Historical Question (no.13 era)

Hi all,

I am trying to learn more about Robby's first stint as a car owner in 2000 when he owned the no.13 car. Can anyone please provide some insight as to how it all came to be, whether the was any significance with the number 13 and any other circumstances that you think are relevant?

I became a fan of NASCAR in 2001 and Robby in 2002, so it was all a bit before my time. But it's something that has always interested me, yet information on it is hard to find. It's the same with pictures, there aren't that many that I know of. Does anyone have any that they could share please?

Thanks for your help!

Ben.

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Permalink Reply by Davin Wilson on March 21, 2012 at 11:44am

Here’s what I recall….

1999 Robby raced the #22 Indy Car, partnered with John Menard and Mike Held.
Named “Team Gordon”, and they originally raced in the then CART series.
The car / chassis was a SWIFT (Hiro Matsushita- see below) with Toyota power.
The sponsorship was from Johns Manville/Panasonic/Duracell/Menard Swift.
I remember when Team Gordon showed up with this type of mulit-sponsorship was unheard of.
Multiple large sponsors on one team / car was a new thing. Now it’s the norm = credit Robby.
* This is the year Robby ran out of gas on the last lap of the Indy 500.

2000 Team Gordon went to NASCAR. Robby raced the #13.

2001 Crazy year..started off with Morgan-McClure. Won 1st race postponed race due to 9/11, filling in for Mike Skinner at RCR.

If you wonder how Robby got some of his business plans – well…
Hiro Matsushita, Indy Car Driver, Panasonic executive and Grandson of Panasonic founder.
Hiro M was also owned Swift Engineering, an aerospace. This connection provided chassis, sponsors & power plant.
In 2001 Hiro Matsushita also competed in the Baja 1000. Wonder how that came about??
(note: Latter, Swift was actually purchased by Panasonic..yes, one and the same. Sound familiar?)

Permalink Reply by RG7FAN on March 21, 2012 at 12:52pm

I am an old open wheel guy, I remember how much of a dog the old Swift chassis were, but RG got as much out of it as he could. In 97 when he and the Cuban did not see eye to eye, it left RG in a bad position for that year with the CART teams rides already filled. I still like the looks of the Team Gordon AAR Eagle with the Eagle on the front, just as much of a dog if not even more so than the Swift. I say bring back Kinnons diary..........Ah the good old days.........

Permalink Reply by Turtle7 on March 21, 2012 at 12:57pm

Too bad the electronics boys aren't sponsoring rides. If they were maybe RG could put the touch on an old sponsor.

Permalink Reply by Dave Horwath on March 21, 2012 at 2:10pm

I was thinking about sponsors like Apple (sitting on billions of dollars in cash). We all use computers, why not? Or CSX? They're in the transport business. Maybe Igloo coolers...seen a couple here and there. Heinze ketchup? They boast about how slow it is coming out of the bottle...just sayin

Permalink Reply by john brooks on March 21, 2012 at 12:59pm

taken at rgm on monday march 19 2012

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Permalink Reply by RG7FAN on March 21, 2012 at 1:37pm

The orange may not be bright anymore, the yellow is a little faded, but damn those were some great paint jobs...nice pic

Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on March 21, 2012 at 1:50pm

(Sighs) I wish The new IndyCars look like that

I was at the Long Beach race in 99, also the first race Montoya won. We had the garage passes (not sure why its called a garage though), I sat on Robbys golfcart/transporter for a few hours before the race. It was pretty cool, he was friendly to the fans. I spent some time talking to a few guys who were in talks to sponsor him (or investors)

I had a bunch of pictures, but as moms do, she threw them away (this was in the ancient pre-digital age, back then, we had to go to this place called the photomat to actually see the images). .

Permalink Reply by Dave Horwath on March 21, 2012 at 2:08pm

I remember Photomat...the blue booths in the parking lot!

Permalink Reply by Vlad Rogers on March 21, 2012 at 2:10pm

they turned into key makers filled with the stoners.

Permalink Reply by Ben Jeffreys on March 21, 2012 at 3:04pm

Thank you all for the information. You say that it was John Menard who owned it, but did Robby own it also? Was it more of a 50/50 partnership?

Something that always strikes me looking at the old images of the Team Gordon shop (on the old RobbyGordon.com website which no longer has them sadly) was seeing Robby at the desk of his office. Everything looked so makeshift but right, and he looked really proud. It reminds me a lot of when my dad started his own business. It was that make or break moment.

Someone also mentioned Woody Woodpecker. I read an interesting article last night that Universal Pictures signed an agreement whereby Woody would be the season-long mascot of the team, and that select movies would appear on the car for four races. Those being; The Flinstones, Rocky and Bullwinkle, The Monsters programme and I am guessing Woody Woodpecker. I never knew how that deal came together so it was good to find out.

Robby had some great sponsors on his team that year, Turtle Wax, Sony, Menards. I know this likely had something to do with John Menard, but Robby held relationships with these companies for a long time, so it just goes to show what a people person he is.

Again, thanks for getting involved. I really appreciate it!

Permalink Reply by RG7FAN on March 21, 2012 at 3:59pm

Ben,
From what I recall the ownership of the original Team Gordon (circa 1998 / open wheel CART era) was Mr. Menard, Robby, and Mike Held. I to recall seeing a shot of RG sleeping on the floor of is office floor in Anaheim after pulling an all nighter getting everything ready for Dakar. (this proves that he is human and does sleep) The 13 with the Universal animal images were great, RG and RGM has always been on the front line with B2B sponsor relations, I miss the long time backer Turtle Wax, but sponsors come and go. Remember that being a fan of RG might be painful at times, but then there are great times as well. RG and RGM are truly the underdogs in the sport , now I have to catch my Dallas flight, I hope I dont have to sit next to the guy with the 88 Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunior T shirt, gonna be the longest hour flight I have ever had.

Permalink Reply by ROBERT SAVAGE on March 21, 2012 at 4:34pm

Are we talking about the real Woody Woodpecker or the woodpecker with the cigar? The woodpecker with the cigar in the '60's was the logo of Clay Smith Cams . Woody Woodpecker was the Lunny Tunes sponsorship.

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