We all know the success of Marcos Ambrose including Ford’s breakthrough 2003 V8 Supercars title, the successful defence the next year and wins in NASCAR Cup, but his father Ross also enjoyed an impressive racing career.
The senior Ambrose continues to be a successful businessman in Tasmania, which started by buying and selling cars in Launceston, but an association with the great John McCormack led to the pair running Hightrades Car Sales in Burnie.
McCormack was a regular competitor in Tasmanian circuit racing before trying his hand on the mainland with much distinction, but this relationship ensured Ambrose began racing in a Cooper Hillman formerly raced by Lyn Archer.
Encountering a multitude of reliability problems in the Cooper forced Ambrose to purchase an Elfin Streamliner and this proved to be a very competitive package.
More success came in the form of transplanting the engine from an ex-Stan Jones Cooper Climax into the ex-Alec Mildren Rennmax Sports Car, which led Ambrose to win the 1968 Tasmanian Sports Car Championship.
Ambrose’s next big test was contesting the 1970 Australian Drivers’ Championship Gold Star in an Elfin 600B Formula 2, but with limited success despite setting the outright lap record at Baskerville.
It was after this, Ambrose decided to pursue a career overseas in the European Formula 3 Championship, but he was hampered by a lack of budget against much better resourced operations.
This program was based out of ex-Lotus Mechanic Ralph Firman’s British workshop and this led to a new business opportunity for Ambrose.
In fact, Ambrose had constructed his own chassis while overseas and had impressed, which led to a partnership with Firman named Van Diemen International Racing Services. The name paid homage to Ambrose’s Tasmanian roots.
Firman provided the equipment, mechanical know-how and 350 pounds, Ambrose was the businessman in addition to his 350 pound contribution to get the company off the ground.
Securing the rights to the Lotus 59 Formula 3 opened the door for the pair to base their new FA 73 chassis off a successful package, which it was straight away by winning titles in Britain and the famed Formula Ford Festival.
However, Firman and Ambrose’s partnership dissolved in 1974, but Van Diemen became a very successful manufacturer of Formula Ford chassis.
Ambrose returned to Tasmania disappointed due to the end of the partnership as the potential for Van Diemen to reach the heights of Formula 1 he believed was high.
Despite Ambrose trying to move his son in another direction, the pull to motorsport proved too much for Marcos, who rose through the ranks to win the European Formula Ford Championship, two V8 Supercars titles and multiple NASCAR Cup Series races.