Marcos Ambrose stormed onto the V8 Supercars scene in 2001 and quickly became a force with Stone Brothers Racing in Ford Falcons. He won Rookie of the Year in his debut season by winning poles at big events like the Australian Grand Prix and Bathurst 1000. Throughout his career, he racked up 28 wins over 147 starts and fueled the fierce Ford-Holden rivalry that built his reputation as a hard-charging talent unafraid of close battles.

That reputation often pushed limits that turned races into grudge matches with rivals. And one incident at the 2004 Gold Coast round, where a post-race brake-check move by Ambrose ignited fury that dragged even to the press rooms and resulted in major fines. So let’s look back at the infamous incident.

The Gold Coast incident that froze the paddock

The 2004 V8 Supercars season was Ambrose‘s most dominant season, where he grabbed 11 wins in twenty-six races. But an incident that no one saw coming in Round 10 at Surfers Paradise brought chaos. After winning Race 1 on the tight street circuit, Ambrose led the field across the line with Holden driver Rick Kelly, who was a lap down already.

Ambrose was already angry at Kelly for not taking the opportunity to pass pole-sitter Mark Skaife at the first turn when given the chance. When Ambrose noticed Kelly was just behind him, he hit the brakes hard, which forced Kelly to change his direction quickly to avoid clipping Ambrose. After finding it was intentional by Ambrose, officials slapped Ambrose with a $10,000 fine for careless driving, citing danger to others in the cool-down lap.

Ambrose later owned it in a recent Apex Hunters United podcast, reflecting on the buildup. “Yeah, I’m sure I did,” he admitted with a chuckle. “Don’t forget, Rick Kelly was a lap down. And he was just messing with me the whole race. I was allowed to brake, but I probably braked harder than I needed to.” Finally he came clean about the incident. But sadly, it came almost two decades later.

The aftermath of the incident was dragged to the next day’s media session, which was ice cold and electric. Greg Murphy, defending his Kelly Racing mate, vented his anger on Ambrose relentlessly. “He jumped on the brakes after the start-finish line after taking exception to something,” Murphy said, accusing Ambrose of intentionally braking when Kelly was right behind him. To which Ambrose replied, “Greg, you’re allowed to slow down after the finish of a race, I assume,” Ambrose said.

That time, Ambrose upfront denied all those accusations, maybe because of the fear of any suspension or fines; officials fined him.

Ambrose stayed cool but testy, later calling it, “It was icy. That was pretty testy. But again, it’s just the height of what was going on back at the time; there was just a massive battle with Ford and Holden.” That exchange was broadcast live and symbolized the era’s cutthroat vibe, where a split-second call cost big and gave lasting scars.

Ambrose’s incident is etched in motorsports history; his sudden and surprising exit after his comeback in supercars is also worth looking at.

Penske looks back on Ambrose’s quick Supercars exit

Ambrose’s 2015 return to Supercars with DJR Team Penske was extremely short-lived, because he stepped down after just one championship round (the Clipsal 500). And after the Australian Grand Prix’s non-point races and then partnering with Scott Pye for endurance races, he quit for good post-Gold Coast 600.

The move stunned fans, as Penske’s powerhouse team hyped his entry as an Aussie NASCAR star’s homecoming. But the exit made Penske reshape the team and take Scott McLaughlin on board in 2017. Roger Penske, ever the steady hand, held no grudges against Ambrose’s exit. “It was a call he made, and we supported him; he was very gracious in the way he handled it, and quite honestly, I respect him,” he told Motorsport.com, backing Ambrose’s call like a trusted ally.

Penske drew parallels to Indy legend Rick Mears’ 1992 retirement: “He realized he no longer had the drive to compete at the intensity required.” Ambrose echoed the sentiment elsewhere, noting the sport’s evolution left him unable to commit fully after NASCAR’s grind. That mutual respect turned a potential rift into a graceful understanding moment, underscoring Penske’s knack for spotting when fire fades. What are your thoughts on Ambrose finally coming clean?