NASCAR Cup Series

Team Penske, Marcos Ambrose to run for Australian V8 Supercars title in 2015

Published Sep. 14, 2014 7:45 p.m. ET

foxsports

Earlier this weekend it was announced that two-time Sprint Cup Series winner Marcos Ambrose would leave NASCAR at the end of the season and return to his native Australia.

Shortly after Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, Ambrose's 2015 racing plans became crystal clear.

Team Penske announced it would partner with Dick Johnson Racing, the longest-established racing team in Australia, to compete for the 2015 Australian V8 Supercars Championship with Ambrose as their driver.

"Team Penske is excited to partner with Dick Johnson Racing to compete in the V8 Supercars Championship starting next season," team owner Roger Penske said. "We believe in building our businesses through racing and our success on the track. With our new business ventures in Australia, it makes sense to showcase our brands through the V8 Supercars Championship and the opportunity to work with DJR and Marcos Ambrose convinced us to go forward."

Ambrose won back-to-back V8 Supercars championships in 2003 and 2004 and a total of 28 races before making the jump to NASCAR, where he competed for nine seasons across the sport's top three series.

"This is a great opportunity to return home to a place that I love in a Series where I've experienced a lot of success," said Ambrose. "It will be an honor to race for two motorsport legends in Roger Penske and Dick Johnson."

The Tasmanian native will drive the No. 17 Ford for DJR Team Penske.

"We are certainly looking forward to this new challenge," said Dick Johnson. "I have always admired what Roger Penske has accomplished in business and with his racing teams and it will be a thrill to work with Team Penske and Marcos in 2015."