed in the same manner as the Finger Lakes, as satellite photos show three valleys similar in character and spacing to the Finger Lakes east of Otisco Lake. The first is the Tully Valley, which includes a chain of small lakes at the south end that could be a "Finger Lake" that never formed because of a terminal moraine. The moraine caused the Tioughnioga River to flow south instead of north, the opposite of the other waters of the Finger Lakes. The next two valleys to the east contain Butternut Creek, which flows north, and the East Branch of the Tioughnioga River, which flows south. The next valley contains Limestone Creek, which flows north. The next valley after that contains Cazenovia Lake.

Seneca Lake, from South Main Street in Geneva, New York.

Oneida Lake, to the northeast of Syracuse, New York, is sometimes included as the "thumb," although it is shallow and somewhat different in character from the rest. Onondaga Lake, though located just north of the Finger Lakes region, is not considered one of the Finger Lakes. As with Oneida and Cazenovia Lakes, it drains into Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River. Likewise, Chautauqua Lake to the west is not considered a Finger Lake; it drains into the Allegheny River and eventually into the Gulf of Mexico.

Conesus, Hemlock, Canadice, Honeoye, and Otisco are considered the minor Finger Lakes. Other, smaller lakes, including Silver, Waneta, and Lamoka lakes, dot this region. However, Waneta and Lamoka lakes are part of the Susquehanna River watershed as they drain into a tributary of the Chemung River. East of Oneida and Cazenovia Lakes are the headwaters of the Susquehanna River and Hudson River watersheds (the former in the foothills of the Catskills, the latter through the Mohawk Valley and southern Adirondack Mountains).

The 2,000-acre (8 km²) muckland of a valley located in Potter, New York, which is part of Torrey Farms, is considered to be almost a twelfth Finger Lake, as the waterline is just below the surface. It once was a swamp.

Geology[link]

The lakes originated as a series of northward-flowing rivers. Around two million years ago the first of many continental glaciers moved southward from the Hudson Bay area, initiating the Pleistocene glaciation. These glaciers rode in and accentuated the existing river valleys. Evidence of their action can be seen in the terminal moraines at the southern ends of these lakes.

Wine[link]

The Finger Lakes area is New York's largest wine producing region. Over 100 wineries and vineyards are located around Seneca, Cayuga, Canandaigua, Keuka, Conesus and Hemlock lakes. Because of the lakes' great depth, they provide a lake effect to the lush vineyards that flank their shores. Retaining residual summer warmth in the winter, and winter's cold in the spring, the grapes are protected from disastrous spring frost during shoot growth, and early frost before the harvest. The main grape varieties grown are Chardonnay, Riesling from Alsace region in France, Gewürztraminer (idem), Pinot Noir (idem), Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, Seyval Blanc and many Vitis labrusca (American native) varieties or cultivars. With the passage of the Farm Winery Act in 1976, numerous wineries are now open to visitors. Wineries are a growth industry of the region, contributing through their production and by attracting visitors.

History[link]

Bluff Point on Keuka Lake

The Finger Lakes region contains evidence of pre-Iroquois habitation, such as The Bluff Point Stoneworks, but little is known about who may have constructed these enigmatic works.

The Finger Lakes region is a central part of the Iroquois homeland. The Iroquois tribes include the Seneca and Cayuga tribes, for which the two largest Finger Lakes are named. The Tuscarora tribe lived in the Finger Lakes region as well, from ca. 1720. The Onondaga and Oneida tribes lived at the eastern edge of the region, closer to their namesake lakes, Lake Oneida and Onondaga Lake. The easternmost Iroquois tribe were the Mohawk. During colonial times, many other tribes moved to the Finger Lakes region, seeking the protection of the Iroquois. For example, in 1753 remnants of several Virginia Siouan tribes, collectively called the Tutelo-Saponi, moved to the town of Coreorgonel at the south end of Cayuga Lake near present-day Ithaca, until 1779 when their village was destroyed. Major Iroquois towns in the Finger Lakes region included the Seneca town of Gen-nis-he-yo (present-day Geneseo), Kanadaseaga (Seneca Castle, near present-day Geneva), Goiogouen (Cayuga Castle, east of Cayuga Lake), Chonodote (Cayuga town, present-day Aurora), and Catherine's Town (near present-day Watkins Glen).

As one of the most powerful Indian nations during colonial times, the Iroquois were able to prevent European colonization of the Finger Lakes region for nearly two centuries after first contact. By the late 18th century Iroquois power had weakened, relative to the European-Americans, and internal strife eroded the political unity of the Iroquois Confederacy. During the American Revolutionary War some of the Iroquois sided with the British and some with the Americans, resulting in civil war among the Iroquois. In the late 1770s, British-allied Iroquois attacked various American frontier settlements, prompting counter-attacks, culminating in the Sullivan Expedition of 1779, which destroyed most of the Iroquois towns and effectively broke Iroquois power.

After the Revolutionary War, the Iroquois and other Indians of the region were assigned reservations. Most of their land, including the Finger Lakes region, was opened up to purchase and settlement.

Roughly the western half of the Finger Lakes region comprised the Phelps and Gorham Purchase of 1790. The region was rapidly settled at the turn of the 19th century, largely by a westward migration from New England, and to a lesser degree by northward influx from Pennsylvania. The regional architecture reflects these area traditions of the Federal and Greek Revival periods.

The Finger Lakes region, together with the Genesee Country of Western New York, has been referred to as the Burned-Over District, where, in the 19th century, the Second Great Awakening was a revival of Christianity, and some new religions were also formed. The region was active in reform and utopian movements. Many Underground Railroad sites have been documented. The Harriet Tubman Home at Auburn recalls the life and work of the African-American "Moses of her people."

On the northern end of the Finger Lakes are also Seneca Falls, the birthplace of the Women's suffrage movement; Waterloo, the birthplace of Memorial Day; and Palmyra, the birthplace of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). An annual outdoor drama, The Hill Cumorah Pageant, produced by the Mormons, draws thousands of visitors each year.

Hammondsport was the home of aviation pioneer Glenn Curtiss, and the favorable air currents make the area a popular spot for glider pilots. Elmira, just to the south, was the home of Mark Twain in his later life, and the site of an infamous Civil War prison. Corning is most noted as the home of Corning Glass Works and the Corning Museum of Glass. Hornell, just southwest of the Finger Lakes was a major railroad center. Locomotives were repaired there until recently. Conesus, New York remains the home of the oldest producer of pure grape sacramental wine in the Western hemisphere.

Granger Homestead, Canandaigua

Notable among the historic buildings of the region (most linked below) is the Granger Homestead (1816), a large village house in Federal Style at Canandaigua, New York. Another example of the Federal Style is the Prouty-Chew House (1829) at Geneva, portions of which were altered at various times in new fashions. Three Greek Revival mansions are situated near three lakes: The Richard DeZeng House, Skaneateles (1839), Rose Hill, Geneva (1839), and Esperanza, Penn Yan (1838). The latter two are open to the public. The Seward House in Auburn, a National Historic Landmark, is a mansion more characteristic of the Civil War era, virtually unchanged from the nineteenth century. Belhurst Castle, Geneva, a stone mansion in the Romanesque Revival style, now serves as an inn. Sonnenberg mansion at Canandaigua is later nineteenth-century residence in the Queen Anne style, known for its restored period gardens. Geneva on the Lake is a villa (1910–14) that recalls those on Italian lakes. Now an inn, it has gardens in the European manner. Many buildings and historic districts of the Finger Lakes region are notable, other than these historic houses.

Canadice Lake is surrounded by the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest

Hemlock Lake, one of the western Finger Lakes

Implemented in August 2010, the Hemlock-Canadice State Forest covers 6,684 acres (27.05 km²) that encompass the two western Finger Lakes, Hemlock and Canadice Lakes. These lakes have provided drinking water for the City of Rochester for more than 100 years. To protect water quality, the city acquired much of the property around the lakes. Over the decades, the land reforested, but a few traces of its past, such as stone walls or cottage foundations, remain. Today these two lakes, with their steep, forested, largely undeveloped shorelines and deep clear water, provide visitors a glimpse of the Finger Lakes of the past. The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) manages this State Forest for compatible public access for recreation, including fishing, hunting, nature study, boating and hiking. Activities in Hemlock-Canadice State Forest are subject the DEC’s Rules and Regulations for the Use of State Lands, 6 NYCRR Part 190, as well as any other applicable state statutes, rules and regulations. These are sensitive areas because they protect public drinking water.

Educational institutions[link]

The area is also known for education, with the largest institution being Cornell University in Ithaca. Other notable schools are Ithaca College also located in Ithaca, Wells College in Aurora; Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, Keuka College in Keuka Park, New York, Finger Lakes Community College in Canandaigua and Geneva, The State University of New York at Cortland in Cortland, New York.

Museums[link]

The Finger Lakes region is home to several museums. These include the Corning Museum of Glass, the Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, the Strong National Museum of Play, Glenn H. Curtiss Museum, Wings of Eagles Discovery Center, Museum of the Earth, National Soaring Museum the Rockwell Museum of Western Art, the Genesee Country Museum in Mumford and the Samuel Warren Homestead of the York Historical Society, birthplace of NYS' first successful commercial winery. The Women's Rights National Historic Park [1] is located in Seneca Falls. The park includes the home of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Wesleyan Chapel where she held the first convention on women's rights in 1848.

References[link]

• Thompson, John H., ed. Geography of New York State (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1977)
• Engeln, O. D., von. The Finger Lakes Region: Its Origin and Nature (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1961, 1988)
• Finger Lakes Tourism Statistics [2]
• House, Kirk W. and Mitchell, Charles R. Finger Lakes (Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 2008)

External links[link]

Finger Lakes portal

• Finger Lakes at the Open Directory Project

Coordinates: 42°45′35″N 76°56′43″W / 42.75967°N 76.94514°W / 42.75967; -76.94514

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Marcos Ambrose
Born	(1976-09-01) 1 September 1976 (age 35) Launceston, Tasmania, Australia
Achievements	1999 European Formula Ford Champion 2003, 2004 V8 Supercar Champion
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career
131 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
Car no., team	No. 9 (Richard Petty Motorsports)
2011 position	19th
Best finish	18th – 2009
First race	2008 Toyota/Save Mart 350 (Sonoma)
Last race	2012 Coca-Cola 600 (Charlotte)
First win	2011 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen (Watkins Glen)
Wins Top tens Poles 1 26 0
NASCAR Nationwide Series career
75 race(s) run over 5 year(s)
2011 position	98th
Best finish	8th – 2007
First race	2007 Orbitz 300 (Daytona)
Last race	2011 NAPA Auto Parts 200 (Montreal)
First win	2008 Zippo 200 at the Glen (Watkins Glen)
Last win	2011 NAPA Auto Parts 200 (Montreal)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 16 4
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series career
22 race(s) run over 1 year(s)
Best finish	21st – 2006
First race	2006 Kroger 250 (Martinsville)
Last race	2006 Ford 200 (Homestead)
Wins Top tens Poles 4 1
Statistics current as of May 24, 2012.

Marcos Ambrose (born 1 September 1976 in Launceston, Tasmania)^[1] is a championship winning Australian racing car driver. He currently drives the #9 Stanley Black & Decker Ford Fusion for Richard Petty Motorsports in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Ambrose is a dual Australian V8 Supercar champion in 2003 and 2004, having spearheaded Stone Brothers Racing's rise in the sport which saw the team dominate for three years after a five-year drought for Ford teams in the championship.

In 2006 Ambrose relocated to the USA to pursue racing in NASCAR, starting with the Camping World Truck Series; driving a Ford for JTG Daugherty Racing. He moved up to the Nationwide Series in 2007 with the same team; driving the #59 Kingsford Charcoal Ford Fusion for JTG Daugherty Racing,^[2] before racing in the Sprint Cup Series with Wood Brothers Racing, first with Fords then Toyotas. Ambrose joined Richard Petty Motorsports in 2011 where after four years in the Sprint cup he scored his first race win at Watkins Glen, becoming the first Australian driver to do so.

Early years[link]

Marcos grew up in Launceston, in Tasmania, Australia, the son of another racing driver, Ross Ambrose and was educated at Scotch Oakburn College. He began racing karts at the age of ten. He won four Tasmanian state junior karting titles and was the Australian karting champion in 1995 in the Clubman Heavy class at the Dubbo circuit in New South Wales driving for Tony Kostelnak racing.

He moved into Formula Ford in 1996. The Ambrose family have a rich history in this formula as Marcos' father Ross Ambrose, along with Ralph Firman Sr, co-founded Formula Ford chassis builder Van Diemen. Ambrose finished second in the Australian Formula Ford championship in 1997.

In 1998 Ambrose moved to Europe in a bid to reach Formula One, competing in British Formula Ford in 1998 and 1999. In 1999 he won the European Formula Ford Championship. In 2000 he began the season racing in the French Formula Three Championship, before switching mid-season to the British Formula Three Championship.

At the end of 2000 Ambrose did not have the budget to continue in racing in Europe, and returned to Australia. In October 2000 he was invited to compete in a Young Guns invitational race held at the Gold Coast Indy 300. Ambrose won against a host of young drivers in Honda road cars.

He also represented Australia in the 1996 EFDA Nations Cup at Donington Park in England.

2001–2005: V8 Supercars Australia[link]

Ambrose in his Stone Brothers Racing Falcon at Indy 2005

For 2001 Ambrose was signed by Stone Brothers Racing to drive the Pirtek Racing Ford Falcon. Ambrose stunned the V8 Supercar world when he qualified on pole for his first ever V8 Supercar race, supporting the Australian Grand Prix (a non-championship event before the championship season). Qualified on pole again in round three at Eastern Creek Raceway, round 9 at Queensland Raceway and round 11, the Bathurst 1000 at Mount Panorama Circuit.

Ambrose went on to finish eighth in the championship, winning the Rookie of the Year award. He won the fourth round of the season, at Hidden Valley Raceway in Darwin, although he did not win any of the three races in the round.^[3]

The 2002 season saw Ambrose start the season snaring the pole position at Phillip Island before recording his debut race win in the first race. He eventually finished third in the V8 Supercar Championship, including winning the final round at Sandown Raceway.

With a new BA Falcon, Ambrose gave the Ford team a great start to the 2003 season with victory in the first race of the Clipsal 500 in Adelaide. He followed this fantastic start with a third career win at Eastern Creek Raceway where he led Ford home to a memorable 1–2–3 at the Sydney track. This was Ford's first clean sweep of the podium since Eastern Creek 1997 and Ambrose’s first round win for the season. After 13 rounds in the 2003 V8 Supercar Series, Ambrose was presented with the driver’s series trophy, 102 points clear of second place.

In 2004 Ambrose claimed three pole positions and five round wins and went into the final round at Eastern Creek Raceway with a virtually unbeatable lead. In the end he collected his second championship in the opening Saturday night race and then went on to clean-sweep the round in record-breaking style in his Pirtek Falcon. This was the first time Ford had won back-to-back titles since 1988–89. Teammate Russell Ingall also drove a superb final round to finish second in the championship, giving Stone Brothers Racing a memorable 1–2 Quinella finish.

Ambrose won the coveted Barry Sheene Medal in 2003 and 2004.

He started 2005 the way he ended 2004 with a clean sweep of the opening round in Adelaide. He remained in the championship lead until Round 10 at the Bathurst 1000 when he was involved in a controversial crash with Greg Murphy approaching The Cutting on the way up 'The Mountain' late in the race. The two drivers, infuriated with one another, shared some heated words after the crash.

This crash, combined with a poor performance at the co-hosted (with the Champ Cars) round on the Gold Coast arguably lost him a third straight title. He thereafter supported teammate Russell Ingall's title bid successfully, and the two helped Ford and Stone Brothers Racing take the Drivers, Teams, and Manufacturer's championships. Ambrose finished third in the championship behind Ingall and fellow Ford driver, and good friend Craig Lowndes.

Ambrose is still the only driver to have a round win in every V8 Supercar season he has participated in.

2006: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series[link]

At the first V8 Supercar race of 2005, Ambrose called a press conference on the Saturday morning to announce that he would leave V8 Supercars at the end of the 2005 season to try and make a career in NASCAR.

Ford Motor Company signed Ambrose to participate overseas in the United States with Wood Brothers/JTG Racing in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2006. However, Ambrose had to wait until part way through the 2006 season to begin. NASCAR did not clear Ambrose to race the NCTS' first three races, as they were held on intermediate to high-speed ovals, and like fellow Wood Brothers/JTG Racing driver Bobby East, Ambrose was not cleared to start in the faster races. Ambrose made his Truck Series debut on 1 April 2006 at the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway, qualifying 20th and finishing 33rd after being caught up in an incident unfolding in front of him.^[4]

Ambrose is the first notable Australian driver in a NASCAR sanctioned event since Dick Johnson in 1990 and Australian based New Zealander Jim Richards in the mid 90s.

Ambrose made history by finishing third in the O'Reilly Auto Parts 250 at Kansas Speedway on 2 July 2006. This was the first time a non-American driver has finished in the top five of a truck series event since Canadian Ron Fellows won on the Watkins Glen road course on 26 June 1999. He also took the lead in the opening laps, becoming the first Australian to lead laps in Camping World Truck Series competition. The next week, he made further history by scoring his first pole position for the Built Ford Tough 225 at Kentucky Speedway,^[5] and then leading the most laps in the race itself, though he finished 19th.^[6] Ambrose scored his second podium result of his debut Craftsman Truck Series season, finishing 3rd in the Toyota Tundra 200 at Nashville Superspeedway after qualifying 11th.

Ambrose reached as high as 19th in the championship points,^[7] but finished the season 21st overall and 3rd in the Rookie of the Year standings, despite having missed the first three races of the year.^[2]

2007–2010: Nationwide Series & Sprint Cup Series[link]

Marcos Ambrose during the 2007 Ford 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

For 2007, Ambrose stepped up to the NASCAR Nationwide Series, driving the #59 Kingsford Ford Fusion fielded by Wood Brothers/JTG Racing. In the first two races of the 2007 season, he finished on the lead lap, in 16th and 25th, on tracks he had never previously raced on. In the third race of the season, the Telcel-Motorola México 200, Ambrose finished eighth, his career best at the time. having gained several positions in the last few laps of the race. He followed up his 8th place finish in Mexico City with another top 10, finishing 10th in the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas. He recorded a career best Nationwide Series finish of sixth after starting third at Dover in May.

At the 2007 NAPA Auto Parts 200 Nationwide Series race at Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Montreal, Ambrose was the dominant driver of the day, having led for 37 laps. After a caution period had finished, Ambrose had well-known Sprint Cup regular and Dakar Rally racer Robby Gordon behind him. At turn 3, Gordon successfully made a pass on Ambrose then the yellow flag came out. At the next corner, Ambrose rammed the left-rear of Gordon's car, spinning him out under yellow. Due to a caution being brought out earlier because of a large crash behind them, Gordon rejoined behind Ambrose. NASCAR officials ordered Gordon to move back to 14th position but he refused and was subsequently black-flagged. When they restarted, Gordon ran into the back of Ambrose at turn 2, spinning him around. Ambrose dropped back down the field but recovered to finish in 7th. Following this incident, Gordon made a peace offering to Ambrose in the form of a ride for the Watkins Glen road race, in Gordon's #77 Camping World Ford Fusion. However, qualifying was rained out and the field was set by owner's points, and the #77 did not make the race.^[8]

In September, Ambrose skipped a second opportunity to drive the #77 car because his wife Sonja gave birth to their daughter Adelaide on the same day as the Cup race at Dover. Ambrose finished the 2007 season 8th in the points standings, highest of any driver not also competing in the Nextel Cup, and finished second behind David Ragan in the Rookie of the Year standings. On Sunday 20 April 2008 Ambrose was involved in a racing incident with Boris Said in the Nationwide Series event in Mexico. Ambrose admitted "getting into the back" of road course specialist, Said, causing Said to wreck and ruining his chances at a race where Said has consistently finished in the top 10. After the race Said claimed that he was not mad at Ambrose, but wanted to apologize to (Ambrose's) crew chief because it was going to "cost him a car," implying that Said will wreck Ambrose intentionally next time they find themselves on a NASCAR track together. Though Ambrose has repeatedly apologised, in numerous subsequent public appearances Said has not backed down in his threatening of Ambrose, at one point suggesting he would not apologize but preferred to "beat (Ambrose's) arse".

2008 #21 Sprint Cup car

Prior to the 2008 season, Wood Brothers Racing and JTG Racing split into two teams.^[9] Ambrose was scheduled to drive for both teams in Sprint Cup competition in 2008. He was going to run twelve races in the #21 car for Wood Brothers and another four in the #47 car for JTG Racing. However, due to various issues he only ran 11 of the 16 planned races. He ran well in the Toyota-Save Mart 350 at Infineon, qualifying 7th out of 47 drivers and was running in the top three, but his #21 spun through the famous Turn 11 hairpin and blowing his transmission, finishing a disappointing 42nd in the 43-car field. He said he felt like beating Elliott Sadler's ass for his involvement in the accident. He attempted to make his second career Sprint Cup start in the Lenox Industrial tools 301 at New Hampshire, but failed to qualify, qualifying 45 out of 45. Again, 43 cars would start, and again, he attempted to qualify the 21 car.^[10][11] He also drove the full Nationwide Series schedule. On 15 July it was announced that Ambrose would run the full 2009 cup schedule with JTG Racing with a new partnership with Brad Daugherty. The team will be renamed JTG Daugherty Racing.^[12]

Ambrose got his first Nationwide Series win on 9 August 2008 in the Zippo 200 at Watkins Glen. The next day, he finished 3rd, after starting in 43rd position in the Centurion Boats at the Glen, behind winner Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart.

Ambrose is driving the #47 Toyota in the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup series, after forming a technical alliance with Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota Racing Development.^[13] Ambrose also drove the last 4 races of the 2008 Sprint Cup series in the #47 Toyota, after NASCAR agreed to change MWR's car number from #00 to #47.^[14] Ambrose entered Homestead with the #47 in the Top 35, earning him a guaranteed start for the first time in his career. However, a bad finish at Homestead put the team back out of the Top 35, so Ambrose would have been required to qualify on time for the first five races of 2009. Eventually, the team earned a Top 35 exemption after a number of teams merged. Ambrose is ineligible for 2009 Rookie of the Year consideration because he ran 11 races in 2008. Ambrose finished 10th in the 2009 Food City 500, despite losing a cylinder with about 100 laps (50 miles) to go. Ambrose would back this Top-10 finish up by posting 4 more in the first half of the season. Ambrose got his second straight Nationwide Series win at Watkins Glen, his second in two years as he held off Kyle Busch for the win. He followed up with a 2nd place in the Sprint Cup race at the Glen. The following week Ambrose dominated the Nationwide race at Montreal, but on the final lap, he was passed by Carl Edwards when Ambrose jumped over the curb too high, and Carl Edwards zipped past him for the win. Ambrose had a good finish a 3rd in the Sharpie 500 at Bristol.

The 2010 season was a myriad of troubles for Ambrose. Engine problems, unlucky crashes and pit road troubles plagued his racing season. However, in the 2010 Zippo 200 at The Glen, Marcos won his third straight Watkins Glen he held off Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick to win. Since the win, he started to gain some form, recording a top 10 at Atlanta and a top 5 at Richmond.

2011: Sprint Cup Series & Nationwide Series[link]

Marcos Ambrose's 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car

Ambrose announced on 17 August 2010 that he signed a multi-year deal with Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the #9 Stanley/Dewalt tools ford fusion. He finished 37th in his first race with the team, the 2011 Daytona 500, after being involved in "the big one". He did finish the race. He went on to have an impressive race at Phoenix running in the top 10 for most of the day. Ambrose, driving the #9 Stanley Ford Fusion, won the rain delayed Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen on 15 August 2011 to rack up his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Victory by passing Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch with two laps to go. Ambrose further vindicated his road course abilities, backing up under a week later by taking victory at Montreal in the Nationwide Series, during the NAPA Auto Parts 200. The 2011 season continued to be his career best as he recorded 5 top 5 and 12 top 10 finishes. Ambrose finished the 2011 season 19th in the points.

Career results[link]

Awards[link]

On 24 October 2000, Ambrose was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his motor racing achievements.^[15]

See also[link]

• Team Australia

References[link]

1. ^ Marcos Ambrose Career Statistics
2. ^ ^{a b} "AMBROSE HAS TOP 10 RESULT SLIP AWAY IN MIAMI" (Press release). Marcos Ambrose. 18 November 2006. http://www.bammedia.com.au/news_article.asp?news_id=4940. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
3. ^ "2001 SCS Round 4 Overall Hidden Valley Raceway – 13/05/2001". VESRIX Vee Eight Supercar Statistics. conrod.com.au. http://www.conrod.com.au/stats/evres.cgi?id=O141. Retrieved 2006-11-21. 
4. ^ "Ford Race Notes: Martinsville". TruckSeries.com. 1 April 2006. http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_06/articles/000067/006701.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
5. ^ Charles Krall (8 July 2006). "Ambrose on Kentucky Truck Pole". TruckSeries.com. http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_06/articles/000077/007772.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
6. ^ "Another Huge Day for Ambrose in Kentucky". TruckSeries.com. 9 July 2006. http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_06/articles/000077/007787.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
7. ^ "NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Official Driver Points Following Race 24 – Phoenix International Raceway – November 10, 2006". TruckSeries.com. 13 November 2006. http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS_06/articles/000060/006050.htm. Retrieved 2006-11-18. 
8. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
9. ^ Wood Bros Racing, JTG Racing split teams
10. ^ "Jayski'sŽ NASCAR Silly Season Site – Sprint Cup Team News and Links – #47". Jayski.com. http://www.jayski.com/teams/47.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
11. ^ "Jayski'sŽ NASCAR Silly Season Site – Sprint Cup Team News and Links – #21". Jayski.com. http://www.jayski.com/teams/21.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
12. ^ "Daugherty to become part-owner of JTG Racing, field full-time Cup team – Racing – ESPN". Sports.espn.go.com. 16 July 2008. http://sports.espn.go.com/rpm/nascar/cup/news/story?id=3490841. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
13. ^ [2]^{[dead link]}
14. ^ Official Release (24 October 2008). "Ambrose to close out '08 under Waltrip umbrella – Oct 24, 2008". Nascar.Com. http://www.nascar.com/2008/news/headlines/cup/10/24/mambrose.mwaltrip.racing.47.car/index.html. Retrieved 2010-07-10. 
15. ^ "Marcos Ambrose". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. http://www.itsanhonour.gov.au/honours/honour_roll/search.cfm?aus_award_id=979077&search_type=advanced&showInd=true. Retrieved 31 December 2012. 

External links[link]

• Marcos Ambrose Official Site
• Team Australia Official Site
• Yahoo Sport: Marcos Ambrose
• PHOTOS: Marcos Ambrose at 2011 IWK 250 race, Riverside International Speedway (Nova Scotia, Canada)