Robby Gordon brings his Stadium Super Trucks to Barbados
American motor sport superstar Robby Gordon will compete at the 2014 Race Of Champions, to be held at Bushy Park Barbados on December 13-14. But Gordon's not travelling to Barbados alone: he's bringing his stunning Stadium Super Trucks, which will also feature in the racing action.
One of the most versatile drivers in the world and experienced in everything from sports cars to trucks, Gordon has competed in a range of series including NASCAR, CART, IndyCar, Trans-Am, IMSA and the Dakar Rally. The American raced for over 20 years in the NASCAR Sprint Cup, taking three wins and 39 top-tens. In addition he has had three top-five finishes in the Indianapolis 500.
Gordon has also taken four Baja 500 victories, three Baja 1000 victories and seven SCORE International off-road championships. He has now become a regular stage winner on the brutal Dakar Rally, where he will again be competing early in 2015.
For the last two years Gordon has also won the championship in the SPEED Energy Formula Off-Road Presented by TRAXXAS in one of his spectacular Stadium Super Trucks. These mighty trucks have to be seen to be believed - which is fortunate for the crowds heading to Bushy Park Barbados as they will now be one of the vehicles in competitive action at the Race Of Champions itself.
Gordon will now pair up with 2014 World Touring Car Champion José-Maria 'Pechito' López for Team Americas in the ROC Nations Cup, a duo that is sure to set pulses racing. At Gordon's first Race Of Champions in 2001 he broke the lap record around the event's long-time home at Gran Canaria, setting a mark that still stands today. He also rolled his car within sight of victory against that year's eventual ROC Champion of Champions Harri Rovanperä.
This time Gordon and López will be part of a ROC 2014 line-up featuring greats from all over the world: nine-time Le Mans 24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen, 2014 FIA World Rallycross Champion Petter Solberg, Formula 1's reigning ROC Champion of Champions Romain Grosjean, 2014 Indy 500 winner Ryan Hunter-Reay, NASCAR champion Kurt Busch, V8 Supercar legend Jamie Whincup, five-time 500cc MotoGP world champion Mick Doohan, 13-time F1 grand prix winner David Coulthard, 2014 FIA European F3 Champion Esteban Ocon, Williams F1 test driver Susie Wolff and 2014 GP2 Champion Jolyon Palmer and will all be racing in Barbados.
Gordon said: "It's cool to get the opportunity to come back to the Race Of Champions again and to compete against guys like my brother-in-law Ryan Hunter-Reay (who is married to Robby's sister Beccy) and Tom Kristensen. Tom was there with me back at my first ROC in 2001 so it will be fun to go back and race against him again to see where my skills stack up 13 years later. I'm also looking forward to teaming up with Pechito on Team Americas - especially having spent so much time in Argentina at the Dakar Rally in recent years.
"It's cool that we'll get to introduce the trucks to everybody as well. It will be a first for some drivers but we'll set up an adjustable ramp for the guys. I can change the pitch angle according to what the drivers and the officials like but these things have been known to jump 20 or 30 feet off the ground for the length of a football field so either way it will be exciting…"
ROC organiser Fredrik Johnsson added: "Robby is one of the most colourful figures in world motor sport and I've no doubt he'll be in the thick of the action at next week's Race Of Champions. At his last ROC appearance in 2001 he rolled one car, pulled off another spectacular save and set a lap record round our Gran Canaria circuit that still stands… talk about giving the fans value for money!
"But if that sounds good, just wait till you see his Stadium Super Trucks, which are sure to put a smile on the faces of everyone watching - and everyone driving as well. We have greats racing from Formula 1, Le Mans, MotoGP, IndyCar, NASCAR, World Rallycross and Touring Cars but I bet none of them have driven anything like this…"