TASMANIA’S biggest annual sporting event is reeling from the news that homecoming champion Marcos Ambrose will not compete.
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Next week’s Symmons Plains round of the V8 Supercars championship had been billed as the return of the Launceston great but promoters were left stunned yesterday when Ambrose dropped the bombshell that he would be taking a back seat.
A statement from DJR Team Penske said the 38-year-old had requested to be temporarily relieved as their frontline driver.
Ambrose, who won 28 races over five seasons and captured back-to-back V8 Supercars titles in 2003-04, said his transition back from NASCAR racing in the US had been harder than expected.
‘‘It has become clear to me over the first two events of the season that I need more experience in these cars to do what is required of the lead driver and to be competitive for the team and our partners,’’ he said.
