Supercars champion-turned-NASCAR star Marcos Ambrose admits he wrote off the TCR Australia Series as just “fast shopping trolleys” but has come to love the hot hatches.

The touring car series burst onto the scene in 2019, creating tension between the powerbrokers of Australian motorsport.

The turbocharged, four-cylinder cars tapped into an audience previously uncatered for at the highest level domestically. 

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Soon enough the win on Sunday, sell on Monday approach had returned to racing as Hyundai, Honda and more marques fought for the top gong while promoting their performance brands.

Despite the coronavirus pandemic, the series has consistently fielded entries of around 20 cars, produced close racing, and drawn interest from current and former Supercars stars.

Ambrose, however, was not one of the category’s early supporters.

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The dyed-in-the-wool V8 driver won two Supercars titles in 2003 and 2004 before moving to the United States where he enjoyed a fruitful NASCAR career.

Since retiring, Ambrose has joined Melbourne-based outfit Garry Rogers Motorsport as a director.