Robby Gordon's Pole Winning Comments From Laughlin

NASCAR’s Robby Gordon qualifies his No. 77 Chevy CK1500 fastest

To earn pole for Saturday’s first day of SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

LAUGHLIN, Nev.–NASCAR Cup team owner/driver Robby Gordon earned the pole
position for the SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge Friday as he powered his No. 77
Team Gordon Chevy CK1500 to a fast time of 6 minutes, 43.72 seconds during
qualifying for SCORE Trophy-Trucks averaging 64.6 miles per hour around the
abbreviated 6.25-mile loop.

The season opener of the five-race 2009 SCORE Desert Series, is being held
near the banks of the Colorado River in Laughlin, Nev.

The unique race, split into two parts, will start Saturday and finish
Sunday, running from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. with the 17 classes divided into five race
groups running multiple laps each day. The featured SCORE Trophy-Truck division
will race at 1 p.m. each day followed by the unlimited Class 1 cars at 3 p.m.
Both classes will run eight laps each day.

Gordon, who ran nine seconds faster than his 2008 Laughlin qualifying time,
will lead a field of 113 official entries, which includes 22 vehicles in the
marquee SCORE Trophy-Truck division for high-tech, 800 horsepower, unlimited
production trucks.

With plans to run the entire 2009 SCORE Desert Series while continuing to
run his full NASCAR season, Gordon, of Charlotte, N.C., easily outdistanced the
17 SCORE Trophy-Trucks that started in the special one-lap qualifying session.

Defending SCORE Trophy-Truck season point champion B.J. Baldwin of Las
Vegas was the second-fastest qualifier, covering the single lap in 6:56:41 in
his No. 1 Baldwin Motorsports Chevy Silverado.

“I knew we were running fast, but this was even better than I had
anticipated,” said Gordon afterwards. “We are looking forward to this weekend.
We have plans to run the entire 2009 SCORE Desert Series and our truck appears
ready to dominate on this race course.”

The five trucks that elected not to qualify, will start Saturday’s portion
of the race behind the other 17 SCORE Trophy-Trucks.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Craig Veld on January 23, 2009 at 11:25pm

Rock on Robby.

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Permalink Reply by Mike Taylor on January 23, 2009 at 11:39pm

I wonder how BJ feels about this? I mean we dont know what all went on behind the scenes pre-dakar that led him to not run hummer #2. I wonder if there are any hard feelings there? I mean it's certainly not his ride to claim but it seems as if many people felt that way. I of course heard the talk about Vanguard pickinh Eric to drive the other hummer (That he did!) but I had also heard that Robby had been trying to get Eric into the other Hummer for a short time before Dakar. Anyways now Rob and BJ are back on the same course again and it makes me wonder what the sentiment is between the two? It could be nothing and all is good, and the rumors I heard could just have been rumors, that said, I would think it would be at least a little weird. Maybe im wrong just curious though.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on January 23, 2009 at 11:55pm

they are both pros,and business is business.

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Permalink Reply by NIKAL on January 24, 2009 at 12:15am

Not only that but Robby and BJ are actually friends. Many did not know but after the Baja 1000 Robby went up to BJ at the finish and congradulated him on his Score TT Championship. Also I would guess it was Robby's guidence that has help BJ get his tire contract. Now Robby did not get BJ his General Tire deal, so lets not start that rumor. But I'm sure in conversation Robby gave some tips in how to deal wiith these companies. From what I gathered BJ's General Tire deal is very simular to how RG's deal with Toyo is. Also for those who dont know BJ does not need the money. His family could easily fund a Dakar deal if BJ wanted it.