Robby Gordon running SCORE race this weekend: During a rare off-weekend in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, Robby Gordon will spend his time racing across Mexico's Baja Peninsula as a part of the Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Series. As a two-time class winner, Gordon hopes to improve on his 2009 second-place finish and to bring home a victory for the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires team. This year, Gordon will pilot the #1 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Chevy CK1500 Trophy Truck in the 24th Annual MasterCraft Safety Tecate SCORE San Felipe 250 this weekend. Gordon will race in a field of approximately 275 competitors from nearly ten different countries and 25 states. The race will take place over a narrow 248-mile loop that extends north of San Felipe and then south adjacent to the Sea of Cortez. The extreme course requires drivers to cross three of the most picturesque and challenging washes in Baja, as well as canyons filled with silt, jagged rocks and narrow passes between rock walls. Throughout the event, drivers will need to pass through four physical checkpoint locations before making their way across the finish line at the famed San Felipe Arches. (Robby Gordon PR)(3-12-2010)
UPDATE: In the elite SCORE Unlimited Truck / Trophy Truck division, Rick Geiser and Jesse Jones teamed up in a 1-day old GEISER-built race truck claiming the victory among a huge class of trophy trucks. Robby Gordon finished 2nd. He broke a shock absorber early and had to make repairs before battling back toward the front before the end of the race(3-15-2010)

Another new crew chief for Robby? UPDATE: hearing that Larry Carter, former crew chief for #98-Paul Menard, will be #7-Robby Gordon's new chief begining with the Sprint Cup race at Las vegas. No word on plans for crew chief Ian Watts, who just started with the team at Daytona.(2-26-2010)
UPDATE: Carter said on SPEED's NASCAR Live that he is just a consultant with the team and that Watts is still the crew chief and Carter said he is just helping the team. Carter says he is still interested in the Sprint Cup director job, a spot left vacant by the recent promotion of John Darby. SPEED also reported that Gordon has a new car chief, Jay Lipo.(2-26-2010)

Gordon to run for BAM Racing for three: BAM Racing on Wednesday announced Robby Gordon as driver of the #7 Warner Music Nashville Toyota for the following races: Auto Club Speedway on Feb. 21; Atlanta Motor Speedway on March 7; Bristol Motor Speedway on March 21. "We are thrilled to be associated with such a talented driver as Robby Gordon," BAM owner Beth Ann Morgenthau said. "After Daytona, BAM Racing and Robby Gordon Motorsports will jointly field the #7 at select races. While Tony and I will miss our beloved #49, it will be good for our sponsor, Warner Music Nashville, to have a car that is guaranteed a starting position in the first five races." After evaluating the joint venture between BAM Racing and Robby Gordon Motorsports which was announced earlier this year, it was decided to consolidate the effort by running one car with Robby Gordon as the driver of the joint BAM/RGM entries. Morgenthau also announced an association with Wounded Warrior Family Support, an organization that helps families by providing them with vacations and retreats at no cost. Warner Music Nashville stars -- Larry the Cable Guy, Blake Shelton, Gloriana, Whitney Duncan, Jessica Harp, James Otto, Jason Jones, and others yet to be named -- will be featured on the #7 BAM/RGM Toyota and in the BAM Racing/Warner Music Nashville VIP Fan Experience during the 2010 Sprint Cup Season. The VIP Fan Experience allows fans unprecedented access to Warner Music Nashville recording artists and the Sprint Cup Race Team. For more information, please visit www.VIPFanExperience.com.(NASCAR.com/BAM)(2-13-2010)

Monster Energy to sponsor Gordon at Daytona: Robby Gordon Motorsports announced an extension of their partnership with Monster Energy, who will serve as the primary sponsor for the Daytona 500 of the #7 Toyota. Monster Energy and Robby Gordon already have a well-developed partnership through Robby’s off-road endeavors. Monster Energy currently serves as the one of the primary sponsors on Gordon’s Trophy Truck and Hummer. Robby Gordon’s off-season did not include much downtime, instead the driver of the #7 Monster Energy Camry spent most of his time racing. After securing the SCORE International Off-Road Racing 2009 Championship in the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Trophy Truck, Robby Gordon and the Robby Gordon Off-Road team quickly turned their focus to the 2010 Dakar Rally, which took place January 2-16 in South America. In that event, Gordon raced his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER across the deserts of Argentina and Chile where he won Stage 4 and finished 8th-place overall in the grueling 14-stage event. Immediately after crossing the finish line in the Dakar Rally, Gordon headed to Laughlin, Nev., where he raced the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires trophy truck in the Laughlin Desert Challenge for the SCORE International Off-Road Racing Series. Robby’s Remarks – “I had a lot of fun during the NASCAR off-season,” commented Gordon. “It gave me a chance to return to my off-road racing roots, secure a championship and celebrate victory with the Robby Gordon Off-Road team. Even as much as I love off-road racing, I’m ready for the NASCAR Season to get underway. We are very fortunate to have Monster Energy on the hood of our Camry for the Daytona 500, and I’m excited to extend our partnership with them. Monster Energy is a great brand that I love representing. We have been very strong at Daytona in the past, so I hope that we can bring home a great finish for Monster Energy’s 2010 NASCAR debut.”(RGM), see images of the Monster Energy race car and hauler on my #7 Team Schemes page.(2-5-2010)

Robby Gordon discusses 2010 plans: on Wednesday's Sirius Satellite NASCAR Radio show Sirius' Tradin' Paint with Rick Benjamin & Chocolate Myers, #7-Robby Gordon was interviewed and discussed some Sprint Cup plans for 2010, including:
* sponsorship from Monster Energy Drink for the Daytona 500, Las Vegas and a few other races.
* Gordon will probably drive some races for BAM Racing, including running a BAM Racing Toyota at Auto Club Speedway using the #7 [instead of the #49]
* BAM Racing / Robby Gordon Motorsports (RGM) plan to have at least one car at every 2010 Sprint Cup race in 2010, Gordon will drive some, David Gilliland in the 349 at Daytona, but Gilliland is scheduled to run most of the season, approx 30-32 races, in the #38 Front Row Motorpsorts Ford.
* RGM / BAM will not do start-and-parks, if they cannot run the full race, they will not enter. But Gordon expects to run at least one car at each race.
* Gordon expects to miss a few Sprint Cup races that will conflict with other interests which include a Monster truck, possibly running the Indy 500 and Extreme Sports as well as off road truck racing. Listen to the complete interview at RobbyGordon.com or PlanetRobby.com [same link](1-27-2010)

New crew chief for Robby Gordon: Iain Watt has been named crew chief for [#7 Toyota] Robby Gordon Motorsports. Watt, who worked at Gillett Evernham Motorsports (now Richard Petty Motorsports) starting in 2007 and was director of performance engineering prior to the merger with Yates Racing at the end of last season, has an extensive racing background in IndyCar racing and sports cars. “He’s ready for this level,” Gordon said. “He’s been here since the new year. We started talking back in November about this position. Let’s let the results speak for themselves.” As for formalizing Gordon’s 2010 NASCAR plans, the exact number of races has yet to be determined. It was announced early this year that RGM will have an alliance with BAM Racing [#49 Toyota]. Gordon and David Gilliland will drive cars prepared by RGM for the Daytona 500. “We’re going to run as many races as we can run,” Gordon said. “We started discussions with BAM in late October, early November. David’s racing for BAM at Daytona. We’ll drive virtually two identical cars.”(FoxSports)(1-25-2010)

Not such a good race for Gordon in Nevada: Trophy-Truck driver Andy McMillin, who won on Saturday, took the checkered flag on Sunday and finished first overall at the season-opening SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge. McMillin’s combined total time from the two days of racing was 2 hours, 2 minutes and 03 seconds. Kory Scheeler of Las Vegas finished second and Nick Vanderwey of Phoenix finished third. Robby Gordon finished sixth in class and had a DNF overall due to the fact that his truck, which was driven by Steve Kendall on Saturday, only finished seven of eight laps in the required time limit for Saturday’s race. Gordon’s Chevy also broke two wheels during today’s race. Equally as impressive as Gordon’s aggressive driving style was that fact that he raced today after having traveled all the way from Argentina where he competed in the Dakar Rally.(Las Vegas Sun, see scoring/results at score-international.com)(1-19-2010)

Gilliland to drive for BAM Racing at Daytona: BAM Racing announced today that David Gilliland will drive the #49 Warner Music Nashville/Larry the Cable Guy Toyota Camry at the 2010 Daytona 500. This season marks Gilliland’s fifth year in the Sprint Cup Series. “We’re thrilled to have David driving for BAM,” commented Beth Ann Morgenthau, owner of BAM Racing. “He’s shown himself to be a competitive racer during his Sprint Cup career, and I am excited to have him drive the #49 Warner Music Nashville Camry at the Daytona 500. The combination of David’s driving ability and the technical alliance with Robby Gordon Motorsports should produce great results at this year’s Daytona 500!” According to Gilliland, “I’m really looking forward to competing for Beth Ann and the BAM Racing organization in the 2010 Daytona 500. I was excited after our meeting in Homestead when I learned that I was on their short list of potential drivers. Now that they announced their new affiliation with Robby Gordon Motorsports, I am confident that we will have a competitive team for the 500 and produce a great finish. Daytona has always been one of my favorite tracks, and I can’t wait to take the green flag!” Gilliland is also excited about BAM Racing’s sponsorship from Warner Music Nashville and having the opportunity to meet some of his favorite recording artists at Daytona International Speedway. “I know the goal is to provide unprecedented access to these talented artists for the fans, but I am pretty excited that I get to meet them as well,” commented Gilliland. Warner Music Nashville stars Larry the Cable Guy, Blake Shelton, Gloriana, Whitney Duncan, Jessica Harp, James Otto, Jason Jones, and others will be featured on the #49 BAM Racing Toyota Camry and in the BAM Racing/Warner Music Nashville VIP Fan Experience throughout the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season.(BAM Racing)
AND Robby Gordon Motorsports announced they have formed an alliance with BAM Racing, who will be fielding the #49 Warner Music Nashville Toyota during the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. Robby Gordon Motorsports will provide the team with technical support, race cars and personnel. BAM Racing will make their [2010] debut at Daytona International Speedway with David Gilliland behind the wheel. Gilliland raced for Robby Gordon Motorsports in the Richmond Race last September, piloting the #7 to a 24th-place finish. “I’m very excited for our new alliance with BAM Racing, especially heading into the Daytona 500 next month,” said Gordon. “Our team has worked with David [Gilliland] a few times in the past, and we seem to mesh very well. This alliance puts RGM in a great position to basically have a ‘teammate’ on the track that we can work with throughout the weekend to improve our car, as well as to help BAM Racing improve their car. Hopefully both teams will be able to capitalize on that and bring home strong finishes at Daytona.”(RGM)(1-19-2010)

Robby Gordon finishes 8th overall at Dakar, heads to Laughlin: Carlos Sainz of Spain won the Dakar Rally in his Volkswagen, finishing second in Saturday's final stage into Buenos Aires to maintain his overall led. Volkswagen teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah won the 14th and final 128-mile stage in 1 hour, 19 minutes, 42 seconds. Sainz finished in 47:10:00 overall, which was 2:12 ahead of Al-Attiyah and 35:21 better than Mark Miller of the United States. It was a 1-2-3 sweep for Volkswagen. Robby Gordon finished the stage in seventh, 01:58 behind Al-Attiyah and claimed the eighth spot in overall standings. Cyril Despres of France won in motorcycle division with an overall time of 51:10:37. He finished sixth on his KTM in the final stage. Pal Anders Ullevalseter of Norway was second overall, 1:02:52 behind.(NASCAR/AP)
AND: After clenching last year’s championship, Robby Gordon will return to SCORE International Off-Road Racing competition for the season opener, the Laughlin Desert Challenge, January 15-17. Gordon and members of his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires team will travel to Laughlin, Nev., immediately following the conclusion of the Dakar Rally on Saturday, January 16th. Gordon is expected to arrive in time to race in Sunday’s final day of competition. In last year’s edition of the Laughlin Desert Challenge, the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Chevy CK1500 trophy truck dominated the field by securing the pole on Friday, finishing second on Saturday and winning the main feature on Sunday. After recording a near perfect weekend, Gordon claimed the overall victory in the unique two-day racing event. This year, Gordon has entered his father Bob Gordon in the #1 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Chevy CK1500 in the event. Recognized as a legendary off-road racer, “Baja Bob” will qualify the #1 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires trophy truck on Friday afternoon by running one complete lap around the 6.25-mile loop. Bob will then compete in Saturday’s 8-lap race before handing the wheel over to his son for Sunday’s main feature. Gordon’s starting position on Sunday will be based on the finishing order of Saturday feature. Follow Robby Gordon’s progress in the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge and the final stages of the Dakar Rally at robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter.(RGM)(1-16-2010)

Gordon finishes 8th in Stage 13 at Dakar: Carlos Sainz of Spain kept his overall lead heading into the final stage of the Dakar Rally. Sainz leads by 2 minutes, 48 seconds over Volkswagen teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah going into Saturday's final leg ending in Buenos Aires. After nearly 46 hours of racing, American Mark Miller is a distant third. Stephane Peterhansel won Friday's 13th stage in 2 hours, 58 minutes, 25 seconds, with Al-Attiyah 1:21 behind. Sainz was fourth in the 229-mile stage. Robby Gordon finished the stage eighth, 12:21 behind Peterhansel. Gordon remained eighth in the overall standings, but fell to more than six hours behind Sainz with one stage remaining.(AP/NASCAR.com)(1-15-2010)

Gordon fifth in Stage 12, eighth overall at Dakar: Carlos Sainz won the 12th stage of the Dakar Rally by 52 seconds over Nasser Al-Attiyah, boosting his lead to more than five minutes against his Volkswagen teammate on Thursday. Sainz completed the 476-kilometer (296-mile) stage in west central Argentina from San Juan south to San Rafael in 3 hours, 30 minutes, 29 seconds. The Spaniard led Qatar's Al-Attiyah by 5:20 overall. American teammate Mark Miller was third in the stage and third overall, 28:12 behind Sainz. Robby Gordon completed the stage in fifth with a time of 3:41:25, trailing Sainz by 10:56. He's eighth overall, 5:52:34 off the pace.(AP/NASCAR.com)(1-14-2010)

Gordon finishes 7th in stage 11 at Dakar: In Stage 11 of the Dakar Rally, competitors from Team Hummer left Chile to begin their trek across Argentina back the finish line in Buenos Aires for the scheduled conclusion of the race on Saturday. The journey from Santiago to San Juan included dramatic changes in altitude as competitors travelled a total of 434 km and completed a 220 km timed special. The course allowed drivers to admire views of the famous Aconcagua, which is the highest mountain peak in the Americas. The day began with a trip through the Paso Libertadores, which is a mountain pass in the Andes Mountains that allowed competitors to cross into Argentina. The first fifty kilometers was the only portion of the rally completed at high altitude, but required mechanics to incorporate a setup that would compensate for a lack of power. Additionally, drivers had a make a conscious effort to take care of their brakes today to ensure they would last the entire descent of nearly 20 kilometers. Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer finished seventh despite an inflation line problem that resulted in a tire change midway through the special. Without the issue, Gordon felt confident that he and navigator, Andy Grider could have taken another stage victory in the 2010 Dakar Rally; however, he finished five minutes behind Guerlain Chicherit. He remains 10th overall behind overall leader, Carlos Saniz.(RGM)(1-14-2010)

Gordon ninth in Stage 10 at Dakar: Competitors from Team Hummer completed the tenth of fourteen stages in the Dakar Rally today [Tuesday]. Drivers travelled a total of 586 km from La Serena to Santiago, and completed a 238 km timed special composed mostly of fast, winding track. After leaving the Atacama Desert, they were exposed to the dense vegetation and hilly terrain of Chile as they travelled to Santiago. The stage was further complicated by the winding tracks, which could cost valuable time. Completing Stage 10 without any major mistakes is essential to successfully completing the Dakar Rally. Today would be an almost perfect day for Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer despite finishing ninth, 9 minutes and 36 seconds to the stage winner Carlos Sainz. None of the problems the team had faced during the previous three stags would affect him today. The terrain was not as difficult as the dunes but was similar to World Rally Championship style racing with tight roads and technical execution. The Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer would run good for Gordon but just come up short on time. Robby Gordon falls back to tenth place overall, but is looking forward to gaining more ground as teams fight to survive the final stages of the 2010 Dakar Rally. Robby Gordon was upbeat after his performance during Stage 10. “The team did a good job preparing the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer for today’s stage, We had no mechanicals, failures or issues. We just got beat by our 2-wheel drive system on the tight, slippery roads. Toyo Tires has done a good job keeping up with the competition, and the Hummer has been running good. Monster has given the team plenty of energy to finish this thing, and we have four more days of racing left.”(RGM). Stage 11 Wednesday is from Santiago back across the Andes through a 3,500-meter (10,000-foot) pass into Argentina.(NASCAR.com/AP)(1-12-2010)

Gordon loses time at Dakar but: Stage 9 of the Dakar Rally presented another unique set of challenges for Team Hummer on Monday as they travelled from Copiapo to La Serena. The start of today’s [Monday] special was delayed due to dense fog setting in Copiapo over the last few days. Due to the delay, organizers for the Dakar Rally also shortened the route from 547 km to just a total of 354 km, with only 170 km timed. Stage 9 also marked the final day of competition in the Atacama Desert and allowed competitors one last chance to gain ground across the desert’s sand and dunes. By the time drivers reach La Serena, they will have conquered the most technically challenging portion of the rally’s course, but they will still need to complete five additional stages before returning to Buenos Aires for the successful completion of the 2010 Dakar Rally. Yet another day of getting stuck in the sand would haunt Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer through the dunes of Copiapo. During the first few kilometers of the stage, Gordon would lose air pressure and get stuck in the dunes. Despite the issues, Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer would survive and come in 10th place for the day. On a positive note, the duo of Gordon and Grider moved to ninth place overall. “Today was a tough day, especially through the tricky dune sections and soft sand,” said Robby Gordon. “I got the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer stuck twice, but we survived with another top-10 finish. One thing that we learned during this Rally is that we can’t be stopped. Our competition never stops; this race is about endurance and how quickly you recover from obstacles that are thrown at you. I think that we have done a really good job getting back up when we get knocked down.”(RGM)(1-12-2010)

Gordon loses time at Dakar but still 10th: Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar won the ninth stage of the Dakar Rally, cutting into the overall lead of Carlos Sainz of Spain. In the motorbike category, Marc Coma of Spain won the 210-mile stage from Copiapo to La Serena. Monday's stage wrapped up almost a week in Chile's Atacama desert, one of the driest places on earth. Al-Attiyah won in one hour, 59 minutes, 28 seconds, 5:59 ahead of Volkswagen teammate Sainz. Al-Attiyah's victory cut Sainz's overall lead to only 8:36 with five stages remaining. The rally ends Saturday where it began in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires. Robby Gordon completed the ninth stage in 12th place, nearly 39 minutes behind Al-Attiyah. Despite the 12th-place finish, Gordon remains 10th overall but lost more time and trails Sainz by five hours and 34 minutes.(NASCAR.com/AP)(1-12-2010)

Gordon finishes 10th in 8th stage at Dakar: Two-time World Rally champion Carlos Sainz has stretched his overall lead in the Dakar Rally with a second-place finish behind Stephane Peterhansel in Sunday's eighth stage from Antofagasta to Copiapo in the Atacama desert. Sainz of Spain leads Volkswagen teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah of Qatar by 14 minutes, 35 seconds in the car category's overall standings. American Mark Miller is third, 22:28 off the pace. Robby Gordon finished 10th in the eighth stage, 36 minutes and 59 seconds behind Peterhansel. After Sunday's stage, Gordon remained 10th overall, more than five hours behind Sainz. Monday's ninth stage is from Copiapo to La Serena. The rally ends Saturday in Buenos Aires and Sainz and Despres are starting to look like the eventual champions.(NASCAR.com/AP)(1-11-2010)

Tough day for Robby in Dakar, drops to 10th: Friday marked the longest special of the grueling 14 stage Dakar Rally for Team Hummer. Measuring in at 641 km, the special was made even more difficult by the varied terrain that competitors had to race across. As competitors travelled from Antofagasta to Iquique they encountered everything from areas of fast off-track, to slow track, to windy track and even a salar. Stage 7, which was expected to take competitors around seven hours to complete, was filled with magnificent views of the Chilean landscape. Drivers were challenged early in the day as they crossed over sand dunes. However, the most demanding part of the stage came when competitors had to cross the salar. The salar, which spans 3 km, is an area filled with huge blocks of dry salt that requires competitors to slow their speed to under 10 km/h. Once competitors made it past this portion of the stage, it was mostly fast, open track to the finish line.
What seemed to be a great start for Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer ended in heartbreak. Gordon led the stage through the halfway point before an alternator failure crippled his Hummer on the course, crushing his hope for another stage win. Once the #302 was back on course, he finished the stage in 24th place and dropped to 10th in the overall standings. “We started off with a really good run. By the start of the second liaison, I motored by two cars and was about the fifth car on the road. I saw low voltage on the dash and switched back and forth between batteries for about 120k before the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer finally stopped running. We had to wait a long time for a replacement, which cost us a lot of time. It’s just a huge bummer. I am ready for tomorrow’s rest day so that we can reevaluate and strategize for the rest of the race. Our plan is to come on strong for the final stages and make up as much ground as possible.”(RGM)(1-9-2010)

Robby drops to 6th overall after rough Stage 6 at Dakar: Stage 6 was a very disheartening outing for Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer as he experienced what the world’s toughest race can do to a driver. Robby Gordon would end up stuck in the sand, costing him valuable time against the leaders. By the time that Gordon was able to free his Hummer, it was too late in the stage to make up any more time. The Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer finished the stage in 17th place, more than 49 minutes after stage winner, Stephane Peterhansel. Dropping to sixth place in the overall standings, Gordon is roughly 1 hour and 48 minutes down to the leader, Carlos Sainz. As disappointing as it may be, Robby Gordon knows that it’s still not over. “Unfortunately, today [Thursday] was a big setback for Team Hummer. Andy and I got stuck and lost a bunch of time – both in today’s special and overall. This resulted in us dropping in the overall standings; we went from fourth to sixth. We still have a long way to go before the race is over. As disappointed as we are with today’s finish, tomorrow’s special is 600 km and will be the toughest day of the entire Rally. We hope to regain some of today’s lost time.”
Tomorrow [Friday] the competitors will enter Stage 7, the longest stages of the entire rally. It will take teams back to Antofagasta from Iquique. Team Hummer looks to rebound and make up as much time as possible to the leader.(RGM)(1-8-2010)

BAM Racing forms alliance with Robby Gordon: BAM Racing [#49 Toyota] announced today that they have formed an alliance with Robby Gordon Motorsports [#7 Toyota], who will provide technical support, race cars, and personnel. A formal driver announcement is expected soon. The alliance with Robby Gordon Motorsports positions BAM Racing for a successful and competitive return to Sprint Cup racing and enhances the team’s partnership with Warner Music Nashville. Warner’s stars including: Larry the Cable Guy, Blake Shelton, Gloriana, Whitney Duncan, Jessica Harp, James Otto, Jason Jones, and others to be named soon will be featured on the BAM car and in the BAM Racing/Warner Music Nashville VIP Fan Experience. “After the Warner Music Nashville partnership was finalized, we felt that the best way to reenter Sprint Cup Series competition was to align ourselves with an established team inside the Top-35. Positioning ourselves with Robby Gordon Motorsports gives us a solid foundation entering next month’s race in Daytona and provides an excellent marketing platform to feature Warner Music Nashville artists,” said Tony Morgenthau, Co-owner of BAM Racing.
“We are absolutely thrilled to be returning to the racetrack,” commented Beth Ann Morgenthau, Owner of BAM Racing. “Racing is my passion, and I can’t stress how deeply I have missed attending all the races and being part of the Sprint Cup Series. I am excited for the opportunity that Robby Gordon Motorsports has provided us. For a single car team, Robby Gordon Motorsports has made huge strides, and their personnel and equipment are first class.”(BAM Racing PR)(1-8-2010)

Robby & Team Hummer in 4th at Dakar: Team Hummer carried the momentum from yesterday’s stage win into today’s performance. Robby Gordon finished fourth, just 4 minutes and 48 seconds behind the winner Mark Miller. Gordon jumps to fourth place overall, only trailing Carlos Sainz by 59 minutes and 55 seconds. As Gordon suspected, most competitors struggled during Stage 5 from Copiapo to Antofagasta, one of the longest stages during the 2010 Dakar Rally. Despite the tough terrain and length of the stage, Gordon proved once again that his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer is reliable and fast across the Chilean desert. “We had an interesting day today. Since we were the first car on the road due to yesterday’s stage win, we made the trail. Unfortunately, we got stuck once in a ditch as we were making our way, costing us about six minutes. Things were going along good and then we had an overheating issue near the end of the special. Stopping to replace the belt cost us about couple of minutes. Had it not been for these errors, I think that we could have won the special by about four minutes. Regardless, we had a good day and are now within the hour mark and have our sights set on Carlos. Unfortunately, we messed up on the third day by missing a check point. It has been a good rally for us and the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer. There is still a long way to go both in the Rally and competing for the overall win,” commented Robby Gordon. For Stage 6, the teams will head north up the Chilean coast to Iquique from Antofagasta. There will be a 90km liaison with a special featuring 483km and finally another 97km liaison back to the bivouac in Iquique, Chile.(RGM)(1-7-2010)

Richert to crew chief #90 car: Keyed-Up Motorsports, the new NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team founded by Raymond Key and making its debut in the 2010 Daytona 500, announced it has named Doug Richert as the #90 team's crew chief. Richert, a California native and NASCAR veteran, is a former championship crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series and has worked with many top drivers in his successful career. Richert's NASCAR resume includes crew chief for Dale Earnhardt's first Cup championship and crew chief for ten of Greg Biffle's Cup wins. "Keyed-Up Motorsports is very thankful to have Doug guiding our #90 team." said Raymond Key. "As a past champion crew chief, Doug can definitely get the job done and fulfill our first-year goal of being competitive on the track. All of us at Keyed-Up Motorsports look forward to working closely with Doug." Richert's first priorities at Keyed-Up Motorsports will be leading the team's search for high-quality crew members and overseeing the finishing touches on the team's Daytona cars at its Mooresville, NC race shop.
"I'm very excited about this opportunity that Raymond has given me with the Keyed-Up Motorsports #90 team." said Richert. "I want to continue building this team with high caliber crew members that have the same vision for the team that Raymond does. And although a challenging endeavor, I believe that the Keyed-Up #90 car can be competitive on the track." See a video of the announcement on Keyed-Up Motorsports website (KeyedUpMotorsports/Wild Sports Marketing PR), in 2009 Richert was the crew chief for the #64 Larry Gunselman team and finished as Robby Gordon's crew chief on the #7 Toyota. No word who will be Gordon's crew chief in 2010.(1-6-2010)

Robby Gordon wins Stage 4 in the 2010 Dakar Rally: For today [Tuesday] the story wasn’t about 4-wheel drive systems or restrictors, it was about Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer proving that he can hang with the best in the 2010 Dakar Rally as he wins Stage 4 from Fiambala to Copiapo. He becomes the stage winner by just 1 second over Stephane Peterhansel in his BMW. This marks Robby Gordon’s first Dakar stage win since 2007 and his third stage victory since he started competing in the world’s toughest race back in 2005. He now sits 8th overall in time behind the leader moving up one spot from 9th. For the team who had such a disappointing outing the day before now sits on a high as they look to keep the momentum going into Stage 5. Robby Gordon talked about momentum after his Stage 4 victory, “Here’s a stage we thought we were going to be good and we were – we went out and won. Now we’re still an hour behind overall and had our bogey yesterday, we just have to be strong from here on out and I feel that we can carry it through starting with today.” Stage 5 will start in Copiapo and end in Antofagasta which will feature a liaison of 90km, a special stage of 483km and another liaison of 97km – totaling 670km. Stage 5 will feature some of the biggest and toughest sand dunes any driver or rider has faced before.(RGM)(1-6-2010)

Robby & Team Hummer: Stage 3 Review: Unfortunate circumstances plagued Team Hummer this afternoon in the dune sections of Stage 3. The team had first thought that the these set of dunes would be a good stage for the Hummers but due to a smaller restrictor cutting the horsepower down, the Hummers couldn’t carry the momentum needed to get through the heavy sand that was featured during Stage 3. Robby Gordon said his Hummer won’t run the dunes in 2nd gear and for that reason he got stuck and lost valuable time to the leaders. Robby Gordon talked about his performance during Stage 3, “I feel we are at a major disadvantage when it comes to restrictors. My top speed is about 165mph and the Volkswagens’ are going 190mph. Plus my Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer needs to carry extra weight because of the fuel mileage we get. The sand dunes in this stage needed the car to have forward momentum to get through them. I would run up and try to come down and get stuck. For tomorrow we’ll move on and drive again.”
Robby Gordon would end up in 12th place in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer for the stage and now 1 hour and 4 minutes down to the overall leader in 9th place. Stage 4 is set from Fiambala to Copiapo, a liaison for 394 kilometers and a special that will be 203 kilometers. Another 32 kilometer liaison back to the bivouac in total distance of 629 kilometers. The first car is set to leave the bivouac at 6:05 am with the special starting at 12:05 pm local time.(RGM)(1-5-2010)

Robby & Team Hummer at Dakar - Day 2: Sunday marked the second stage for the 2010 Dakar Rally and was delayed at the start due to weather in the area for an half an hour. Once the weather cleared up it was time for Team Hummer to keep up with the success they had the day before. Robby Gordon was the first Hummer off from Cordoba and was ready to run hard in order to win. Despite the terrain favoring other 4-wheel drive cars than the 2-wheel drive Hummer, Robby Gordon was able to keep pace and even lead the stage at one point. Only major issue of the stage was a flat left front tire which was caused by a big rock on the race course. “Only problem we had today where we lost a lot of time was a flat tire – Andy and I haven’t practiced changing a tire in a while. To lose 12 minutes isn’t too bad at this point and it’s all desert tomorrow so it should be good for us.” Commented Robby Gordon. Robby Gordon and the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer would end up 11th in the stage and 9th in overall time – 12 minutes 28 seconds back from the leader. Stage 3 is set from La Rioja to Fiambala, a liaison for 259 kilometers and a special that will be 182 kilometers. A total distance of 441 kilometers in length. The first car is set to leave the bivouac at 7:07 am local time with Robby Gordon in the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer rolling off in 11th place.(RGM)(1-3-2010)

Team Hummer & Robby: Off to a Good Start: For Team Hummer today [Saturday] was the start of Stage #1 and the first opportunity for competitors to race against each other. The stage was suppose to feature 251 kilometers but was unfortunately shortened by 52 kilometers due to heavy rainfalls earlier this week. The end total of the special had 199 kilometers of racing. Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer would finish 6th overall behind the eventual winner Nani Roma and improving on his performance from last year. “I am very happy were we are at right now. We got off track a few times but to still be beat by 4 minutes and 48 seconds is pretty good considering at this stage last year we didn’t fare so well.” For tomorrow, the stage is set from Cordoba to La Rioja. It will be more of the same from today with similar terrain and will be tougher on the Hummers 2-wheel drive systems.(RGM)
AND Nani Roma won the first stage of the Dakar Rally in a BMW and David Casteu of France led home the bikes on a Saturday marred by the first death of a fan in four years. Roma finished the shortened stage from Colon to Cordoba 2 minutes, 7 seconds ahead of Spanish countryman Carlos Sainz in a Volkswagen, and 2:50 in front of BMW teammate Stephane Peterhansel. Giniel De Villiers of South Africa, the 2009 champion, was 4:31 off the lead in a Volkswagen. The fatality occurred when a woman watching the rally was struck by a 4x4 driven by Mirco Schultis and partner Ulrich Leardi, who veered off course in north central Argentina. Norberto Brusa, a spokesman for Rio Cuarto Hospital, said 28-year-old Natalia Sonia Gallardo died from injuries suffered in the crash. Brusa said four other people were injured, but the extent of the injuries was not immediately available. A witness to the accident told the television station TN that fans were standing outside a secure area reserved for spectators. "There was no place and the police did not stop people," said the witness, identified as Gaston Harriague. "The fields around there are all private. They are not permitted places." Sunday's second stage takes the racers to La Rioja as the rally moves northwest toward the Chilean border.(ESPN/AP)(1-3-2009)

Team Hummer & Robby: Opening Day: New Year’s Day was filled with emotions rising in anticipation for opening ceremonies of the 2010 Dakar Rally. In the middle of downtown Buenos Aires, more than 300,000 people watched as each driver was introduced. Robby Gordon and his navigator Andy Grider were fan favorites. After Robby Gordon was interviewed about last year’s impressive performance and what he expected for this year, he climbed back into his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer as the announcer said to the thousands of people in the streets “…and now for what you have all been waiting for.” Robby Gordon backed up his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer and jumped over the stage to the crowds delight. “I feel good about the rally” Robby Gordon commented to the crowd. “I feel that our team is stronger than ever before with the addition of Carlo Degavardo and BJ Baldwin, our Hummers are stronger, faster and lighter. I look forward to getting off to a good start and the challenge that comes along with the Rally.” Robby Gordon was then asked what it’s like to be back in Argentina and happily replied, “it’s great to be back here in Argentina. You guys are wonderful and have a beautiful country.” For tomorrow, there will be a 251-kilometre special stage from Colon to Cordoba. A total of 684 kilometers, including liaison stages, are on the agenda.(RGM)(1-2-2010)

Team Hummer & Robby: Scrutineering: Team Hummer celebrated New Year’s Eve by completing scrutineering. Teams from all over the world gathered at the Buneos Aires convention center to get race vehicles, support and assistance trucks along with press cars inspected for the 2010 Dakar Rally. It was a sight to be seen as Team Hummer gathered their flight of vehicles and paraded down to the convention center. With Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer leading the way, the crowd cheered and awed as he led the team through the streets of Buenos Aires. Upon arrival at scrutineering , other teams and competitors in the Dakar Rally were amazed by Team Hummer’s Freightliner support trucks. This was the first time that the public have seen them up close and personal. The support trucks are significantly longer and lower than the standard chase or support truck. They feature 4 doors on a Freightliner cab with hydraulic steps, leather seats, King off-road shocks and air suspension. With the massive support trucks and Hummer H3s parked outside of the convention center, fans and competitors alike all stopped to take pictures. Scrutineering can be a long process as teams have to go through checklists with the organization. Team Hummer was the final team to go through inspection and by the end of the day every vehicle had made it through with no issues. This was the first step to lead Team Hummer on the road to a Dakar Rally victory.(RGM)
AND Thousands gathered at the Obelisk in the center of the Argentine capital to watch the symbolic start of the Dakar Rally, a 215-mile drive to the city of Colon on Friday. The real racing on the 5,600-mile journey across Argentina and Chile begins on Saturday for more than 350 cars, motorbikes, quads and trucks, with the finish set for Jan. 16 back in Buenos Aires. The rally was moved to South America in 2009 because of safety concerns and the possibility of a terrorist attack in Africa. Organizers said Friday that 362 vehicles passed scrutineering -- 134 cars, 151 motorbikes, 25 quads and 52 trucks. However, the field was reduced by one after the bike of Argentina's Javier Pizzolito caught fire.(AP/ESPN)(1-2-2010)

Robby & team ready for Dakar inspection: Team Hummer was off to an early start this morning getting the Chile and Vanguard Hummers finalized and ready for inspection, which is in less than 14 hours away. It was a hot and windy day in Buenos Aires with the team working together to cross off their checklists. With help from local authorities, Team Hummer set up shop right across the street from the US embassy. With crowds gathered watching the team hard at work, they will carry on into the night making sure everything is right, perfecting every last detail. The scene in Buenos Aires is the “calm before the storm.” There are teams from all over the world prepping their vehicles in order to take on the challenge of one of racing’s toughest terrains. Robby Gordon and his fellow teammates are each prepared for what lies ahead of them. “Our time slot is on New Year’s Eve at 2:15pm local time. As far as my Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer is concerned, we had few minor things to check off the list. I was excited to learn that the terrain will be a little different this year with even more sand dunes. The Hummers are fast there, so it should be good for us,” commented Robby Gordon about the team’s preparation for the following day.(RGM)(12-31-2009)

Robby & team in Buenos Aires: Fresh off of an eight and a half hour flight from Miami, Florida, Robby Gordon and Team HUMMER have arrived in Buenos Aires ready to tackle the most grueling race in all of motorsports, the infamous Dakar Rally. Most of the team met up in Miami after traveling from different parts of the country – from North Carolina, California, Wisconsin, and Florida. After the long trip from North America to South America, Gordon held a brief team meeting at the airport to go over procedures and checklists for the next 48 hours, the most crucial hours before the Rally begins.(RGM)(12-30-2009)

Robby Gordon ready Dakar Rally: Just days until the start of the highly anticipated 2010 Dakar Rally, Robby Gordon and Team HUMMER are preparing to head south to Argentina. The HUMMERS are flying like always, except they are soaring above the clouds at 40,000 feet. The #302 of Robby Gordon and #326 of Carlo de Gavardo left the team’s race shop in California on Saturday, December 19th to be transported to Argentina via airfreight while the team’s support vehicles left the shop in late November to be shipped to Argentina by sea freight. With the support vehicles and the Vanguard HUMMER shipping in early November, it allowed the team to focus on the final details of the Monster / Toyo Tires HUMMER and the build of the Chile HUMMER for arguably the most grueling event in motorsports. Following Gordon’s first-in-class finish and third-place overall result in 2009, Gordon is more determined than ever to compete for the overall victory in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER H3 in the 2010 edition of the Dakar Rally. 2010 will mark Gordon’s sixth appearance in the rally endurance race, and just the fifth appearance for Team HUMMER.
“In my mind, there is no tougher race out there than the Dakar Rally,” said Robby Gordon. “As an avid racer and car builder, a win at the Dakar Rally would be a major accomplishment for my team. To be the first American to ever win a stage of the event was great, but to be the first American team to win the Dakar Rally would mean so much more – not just to me but to the people that are as passionate about this program as I am – from our sponsors to our dedicated employees. 2009 has been an amazing year for Robby Gordon Off-Road; we took 3rd place in the Dakar Rally and went on to win the SCORE Championship. I hope that we can continue to build on that momentum and that the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER H3 team will continually be recognized as a valid threat to become the 2010 Dakar Rally Champions.”
In 2005, Gordon entered his first Dakar Rally where he became the first American to ever win a stage of the demanding race. Immediately after the finish, Gordon began planning his own effort for the 2006 Dakar Rally where he hoped to become the first American to win overall. Team HUMMER fielded two HUMMER H3s in the 2009 event, where both the Monster Energy / Toyo Tire HUMMER H3 and the Vanguard HUMMER H3 finished in the top fifteen and proving that Team Dakar is a serious threat to win the 2010 event. 2010 will mark the team’s first effort with three entries. Carlo de Gavardo will be joining the elite team, piloting the Chile HUMMER H3.
Traditionally run throughout Europe and Africa, the 2010 Dakar Rally will take place in South America for just the second time in the rally’s 32-year history. Competitors will race on a 5,592-mile (9,000 kilometer) course while navigating across some of the world’s highest sand dunes and mountains. The event kicks off on January 2 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Competitors race over the Andes Mountains, across the Pampas plains and through the merciless Atacama Desert. After 14 strenuous stages, the competitors will return to Buenos Aires as they race to the finish. At the completion of the event, the heroes of the competition will celebrate in the village of San Carlos de Bolivar before returning to Buenos Aires for an even bigger celebration on January 17.(RGM)(12-28-2009)

Robby Gordon Clinches Off-Road Title: Following a dominating season, Robby Gordon and the #77 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires team were named the 2009 Overall Series and Trophy Truck division Champion for the Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Racing Series. Gordon clinched the championship with his top-five finish in the Baja 1000 on Saturday, November 21st. Throughout the 2009 Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Racing season, Gordon raced in all five events and finished in the top-ten in each race. Additionally, Gordon actually scored two wins throughout the five race season. The 2009 Tecate SCORE International Off-Road season kicked off in January with the Laughlin Desert Challenge where Gordon dominated the competition, winning the unique two-day event. Gordon returned to victory lane following the PRIMM 300 in early September, when he missed the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event in Richmond, VA.
"I'm so pleased with the progress Robby Gordon Off-Road made throughout the 2009 SCORE International Off-Road season," commented Gordon. "When the season began, we didn't even know that we were going to compete in the entire season. But after winning the Laughlin Desert Challenge in such dominating fashion, we knew that we could make a run for the championship. The guys did a great job continually building and preparing the trophy truck, which made it easy to run upfront. I'm very proud of our success. Returning to my roots to win two of five races is great, but capturing the championship is very exciting and rewarding. The entire Robby Gordon Off-Road team is extremely thankful for such great sponsors. Because of the support of Monster Energy and Toyo Tires, we have experienced great success this season."(RGM)(11-22-2009)

Busy weekend for Robby Gordon: The final race weekend of the 2009 season will also mark one of the busiest weekends of the year for #7-Robby Gordon. Before going to Homestead-Miami Speedway to compete in the 400-mile race on Sunday afternoon, Gordon will travel to the Baja Peninsula to compete in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, November 19-22. The Baja 1000 will mark the fifth and final event in the Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Series 2009 Championship, which Gordon is currently leading. Robby’s Remarks – “It’s going to be a very physical and exhausting weekend for me,” said Gordon. “The Baja 1000 is not an easy event, but I’m confident that my guys prepared an extremely competitive trophy truck for me. Hopefully we’ll be able to complete that race with a strong finish and secure the championship. As soon as we’re done there, we’ll be headed back to Miami for the Sprint Cup Series finale. I’m very excited to have Matt Crafton work with the MAPEI / Menard’s team to help practice and qualify our Camry. Matt’s a great driver, and I’m sure that he’ll do a great job preparing the car. Hopefully we’ll be able to get a strong finish this week in our Cup program as well. A good finish at Homestead would be a great way to build motivation and excitement for the 2010 season at the RGM shop.” (RGM)(11-20-2009)

Robby thanks Jim Beam, Crafton to help out: The Phoenix Sprint Cup race was the final appearance of Jim Beam on the hood of Robby Gordon’s #7 Toyota and the end of a five-year partnership between the two companies. “Jim Beam has been a great partner to the Robby Gordon Motorsports organization since its formation back in 2005,” said Gordon. “I really hoped that we would be able to bring home a stronger finish than 22nd for their last race to show our appreciation for everything they have done." Prior to racing in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Robby Gordon will travel to the Baja Peninsula to race the #77 Monster Energy / Toyo Tires Trophy Truck in the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000, November 19-22. The Baja 1000 marks the fifth and final competition in the 2009 Tecate SCORE International Off-Road Championship, which Gordon is currently leading for both the Trophy Truck division and the Overall SCORE Desert Series. While Gordon works to clinch the SCORE Championship, the Robby Gordon Motorsports team will work to prepare and perfect their Toyota Camry with the help of Matt Crafton. Crafton is set to practice and qualify the #7 MAPEI / Menards Toyota, turning the wheel back over to Gordon for the 400-mile race on Sunday afternoon.(RGM)(11-16-2009)

Last race for Jim Beam on the #7 car: Robby Gordon and the #7 team welcome Jim Beam back to the hood of Gordon’s Toyota to mark the sponsor’s final appearance in the five season partnership. In honor of Veteran’s Day, Operation Homefront will serve as an associate sponsor. Operation Homefront is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing emergency and morale assistance to U.S. troops and their families. Robby’s Remarks – "Jim Beam has been a great partner for the past five years," said Robby Gordon. "I would like to thank them for their support through the years. They have been with me since we started the team in 2005, helping build our Cup team and aiding in its success. In the spring race at Phoenix, we had a really good car and had a great run going. Unfortunately we were ultimately caught up in an accident, which ruined our chances of a strong finish. Hopefully, we’ll have a strong car this weekend that can bring home a great finish to show our appreciation and celebrate our partnership with Jim Beam.” More info at robbygordon.com.(RGM)(11-14-2009)

Robby down to 8 races in 2010?: #7-Robby Gordon, who has run a full Sprint Cup schedule as a driver/owner since 2006, says he has enough sponsorship for only eight races in 2010. "I'm looking at a lot of weekends off,'' a frustrated Gordon said Friday at Phoenix International Raceway. Gordon said he has two four-race commitments from sponsors for next season. One of his major sponsors, Jim Beam, announced earlier in the year that it would not return to the sport. "Nobody is spending money,'' Gordon said. "Everybody is cutting the fat out of everything. To be in racing you have to be a pretty big company.'' Gordon said many of the larger teams are making deals for well less than the market value because they can afford to, but that runs teams like his out of business. "It's sponsorship suicide,'' said Gordon, who is 34th in points. Gordon said NASCAR needs to create a unified marketing plan so every team is on a level playing field. He said there are so many different plans now that sponsors are confused. He expects to see more start-and-park teams next season than ever, adding he doesn't plan to be one. "I don't know what we're going to do,'' Gordon said. "We're going to continue to work hard to sell races through March of next year. After that I'm looking at a lot of weekends off.''(ESPN)(11-13-2009)

Bobby Labonte visits RGM? hearing that Bobby Labonte, who drove the #96 Hall of Fames Racing Ford for the majority of the 2009 season and will finish out the season in the #71 TRG Chevy, recently visited Robby Gordon Motorsports. Supposedly Robby Gordon is considering starting a 2nd team for 2009. Gordon owns and driver the #7 Toyota. And having a driver with a past champion provisional [Labonte won the 2000 Cup Championship] would be attractive to sponsors and a start up team with no owners points as Labonte has a past champions provisional to use.(10-29-2009)

New crew chief for Robby in 2010? UPDATE: hearing that Robby Gordon's current crew chief, Kirk Almquist, will leave the team at the end of the 2009 season, supposedly to retire and head back to California.(9-19-2009)
UPDATE: Robby Gordon Motorsports announced Doug Richert as the crew chief of the #7 Camry for the remainder of the 2009 season. Richert, a NASCAR veteran with more 25 years of experience and 15 Cup wins, will assume the crew chief responsibilities starting at Martinsville this weekend. “Doug brings experience and knowledge to our team, which I hope will help elevate our Cup performance. He has spotted for us since early June, but we are happy to have Doug come on board as crew chief this weekend. He will fill this role for the final five races, and we will see where it goes from there,” commented Robby Gordon. “I am really looking forward to this opportunity. Even though I have helped Robby and the #7 team as a spotter, I haven’t been associated directly with a team since last May. This opportunity will allow me to be more hands-on in the decisions of the #7, which I hope will directly improve the team’s performance. I am looking forward to the rest of the year and continuing to push forward,” commented Doug Richert.(RGM)(10-20-2009)

Freightliner to sponsor Robby at LMS: Robby Gordon Motorsports announced that Freightliner Trucks will serve as the primary sponsor of the #7 Camry at the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe's Motor Speedway on October 17, 2009. This recent announcement is another chapter in the ongoing relationship between Robby Gordon Motorsports and Freightliner Trucks which began three years ago. Earlier this year, the companies started working together to produce three custom-made “fast assistance” vehicles that will be used during the 2010 Dakar Rally in South America. These custom built vehicles feature a 580 horsepower engine and 48 inch tires. Additionally, Eaton and the Charlotte Truck Center will serve as associate sponsors of the #7 for the Charlotte race. Freightliner Trucks is a division of Daimler Trucks North America LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, and is the leading heavy-duty truck manufacturer in North America (RGM), see images of the scheme on my #7 Team Schemes page.(10-16-2009)

Robby Gordon says team will continue: #7-Robby Gordon lost one of his bigger sponsors this week, but the driver/owner has several sponsors that should help him handle the departure of Jim Beam. Gordon said Jim Beam was the primary sponsor for 12 races this year and a to-be-announced sponsor has committed for four of those, leaving him eight to replace from that sponsorship next year. Menards and Mapei are returning, and Gordon said he has a good opportunity for other sponsors such as Polaris, Monster and Camping World to return. Gordon said he can generate a lot of exposure through his various racing avenues, which includes offroad racing. He said he is still not interested in merging with another team. One thing that could help Gordon is if the Indianapolis 500 starts earlier next year, allowing a driver to do both that race and the Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. "I have a sponsor that I talked to today that said they would take Indy and Charlotte at the right dollars today," said Gordon, who has extensive experience in open-wheel cars. "They've already told me that. If Indy changes, I think you can count me in it - with a new sponsor, a different sponsor that's not on my car today."(SceneDaily)(9-26-2009)

Jim Beam leaving NASCAR? UPDATE: hearing that Jim Beam, sponsor for #7-Robby Gordon in 13-15 races a year, will not return to sponsor Gordon or any other team in 2010 and will concentrate on sponsoring Kid Rock's world tour.(9-19-2009)
UPDATE: Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., maker of Jim Beam Bourbon, the world’s number one-selling Bourbon, announced that its marketing plans for 2010 will not include a return to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. As a result, the company will not extend its current partnership with Robby Gordon Motorsports in 2010. The company plans to focus its marketing resources for Jim Beam into other platforms that directly impact the end consumer. “It was a difficult decision to transition away from being a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team sponsor,” said Bill Newlands, president Beam Global Spirits & Wine U.S. “We always take a hard look at our marketing resources and how we can best interact with legal purchase age consumers. After an extensive review of our marketing strategy, we have come up with new alternatives to fuel growth for Jim Beam in 2010.” Jim Beam will continue its support of #7-Robby Gordon Motorsports for the remainder of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup series schedule.“Jim Beam has been a great partner for the past five years,” said Robby Gordon. “I would like to thank them for their support through the years. They have been with me since we started the team in 2005, helping build our Cup team and aiding in its success. Great relationships have been formed, and I expect those to continue well into the future.”(RGM PR)(9-22-2009)

Robby wins off-road race at Primm: #7-Robby Gordon competed in the fourth of five SCORE International Off-Road Racing Series races, the Primm 300 in Nevada on Saturday, Sept 12th and after finishing 2nd, was declared the winner after a complete data tracking review, finishing at 4 hours, 49 minutes, 18 seconds, just ahead of Rob MacCachren, 4:50:20. See the rundown at race-dezert.com.(9-13-2009)

Polaris to Sponsor Robby Gordon Race Weekend: #7-Robby Gordon will race The Off Road Championship (TORC), at Crandon International Off-Road Raceway, in Crandon, Wis., on Sunday, September 6, and then jump on a plane and head to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Labor Day Pep Boys 500, later that night. As part of the multi-year product development and marketing agreement Polaris and Gordon inked earlier this year, Polaris will be the primary sponsor of Gordon’s #007 TORC Chevy Silverado race truck for the TORC race and the primary sponsor on the #7 NSCS Toyota Camry, at the NASCAR Labor Day Classic 500. A whirlwind of a weekend, Gordon will practice for the TORC race on Friday and Saturday morning, then fly to Atlanta after Saturday’s practice to qualify for the NASCAR Labor Day Classic, and return to Crandon on Saturday night for more prep before the race on Sunday. After the TORC race, he’ll jump back on a plane to compete in the NASCAR race on Sunday evening. This past winter, Gordon and Polaris entered into a three-year agreement that included Gordon providing insight on future products and promoting Polaris’ RANGER RZR Side-by-Sides. The agreement was unique in that Gordon would not only market Polaris product but also use his off-road expertise to help create new Polaris vehicles. It won’t be much longer when off-road enthusiasts will see the first of the units co-developed by Robby Gordon and Polaris. The TORC off-road race can be seen live on ABC, Sunday, September 6, from 4:00-5:00pm/et. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Labor Day Pep Boys 500 will air on ESPN, starting at 7:00pm/et, Sunday night.(RGM), see image of the scheme on my #7 Team Schemes page.(8-15-2009)