Ambrose returned to Richard Petty Motorsports for 2012.
In February he almost won the Budweiser Shootout with bump-drafting help from Keselowski; but lost the lead just as he took the white flag to Tony Stewart and eventual race winner Kyle Busch.
Ambrose said after the race that despite losing the Shootout the race was his best performance on a restrictor plate track (although he also had several top-tens at previous plate races, such as a 4th-place finish at Talladega in the spring 2009 race).

Ambrose started the season with a 13th-place finish in the Daytona 500, and in the spring races, collected six top-twenty finishes and two top-ten finishes.
In June, he posted the fastest qualifying speed in NASCAR competition in 25 years, winning his first career Sprint Cup pole in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway at a speed of 203.241 miles per hour (327.085 km/h), the third fastest pole speed ever in NASCAR.
Ambrose finished ninth in that race.

The following week, Ambrose won the pole at Infineon Raceway but only led about 10 laps before he had to pit thus putting him in the top ten for the rest of the day.
He finished 8th.

Returning to Watkins Glen, Ambrose started fifth and dominated part of the race but was passed in a three-wide move by Kyle Busch with 20 laps remaining.
When the white flag was about to wave he saw that Busch was slipping in oil; in the entrance to the esses he and Brad Keselowski passed him; Ambrose then saw that Keselowski was slipping in oil too and he took the lead in the final turn, holding off Keselowski for the second time in a row and defending his win from the previous year.
Ambrose was very emotional about his win due to his father seeing it on television in a hospital for an illness and due to his luck that day.
The win moved Ambrose up one position in the standings from 18th to 17th.
Ambrose still has promised the racing world for a future oval win since his #1 goal currently is to prove he can win at places other than road courses.

His victory caused local company Mac Tools to offer Ambrose multi-year sponsorship which Ambrose's boss, Richard Petty, approved of.
Mac Tools sponsored Ambrose in a few races for 2012 and throughout 2013.
Ambrose returned to Richard Petty Motorsports for 2012. In February he almost won the Budweiser Shootout with bump-drafting help from Keselowski; but lost the lead just as he took the white flag to Tony Stewart and eventual race winner Kyle Busch. Ambrose said after the race that despite losing the Shootout the race was his best performance on a restrictor plate track (although he also had several top-tens at previous plate races, such as a 4th-place finish at Talladega in the spring 2009 race).
Ambrose started the season with a 13th-place finish in the Daytona 500, and in the spring races, collected six top-twenty finishes and two top-ten finishes. In June, he posted the fastest qualifying speed in NASCAR competition in 25 years, winning his first career Sprint Cup pole in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway at a speed of 203.241 miles per hour (327.085 km/h), the third fastest pole speed ever in NASCAR. Ambrose finished ninth in that race.
The following week, Ambrose won the pole at Infineon Raceway but only led about 10 laps before he had to pit thus putting him in the top ten for the rest of the day. He finished 8th.
Returning to Watkins Glen, Ambrose started fifth and dominated part of the race but was passed in a three-wide move by Kyle Busch with 20 laps remaining. When the white flag was about to wave he saw that Busch was slipping in oil; in the entrance to the esses he and Brad Keselowski passed him; Ambrose then saw that Keselowski was slipping in oil too and he took the lead in the final turn, holding off Keselowski for the second time in a row and defending his win from the previous year. Ambrose was very emotional about his win due to his father seeing it on television in a hospital for an illness and due to his luck that day. The win moved Ambrose up one position in the standings from 18th to 17th. Ambrose still has promised the racing world for a future oval win since his #1 goal currently is to prove he can win at places other than road courses.
His victory caused local company Mac Tools to offer Ambrose multi-year sponsorship which Ambrose's boss, Richard Petty, approved of. Mac Tools sponsored Ambrose in a few races for 2012 and throughout 2013.
Marcos Ambrose