Marcos Ambrose drove the #59 Ford STP to victory in a national race at Watkins Glen in 2008.
The car that Marcos Ambrose drove to his first NASCAR victory in 2008 has been added to the iconic racing car auction to be concluded by Lloyds Auctions on March 25.
Ambrose drove the #59 Ford STP to victory in a national race at Watkins Glen International Raceway in 2008 and was stored in a former workshop in Charlotte, North Carolina for over a decade before being rebuilt mechanically and shipped to Australia.
Cosmetically it is untouched and has all the scuff marks and dents from that incredible run, which was the first by an Australian in the top three tiers of NASCAR competition.
The car has made several public appearances and has been driven flat out at Queensland Raceway in the hands of Supercars ace and 2023 Thrifty Newcastle 500 Race 1 pole sitter Brodie Kostecki.
The car has generated a lot of national and international interest since it hit the market and the current bid on the car is A$96,000, but that is expected to rise significantly over the next seven days.
The Ambrose car has been the subject of an extensive Speedcafe.com gallery that shows all the in and out angles of the car.
Other race cars in the auction include the Walkinshaw Andretti United Commodore which was driven to victory in the Bathurst 1000 in 2021 by Chaz Mostert and Lee Holdsworth.
Built new for the 2021 Repco Supercars Championship season, chassis #WR026 completed all races in the 2021 and 2022 seasons with Mostert at the wheel.
With 64 race starts, 23 podium finishes and eight race wins, this car is one of the most successful cars of the modern Supercar era.
It is featured in the winning 2021 Repco Bathurst 1000 specification and livery and has a current bid of AU$325,000.
Another car of note is the Vodafone Ford Falcon BF built for Craig Lowndes for the 2008 season and currently on offer at $72,000.
There is also an ex-Jim Richards Targa Rally Porsche 944.
The Ambrose car is owned by Speedcafe.com founder and co-owner Brett ‘Crusher’ Murray, who is currently displaying the car at the Gold Coast Motor Museum.
“The #59 Ford STP is truly a cool piece of Australian motorsport history and I’m proud to have been its keeper for the past 15 years,” said Murray.
“The cars don’t get any more original than hers, and as you can see in the videos we’ve produced, she’s always capable of making noise with the right person behind the wheel.
“It’s loud, it’s tough and it’s one of a kind.
“The fact that it comes in those famous STP Racing colors made so famous by Richard Petty provides a bit more romance.”
The STP Ford has not been cosmetically touched since it appeared in victory lane at the Zippo 200 and still has all major dents and bruises as well as remaining windshield strips that were not used during the race .
The car was mechanically rebuilt by a team of vintage experts in North Carolina who used all the correct period parts including parts from the Roush Yates engine and it is now nearly identical to the car that has been driven in victory lane at Watkins Glen in August 2008.
There are even still Gatorade splatter marks on the roof and windshield.
Ambrose has previously said he was delighted to see the car back in Australia and hoped it would be sold to a local fan.
“It’s great that the car has been kept for all this time and has returned to Australia,” said Ambrose.
“I’m not too emotional about that stuff, but it would be cool if he stayed in Australia because of his importance.
“It’s pretty amazing that the car looks like it did when we rolled it into victory lane.”
You can bid on any of the iconic racing cars here:
https://www.lloydsonline.com.au/AuctionLots.aspx?smode=0&aid=38945&pgn=1&pgs=15