#7-Robby Gordon is racing in the Dakar Rally, the worlds most grueling and logistically challenging auto race, started Dec. 31 in Lison, Portugal and heads approximately 6,500 miles south through Spain across the Strait of Gibraltar and into Morocco. From there, the race turns rugged as the field of more than 500 vehicles makes the incredible journey through Morocco, Mauritania, Mali, Guinea and Senegal, ending on Jan. 15th.
Earlier reports from Africa indicated that Robby Gordon and his Hummer H3 Dakar effort had “crashed heavily” while competing in the seventh stage of the famed Dakar Rally. There was no crash, and communication directly from Gordon and his navigator Darren Skilton indicate, that while the car is down for repairs, it is for a broken radiator and clutch problem. While night has arrived in Mauritania, and repairs are obviously difficult, every effort is being made to return the Hummer to competition when the race resumes Sunday. Saturday is a day off for all competitors. An overall victory is clearly impossible, however, should Gordon and Skilton make the necessary and expected repairs to the vehicle, the tandem will have eight more race days in which to secure stage victories. More information will be provided regarding the status of the repairs as they are made available.RGM site)
AND Stephane Peterhansel of France won for the second time in the Dakar Rally, taking the seventh stage Friday in the grueling road race. Fellow Frenchman Luc Alphand was second, 4 minutes, 23 seconds behind, and claimed the overall lead with a time of 22 hours, 32 minutes, 41 seconds. He is followed by Peterhansel, 3 minutes,12 seconds behind. Peterhansel, who also won the fifth stage, was timed Friday in 5:52:18.(ESPN.com/AP), no word on where Gordon finished or where he currently stands.
For more info and to keep up with Gordon, see robbygordon.com or at dakar.com. Look for daily televised reports on OLN [Outdoor Life Network] daily at 4:00pm/et.(RGM PR)(1-7-2006)
