Shootout appearance encourages Ambrose

He didn't know why the team was so happy with ninth - until he was reminded there was the chance to claim ARMOR ALL Pole Position in the Top 10 Shootout at the Clipsal 500 on Sunday.

Marcos Ambrose was just 0.23sec from fastest qualifier Shane van Gisbergen in Sunday's qualifying session, and after having the stage to himself for the one lap dash, he's now hoping to continue his top 10 form and qualify in the first five rows at the coming events.

"I was in that mix at the start - hopefully we can be in there every week," Ambrose told v8supercars.com.au after Sunday's race.

"I made a bit of a meal of the shootout lap, but as we get the car better and I get more confident we can push it as well. We'll get there on it - it was just good to make it.

"I actually forgot all about it, I didn't even realise why everyone was so excited by ninth in the normal qualifying session - then I realised the Top 10 Shootout was on."

While the two-time V8 Supercars champion admitted that having 'The Captain' Roger Penske at the event was added pressure, he turned on a show at his old stomping ground - he was the highest placed Ford in that qualifying session (the only one to make the shootout) and achieved the team's goal of midfield finishes across all three races at the difficult street track.

"I enjoyed it [Sunday] more than on Friday!" he said.

"It was just good to finish all the races and keep my nose clean.

"Having Roger here was great but it was also a lot of pressure. And so just to get through the weekend from a driving standpoint with that sort of run was a good way to start."

No doubt DJR Team Penske will continue to learn, and part of Sunday's result outside the top 10 was a fuel strategy the team felt hindered Ambrose's ability to push forward.

With both the Formula One Rolex Australian Grand Prix and Ambrose's home event at Symmons Plains on the calendar this month, there will be plenty of opportunity to get back in his FG X V8 Supercar.

"We improved the car through the weekend and we'll keep improving the car as the season goes on. I'm going to get more refined with my braking - it's not a bad start."

Racing in the mid-field meant some hotly contested battles for Ambrose - and at the end of the 78 laps he finished with a clean car in 12th position and ahead of drivers the caliber of David Reynolds, Scott McLaughlin, Will Davison and Chaz Mostert.

"I passed quite a few cars and good to make some passes and I had a good fight with a few guys, which was great," Ambrose said.

After two 16th place finishes and 12th in what is effectively a double-points race on Sunday, the returning two-time champ sits 12th in the Championship, just 18 points behind 10th placed Todd Kelly.