#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.
Unofficially Team Dakar USA is out of the Dakar Rally. While the team battled overnight to make repairs to the Hummer’s clutch and radiator apparently they did not make the ASO’s allowed starting time. We will await word from the team for more details.
AND Gordons attempt to win the famed Dakar Rally in his first try as a team owner/driver came within half an hour of becoming a reality before a large clump of camel grass hidden behind a huge sand dune ended his chances. Gordon was making the treacherous Special Stage run over open desert, in fading light, between Zouerat and Atar, Mauritania when he came over a dune and found the sandy crest breaking away under him. Instead of landing in soft sand on the other side the Hummer impacted a large patch of native grass filled with hard sand known as camel grass. The otherwise minor impact pushed the front bumper bar through the grill of the Hummer which punctured the radiator. Gordon his navigator Darren Skilton made repairs, then worked to extract the Hummer from the sand, but the effort caused the repaired damage to radiator to blow. Since it was dark and far from any roads, no assistance could reach them and the spare truck was also stuck, Gordon called for assistance which eliminated the H3 from the days race. Plans were to get the truck fixed for the next days race. At dawn the crew finally located the H3 team and replaced the radiator but it was now another race against time to make it to Atar to restart the next stage between Atar and Nouakchot, some 170 kilometers away. The official closing time for the restart was 1 p.m., but officials graciously allowed the H3 team a half-hour grace period to make the start. It wasnt enough. The Hummer arrived one hour beyond the official allotted time and the Hummer was disqualified. Gordon still planned to reenter the race, accepting full-time penalties, so the team could get experience racing in the desert for next years event. The decision of the race officials, after much careful consideration, was still negative but they did grant the team the right to run the next days Nouakchot-Kiffa stage for experience. After completing the 9th Stage the Hummer will drive directly to Dakar for shipment home. Once back at the teams headquarters in Anaheim, Calif., Gordons off-road crew will completely disassemble the H3 and begin preparations for the Baja 500 in June. See full release at robbygordon.com.
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)(1-8/9-2006)
