GORDON & CAMPBELL RESPOND TO PETERHANSEL AND ROMA BY GIVING THEM A SWIFT ASS-KICKING TODAY IN STAGE 12; GAINING 26 MINUTES ON THE GREEN MINI

THE HUMMER IS PUTTING SOME FROWNS ON THE FACES OF MANY- NOT THE AMERICANS TODAY

If there’s one good lesson you can use in life and especially racing, it is that you never want to underestimate your opponent on unfamiliar terrain. It may seem cliché like some quote form “The Art of War” but at the end of stage12 of the DAKAR Rally, the MINI’s were all beaten so badly by both the course and their fiercest rival, it all points to the fact the MINI’s suffered a grand blunder.  And they all got screwed for it.

TODAY’S STAGE 12 VIDEO SUMMARY-

Rally leader Stephane Peterhansel was quoted yesterday about the HUMMER’s horrible stage 11, “As for Gordon, whatever happens now, he will just be carrying on to Lima for the enjoyment.”

IF GORDON AND CAMPBELL HAVE THEIR WAY, STEPHANE PETERHANSEL WILL NOT WIN EITHER OF THE TWO REMAINING STAGES OF THIS DAKAR RALLY

That actually turned out to be true because, from the sound of things this afternoon in Nasca, Peru, Gordon thoroughly “enjoyed” smashing the MINI’s aspirations for another stage win. Despite the absolute spanking that Gordon and Campbell dished out to the field today, they are still an hour and 44 minutes out of the lead with only one more day of full stage remaining.

"THE INSPECTORS CAN KISS MY ASS"

Clearly though, still, they have a respectable shot at an overall podium finish, if not better and American;s are rallying together behind Gordon and Campbell like we have not seen in recent memory.

SPECIAL LIVE VIDEO- GORDON LITERALLY TELLS ASO INSPECTORS TO KISS HIS ASS

Prior to today’s action, RDC had studied the maps and probable routes to determine that the most serious challenge of stage 12 would be the final 40 kilometers, which crossed over the Cerro Blanco, the tallest known sand dune on the planet. In this final section of special stage, all four MINI’s and the TOYOTA of Giniel De Villiers got stuck for at least some amount of time, wrecking all their hopes for stage victories.

ROBBY GORDON:

RDC will remind readers that in the DAKAR, most vehicles are 4WD and the rules state that these cars cannot use auto-air-inflation/deflation systems. But, because 2WD cars are seen as being “disadvantaged, they are afforded the luxury of using on board air systems that allow the pilots to inflate and deflate tires on the fly, without stopping or getting out of the vehicles. Gordon has used this same system for each of his prior 4 DAKAR entries, without issue. Not only do the MINI’s have to stop to deflate and/or inflate, but these drivers today were forced to dig themselves out after getting stuck on the ascending side of the Cerro Blanco. Imagine multi-time DAKAR winner Stephane Peterhansel scrambling to free his MINI from a sand-trap. It happened today at least once.

It is Gordon’s HUMMER and it’s on board inflation system that are at the heart of the suspicious disqualification of 303 by the DAKAR organizers. It does not matter what nationality or race the organizers are comprised of in this case. It is clearly suspicious because the DQ came about only after Gordon and Campbell proved they could lead and win stages.

America has been grossly un-represented in the DAKAR rally and have never won the event, so with the growing popularity of new media technology, more American are catching onto DAKAR fever as we watch our new heroes fight an uphill battle, not only on the race course, but now also in the stewards’ tents and likely, in coming weeks, a court of law.

YES, HE LIKES TO SHOW OFF ALL THE TIME, ALTHOUGH TODAY WAS NOW SHOW; IT WAS SIMPLY A ROYAL ASS-WOOPING

Our team at RDC will be working all night long to try and predict when and where tomorrow’s stage 13 will possibly take the competitors and what fans can expect form this analysis. The MINI’s made a big mistake today by underestimating the HUMMER and it’s crew’s experience in the sand. If they learned anything from that, they will be smarter in tomorrows stage. Until then, “Au revoir et à demain”

STAGE 12 RESULTS: CARS

OVERALL GENERAL STANDINGS AFTER STAGE 12- CARS:

 AMERICA RALLIES BEHIND THE TWO MEN WHO HAVE KEPT US IN THE RALLY THUS FAR

THE HUMMER OF GORDON AND CAMPBELL WILL CONTINUE THE RALLY TOWARD LIMA, PERU

DAKAR Fever has swept North America with Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell displaying a tremendous effort at the 2012 version of the world’s most grueling motorsports event and for good reason. No American has ever won this event. Alas, Gordon and Campbell have been putting on an incredible show and, compared to the DAKAR establishment of European team, it’s been quite the David and Goliath story. The 2WD rear engine HUMMER has been so much faster than the 4WD MINI’s but reliability is half of the game.

They are down but not out

Today, Americans watched in dismay as Gordon and Campbell ominously missed the proper start time of zone 2 on the timed special stage, leading the blogshpere to conclude that these two were out of contention, if not the rally all together. The duo has been marred with issues from the very first stage when the Orange HUMMER had to stop to tow former teammate Nasser AL Attiyah’s HUMMER to the finish of that day’s special stage. This continued at least two more times on successive stages, costing Gordon and Campbell valuable time.

The orange HUMMER has been turning lots of head and it is not time to throw in the towel

ROBBY GORDON: “We lost a CV joint boot and when we finished the first special we tried to change it. It took us too long to change and we missed the transfer section. At the end it was very bad and the silt is all inside the clutch, so we’ve lost the clutch and a wheel fell off… We’ve just had a bad day – we had a horrible day. The only way we’ll win is if the other guys have problems, but I’m pretty sure De Villiers got past us too. But, you know, that’s the Dakar. You fight, fight, fight and hopefully it doesn’t get you, but today it just got us, for no reason. A 1 dollar part, a hose clamp broke. That put is in a position to miss everything else, so it was a bad day for us, but we’ll just keep fighting until the end. We won’t give up. You never know what will happen, so we’ll ride to Lima.”

Later on, after the Gordon won stage 9, DAKAR organizers began “scrutinizing” the HUMMER’s “auto-inflation” system for its tires and outright disqualified Gordon. He immediately appealed and was allowed to continue the rally on a “conditional” basis. This happened on the same stage that Al-Attiyah “tapped-out” of the rally. Then, Frenchmen Stephane Peterhansel outraged the entire motorcycle community when he and his MINI were filmed clipping Italian motor biker Filippo Ciotto (#59) –see RDC homepage for this story

TODAY’S STAGE 11 VIDEO SUMMARY

Gordon and Campbell, a duo of opposites, are credited with inspiring American fans to “rally” behind Team SPEED and the HUMMER crew. They represent America’s only hope for a 2012 DAKAR Rally championship. Despite a host of issues ranging from mechanical to navigational, the HUMMER has posted some extremely impressive stages including back to back 2^nd place finishes before their stage 9 stage win.

Robby collects himself after yesterday's difficult stage 10

Today’s disappointing stage for the HUMMER caused hearts to drop as it was believed that the duo’s hope were totally dashed. But we offer the following case for optimism: The next 2 day’s stages are unprecedented as the DAKAR has never raced in PERU until this morning. Tomorrow will bring many unknown challenges to all the competitors include mystic and massive sand dune mountains, treacherous canyons and likely wetspot as PERU has experienced severe rains in recent days and week. Do not give up hope on the HUMMER and the SPEED ENERGY crew. They have a lot invested.

The HUMMERS of Robby Gordon and Nasser Al-Attiyah were the pride and joy of rest day in COPIAPO’ yesterday and had the honors of starting stage 8 in front of the rest of the field. Nasser, who won stage 7 nicely, left the start at 10:26 local time and Gordon/Campbell only 3 minutes later.

STAGE 8 SUMMARY

GORDON WAS FIRST TO CROSS THE FINISH AND NASSER SECOND; GORDON MISSED A TIME ADJUSTED STAGE WIN BY ONLY 5 SECONDS

But early on, Nasser and Lucas lost a belt and hed to stop and change. Then, they lost the alternator and had to stop for second time, costing him close to 19 minutes. But in typical Nasser “Yalla Yalla” style, he said, “Let’s Go!, Full Attack” and started snipping off time at every checkpoint. He trimmed his 18:36 minute deficit down to 16 and then again down to 14, then 13. At the finish he more than halved his original deficit down to 08:09 minutes to finish 5^th, where he stands on the general rankings, 45 minutes off the lead. Nasser’s effort is not over by any means but his team mates Robby and Johnny are very much in the hunt for the unprecedented first DAKAR OA by any American.

"They (the MINI'S) are nervous because I overtook all of them."

Nasser's co-pilot Lucas Cruz (ESP) is no stranger to the podium and seems to be working very well with the Qatari Nassassin

NASSER AL-ATTIYAH: “We had a problem with an engine belt. We repaired it… and shortly after it was the alternator’s turn to need a repair. But then we started attacking in earnest. There were six cars in front of us and we overtook all the Minis, as well as De Villiers’ Toyota. We did a good job. They are nervous because I overtook all of them, but that is not my problem. I know everything is going smoothly, and we will see how far we can go.”

Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell go all out in stage 8- 2nd place for the day

Robby and Johnny had to pass a stranded Al-Attiyah as Robby had laid it down that the orange HUMMER could not stop again to aid the Qatari’s HUMMER. While Robby and Johnny did get off to a great start they started losing time to the MINI’S, but then RG put his foot down and started rallying toward Antofagosta and made up several minutes of deficit to finish the stage only 00:05 behind Nani Roma.

ROBBY GORDON:

“Nani may have beat me, but it must have been close. Beating Peterhansel by seven minutes makes this a great day. In all honesty, I did not attack too much, except towards the end of the stage. At any rate, I was not at my best in the first 300 kilometres, only in the last 150. I felt the others breathing down my neck, so I accelerated.”

We can start to imagine the pressure on rookie co-pilot Johnny “11-Time” Campbell as he sits in the cockpit of RG’s HUMMER calling off navigation signals as well as doing tire changes and generally helping RG with race strategy. Campbell has been making some calls that Gordon concurred with which paid off. There are 6 stages remaining on the DAKAR and Team SPEED is very much in contention to claim America’s first title in the world’s most important motorsports event. America is on the edge of our seats watching and cheering for Gordon and Campbell to stay up front, consistent and fast.

Frenchman Cyril Despres got stuck in a brutal mud hole, went over the bars and probably will had some soreness on Stage 9

Goncalves (PRT) stopped to help Despres get out of the mud but not before getting stuck and going over the bars as well

In the bikes category, the Mark (Coma) and Cyril (Despres) show continued today with Coma jumping out in front and missing a wicked mud hole that swallowed the Frenchman Despres whole. Despres had a comfortable lead over Coma in the general standings at the start of the stage but gave it all away after his mishap. After Cyril was completely stopped and stuck, the Portuguese Goncalves, stopped to aid Despres and got stuck himself. After Cyril was freed, he took off thinking Goncalves was all set. There is a code on the DAKAR stage and we think and Goncalves followed it right.

TEAM SPEED-HUMMER-QATAR ARE RAISING THE BAR ON THE SPORTS CARS

The Qatari Mad Man opened up a full day of “Yalla Yalla” on stage 7 of the DAKAR and turned a several minute deficit into a 6 minute lead over Frenchie Stephane Peterhansel’s MINI. Nassers lead is so significant it can only make the Eurozone wonder if 2-wheel drive off road cars are culturally acceptable.

"Of Course I am very Happy. I put the Yalla Yalla down on the DAKAR today"

REAL QUOTE:

Traditionally, anything “off-road” in Europe is strictly 4 wheel drive only. But back home in North America, the birthplace of the sport, 2-wheel drive is the standard rule and not the exception.

"Yes I feel very intimidated and out gunned in my little sports car, even with 4WD. I'm not even sure what I'm driving this year?"

STAGE 7 VIDEO SUMMARY:

Gordon and Campbell also proved their HUMMER has the same virility of Nassers. Although Al-Attiyah is winning stages, some bad luck still has him in 6th place, over 42 minutes out of the lead for the 2012 DAKAR Rally, so it makes sense that he is pushing at over 100% with little or nothing to lose.

JOHNNY CAMPBELL:

“Overall good day for the Speed Energy Team. 1-2. Started off bad with flat and I did a slow change. RG put it down and there was tricky Nav in the dunes and we made good decisions and past PeterHansel and Holovich(wrong spelling) and left them. This was the first stage of dunes that we broke trail for the cars. We physically led for more than 100k to the finish. Felt good. Nasser and Lucas Cruz ran an incredible pace to win the stage from behind. Looking forward to rest day tomorrow.”

TEAM SPEED and HUMMER are really making a strong showing and a good race with the MINI'S

ROBBY GORDON: “It really was a perfect day for the Hummers! I had a flat 25 km into the first special and Peterhansel overtook me, but we were later able to move back ahead of him. We will see exactly how much time we gained on him, but it is obvious that our car is extremely fast on this type of terrain. It is easy to see that it was designed for this sort of stages. We have also changed a lot of things, including the transmission, and it is now a fearsome machine. In fact, I am sure Nasser is going to win this thing… OK, the others are still ahead, but I think we are in a very good position for the rest of the rally.”
This showing by team SPEED and HUMMER has really turned a lot of heads all over the planet. The world is taking note of Robby Gordon’s strong effort. The MINI’s know they are getting their asses kicked in the sprints even though they are winning the marathon so they have to hope for mishaps, both mechanical and driver error, from Robby and Nasser in order to comfortably win the DAKAR. If indeed, the HUMMERs can maintain equipment and controlled drivers, they will own the DAKAR and we’ll have to see who will be getting the HUMMERS next year?

We take a rest day tomorrow, Sunday, and the rally will resume Monday AM en route to Antofogasta, Chile. Stay tuned.

The canyons and valleys of South America are bigger than life

CAR RESULTS:

OA GENERAL STANDINGS: CARS

BIKES STAGE 7:

OA GENERAL STANDINGS: BIKES

ROBBY AND JOHNNY ARE BLASTING THEIR WAY THROUGH SOUTH AMERICA

The HUMMERS of Robby Gordon and Nasser Al Attiyah continued their assault on the DAKAR Rally this morning, both cars jumping out to impressive starts with Nasser leading by several minutes over the field before succumbing to a problem with the motor’s cooling system. After repairs, Al-Attiyah had lost more than 24 minutes. Gordon and Campbell, who were physically in front of Nasser all day, continued on to an impressive 2^nd place in today’s special stage. This is important for next week as today, the HUMMERS got their first taste of serious sand dunes.

In other notes: Andy Grider and Orlando Terranova, who got a 2nd yesterday have mysteriously withdrawn from the DAKAR rally. Early speculation pointed to a possible dispute between Terranova and his co-pilot, however Grider reportedly issued a statement through the team about having to tend to personal family matters at home. Because of some confusion in translating the statement into English, more questions were asked of the team and the manager is said to have fess’d up that Terranova and Grider began seriously arguing after stage 4 and that Grider basically told Terranova to ‘pound sand’, quite fitting prior to the huge dunes of stage 5.

STAGE 5 SUMMARY

Next week, the rally will head north through Chile and across the Atacama Desert.

Robby says he is preserving his HUMMER for the long haul

ROBBY GORDON: “We’ve got a long way to go. I actually kind of paced it the whole time and we didn’t have any problems. Our car works good enough on those type of sections. I was surprised that we got beat by Holowczyc, he did a great job, but for us to beat Peterhansel by 3 minutes was good and that makes up a little bit of the distance. I think we beat De Villiers by about ten minutes, so I’m going to say, looking at what we see right now, we’re probably in third position and we’ve got a long way to go. I’m not even driving the car that hard.”

JOHNNY CAMPBELL: “Stage 5 went well for us. It started in sand and went into dunes right away. Nasser caught us quickly, and was driving like a mad man. We let him pass as his pace was really aggressive. Then we trailed him and caught and passed a few cars but we had a hard hit from front end impact and lost a fan motor. The engine temps were climbing so RG backed out of it to save the engine, we lost Nasser, but once we got on some fast roads the temps went down and we resumed race pace. RG picked it up in a cross grain section and we gained lots of time. Toward the end of stage Nasser was parked with problem. We did a quick check and they had to repair a water line. We took off and resumed a good pace to the finish. Super fun day. Good for the Speed Energy Hummer #303.”

Nasser was totally on fire again this morning until he had mechanical challenge

Nasser explained his difficulty today: “The spare wheel was loose and it hit the engine water pipe, breaking it and after the temperature was very high, so we stopped to repair again and lost a lot of time. But what can I do? I was really having a good run, I was doing my maximum but I don’t know what’s wrong, you know. My plan today was to take at least ten minutes from everybody and that’s what was happening because I was really fast until CP2, I think. But after, we stopped there because we needed water and to fix and prepare the car. So, yes, I’m disappointed again!”

Some big ass UPS trucks on the DAKAR Rally

Want to cheer for Robby Gordon at the Dakar Rally but you aren’t even quite sure how it works?  Don’t worry, RDC is here to get you started.  Before you know it you will be impressing your friends with obscure rally trivia and your mastery of French.  Wait, French?!  That is right, although it is currently held in South America, the Dakar Rally is organized by the French Amaury Sports Organization (ASO), the same outfit that puts on the Tour de France.  Don’t worry, when it comes to off-road racing the French have a lot more in common with us than you might think.

The Dakar Rally may not be as old as the Baja 1000 or the Mint 400, but what it lacks in age is makes up for in sheer distance.  Starting in 1978 the rally started in Paris (thus the French connection) and ended in Dakar, Senegal (thus the name).  That all changed in 2008 when the race was cancelled at the last minute due to security threats.  Since then it has been held in the South American countries of Argentina and Chile, and this year a new route travels from Argentina west to Chile and north on to Peru.

The race starts with “scrutineering”, which is a tech inspection on steroids.  These guys make SCORE tech inspector Bill Savage look like a Sunday school teacher.  There is no unlimited equivalent of Trophy Trucks and Class 1 cars, all classes in the Dakar Rally are subject to rules that are strictly enforced.  Like SCORE and Best In The Desert there are multiple classes- ASO separates vehicles by 2WD and 4WD and gas or diesel with different rules for each.  For instance 2WD vehicles like Robby Gordon’s Hummer are allowed to run central tire inflation, while 4WD vehicles are not.  2WD vehicles are also allowed more wheel travel and larger tires, but this has not allowed them to win in the past decade.  At the end of scrutineering all of the vehicles are sequestered in “Parc Ferme”- which is your first French lesson for the day.

When the race starts there is a lot of cheering, spinning rubber, and contingency girls.  That is where the similarities with the Baja 1000 end though.  Instead of a marked course that racers are allowed to pre-run as much as they would like, the route for the Dakar Rally is unknown to teams until the night before each stage.  GPS is also prohibited in the Dakar Rally, so navigators have a lot more to do than just watch the gauges.  They don’t have to worry about watching the mirrors as much as in desert racing though, since nerfing is rare in rally raid (although Robby Gordon has known to bring a little Baja influence to the Dakar Rally in the past).

The Dakar Rally last two weeks and covers over 5500 miles, which would be impossible to do non-stop like the Baja 1000.  Instead each day has a set course with “liaisons” and “specials”.  Liaisons are on pavement and are not run for time, although it is necessary to reach the start of the special stage buy a certain time.  Specials are the timed part of the course where the race is won or lost, with the best combined time for the entire race determining the winner.  Starting order each day is determined from the fastest time for the previous stage and brings plenty of bragging rights.

Armed with this knowledge, you will have some bragging rights of your own when the Dakar Rally starts on January 1^st.  Check RDC for daily updates on the race leaders and the efforts of not only Robby Gordon, but all of the American competitors so you can impress your friends with your mad skills.

Charlotte, N.C. (December 8, 2011) – Robby Gordon and the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team announce the addition of off-road legend, Johnny Campbell to the 2012 team.  Johnny Campbell will serve as Gordon’s navigator during the 2012 edition of the infamous Dakar Rally. Campbell will be responsible for directing Gordon through the 6,000-mile pan-American journey that is different than years past, which will add to the allure of the grueling race. The 14-day racing event will starting on New Year’s Day in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, cross over the Andes of Chile and then finish in country of Peru. Both the route and terrain will be different than years’ past, making Campbell one of the most important team members.

The Southern Californian 2-wheel racer is most known for his multiple Baja 1000 victories. This will be his second entry in the Dakar Rally and his first on to the South American continent as a navigator.  Campbell, age 40, finished 8^th overall and1^st as a privateer during the 2001 Dakar Rally, bringing an impressive resume to Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team. With a total of 16 Baja wins – 5 Baja 500 and 11 Baja 1000 –  Campbell not only brings along a tradition of success but a great deal of experience when it comes to reading the desert terrain.  Campbell’s ability will be key to Gordon’s success as the two look for their first Dakar Rally overall win in 2012.

“I have always said that I would return to conquer the Dakar Rally when the right opportunity presented itself. When I got the call from Robby, I knew that time had come. To be partnered with one of motorsports all-time legends, his great team and awesome equipment is a dream come true. I am very excited and looking forward to the challenge of navigating the Speed Energy / Toyo Tires team to the top of the podium,” commented Johnny Campbell.

“Having Johnny Campbell join our team is a real honor. Having 11 Baja 1000 victories and finishing the Dakar Rally in 2001 on a motorcycle, he understands what it takes to be successful and competitive.  Not only will he be an asset on the car side, he also brings a level of professionalism to our team given his managerial background, which is only going to make our team that much stronger this year. He is a true champion, and I am excited to have him as part of this year’s Dakar Rally team,” commented Robby Gordon.

Johnny Campbell’s Career Highlights:

* Baja 1000, 1997-2005, 2007-08

* Baja 500, 1997-98, 2002-04

* San Felipe 250, 1998-2000, 2002-04, 08

* Vegas to Reno, 2001, 2004-05, 2007

* Terrible’s Town 250, 2001-03, 2005

* HYR 24 Hours of Glen Helen, 1999, 2006

* 2005–Henderson’s Terrible 400, Nevada 1000, Parker 250

* 2004–Henderson’s Terrible 300

* 2003–Laughlin U.S. Hare Scrambles

* 2001–8th overall/1st privateer, Paris-to-Dakar Rally

* 2000–Nevada 2000, Tonopah 300, Adelanto Grand Prix

* 1998–Silver State 300

* 1995–Nevada Rally

* 1992–HDRA Nevada 500, Rosarito Beach Grand Prix

Charlotte, N.C. (December 6, 2011) – Winner of the 2011 Dakar Rally, Nasser Al-Attiyah confirmed that he will join Robby Gordon and his off-road team in the 2012 edition of the Dakar Rally. Driving one of the highly-modified HUMMERs sponsored by his native country of Qatar, Al-Attiyah will compete for his second consecutive overall Dakar Rally victory.  Should he conquer the South American desert once again, he will be only the second driver to triumph in two different manufactures; Ari Vatanen did so in 1990-1991.

Al-Attiyah has an impressive racing resume and is an accomplished cross-country and classic rally racer. He has won seven FIA Middle East Rally Championships titles since 2003 and collected 13 stage wins in the infamous Dakar Rally from 2009 to 2011.

“Teaming with Robby Gordon and driving a HUMMER is fantastic because it’s a new challenge for me. I’m proud of being able to represent Qatar in this year’s Dakar Rally,” Al-Attiyah said.

Lucas Cruz, who sat alongside Al-Attiyah for the 2011 Dakar win, will once again be his co-driver.

“To have Nasser as a teammate in this year’s Dakar Rally is a huge boost for our team. He brings the excitement and experience of a champion to our team. I personally take it as an honor that he chose our team to defend his 2011 overall win. Between my SPEED Energy HUMMER and his Qatar HUMMER, we have a strong team, cars, and drivers capable of winning the Rally,” commented Robby Gordon.

Nasser Al-Attiyah Career Highlights:

1990             1^st place Qatar National Rally Championship

1991             1^st place Desert Fox by Marlboro

1992             1^st place Qatar National Rally Championship

2003             1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2006             1^st place FIA Production Car World Rally Championship

2007             1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2008             1^st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup

1^st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup for Bajas

2009             2^nd place Rally dos Sertões, Silk Way Rally

1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2010             2^nd place Dakar Rally

2^nd place Silk Way Rally

2011             1^st Place Dakar Rally

Charlotte, N.C. (December 8, 2011) – Robby Gordon and the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team announce the addition of off-road legend, Johnny Campbell to the 2012 team.  Johnny Campbell will serve as Gordon’s navigator during the 2012 edition of the infamous Dakar Rally. Campbell will be responsible for directing Gordon through the 6,000-mile pan-American journey that is different than years past, which will add to the allure of the grueling race. The 14-day racing event will starting on New Year’s Day in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, cross over the Andes of Chile and then finish in country of Peru. Both the route and terrain will be different than years’ past, making Campbell one of the most important team members.

The Southern Californian 2-wheel racer is most known for his multiple Baja 1000 victories. This will be his second entry in the Dakar Rally and his first on to the South American continent as a navigator.  Campbell, age 40, finished 8^th overall and1^st as a privateer during the 2001 Dakar Rally, bringing an impressive resume to Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team. With a total of 16 Baja wins – 5 Baja 500 and 11 Baja 1000 –  Campbell not only brings along a tradition of success but a great deal of experience when it comes to reading the desert terrain.  Campbell’s ability will be key to Gordon’s success as the two look for their first Dakar Rally overall win in 2012.

“I have always said that I would return to conquer the Dakar Rally when the right opportunity presented itself. When I got the call from Robby, I knew that time had come. To be partnered with one of motorsports all-time legends, his great team and awesome equipment is a dream come true. I am very excited and looking forward to the challenge of navigating the Speed Energy / Toyo Tires team to the top of the podium,” commented Johnny Campbell.

“Having Johnny Campbell join our team is a real honor. Having 11 Baja 1000 victories and finishing the Dakar Rally in 2001 on a motorcycle, he understands what it takes to be successful and competitive.  Not only will he be an asset on the car side, he also brings a level of professionalism to our team given his managerial background, which is only going to make our team that much stronger this year. He is a true champion, and I am excited to have him as part of this year’s Dakar Rally team,” commented Robby Gordon.

Johnny Campbell’s Career Highlights:

* Baja 1000, 1997-2005, 2007-08

* Baja 500, 1997-98, 2002-04

* San Felipe 250, 1998-2000, 2002-04, 08

* Vegas to Reno, 2001, 2004-05, 2007

* Terrible’s Town 250, 2001-03, 2005

* HYR 24 Hours of Glen Helen, 1999, 2006

* 2005–Henderson’s Terrible 400, Nevada 1000, Parker 250

* 2004–Henderson’s Terrible 300

* 2003–Laughlin U.S. Hare Scrambles

* 2001–8th overall/1st privateer, Paris-to-Dakar Rally

* 2000–Nevada 2000, Tonopah 300, Adelanto Grand Prix

* 1998–Silver State 300

* 1995–Nevada Rally

* 1992–HDRA Nevada 500, Rosarito Beach Grand Prix

For more information on champion Johnny Campbell, please visit www.jcrhonda.com. Follow the SPEED Energy Off-Road Racing team during the 2012 Dakar Rally on www.speedenergy.com as well as twitter and facebook atwww.twitter.com/speed_energy and www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink.

Charlotte, N.C. (December 6, 2011) – Winner of the 2011 Dakar Rally, Nasser Al-Attiyah confirmed that he will join Robby Gordon and his off-road team in the 2012 edition of the Dakar Rally. Driving one of the highly-modified HUMMERs sponsored by his native country of Qatar, Al-Attiyah will compete for his second consecutive overall Dakar Rally victory.  Should he conquer the South American desert once again, he will be only the second driver to triumph in two different manufactures; Ari Vatanen did so in 1990-1991.

Al-Attiyah has an impressive racing resume and is an accomplished cross-country and classic rally racer. He has won seven FIA Middle East Rally Championships titles since 2003 and collected 13 stage wins in the infamous Dakar Rally from 2009 to 2011.

“Teaming with Robby Gordon and driving a HUMMER is fantastic because it’s a new challenge for me. I’m proud of being able to represent Qatar in this year’s Dakar Rally,” Al-Attiyah said.

Lucas Cruz, who sat alongside Al-Attiyah for the 2011 Dakar win, will once again be his co-driver.

“To have Nasser as a teammate in this year’s Dakar Rally is a huge boost for our team. He brings the excitement and experience of a champion to our team. I personally take it as an honor that he chose our team to defend his 2011 overall win. Between my SPEED Energy HUMMER and his Qatar HUMMER, we have a strong team, cars, and drivers capable of winning the Rally,” commented Robby Gordon.

Nasser Al-Attiyah Career Highlights:

1990             1^st place Qatar National Rally Championship

1991             1^st place Desert Fox by Marlboro

1992             1^st place Qatar National Rally Championship

2003             1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2006             1^st place FIA Production Car World Rally Championship

2007             1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2008             1^st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup

1^st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup for Bajas

2009             2^nd place Rally dos Sertões, Silk Way Rally

1^st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2010             2^nd place Dakar Rally

2^nd place Silk Way Rally

2011             1^st Place Dakar Rally

No. 300 Qatar HUMMER

Charlotte, NC (January 12, 2011) – For Team HUMMER, the 2011 Dakar Rally has come to an early end.  On Monday the No. 327 SPEED Energy / Cristal CERO HUMMER was involved in a crash during Stage 8 from Antofagasta to Copiapo. This portion of the rally was particularly difficult as much of the course was in the Atacama Desert, where landmarks were few and the team had to maneuver the route along old mine tracks.

After working thru the night to repair the HUMMER, the No. 327 was able to start Stage 9 from Copiapo.  A few kilometers into the stage, driver of the SPEED Energy / Cristal CERO HUMMER, Eliseo Salazar, reported losing the transmission; a setback that ended his attempt at completing the Dakar Rally.

The 2011 Dakar Rally took its toll on Team HUMMER as Salazar’s teammate, Robby Gordon, was disqualified during Stage 4 after breaking a wheel bearing during the liaison portion that leads to the special.

“We are very disappointed that both of our cars failed to finish the 2011 Dakar Rally. Our team was better prepared than ever, so two DNF’s makes this hurt a lot. We will start preparing for the 2012 Dakar as soon as we return from the rally and try our best to compete with VW next year. I definitely felt that I could have matched their speed in Chile, but we do have our work cut out for us improving the race cars for the Argentina stages,” commented Robby Gordon.

In his first attempt at the Dakar Rally, SPEED Demon, Quinn Cody remains in the rally. Cody is in the 10th overall position in the bikes category.

About SPEED Energy – SPEED Energy is available in three flavors: Unleaded, Fuel, and Octane, which provides the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent energy blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED is packaged in 12-ounce sleek cans that have a stylish black top and sexy body and are available in singles, four-packs, and cases.  SPEED Energy is available in the United States in major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For more information, please visit speedenergy.com.

RDC just spent a moment this morning in Arica, Chile to visit with Robby Gordon about reports that he left Chile after getting DQ’d from the DAKAR RALLY after missing the start time of his special on Stage 4 on the first day in Chile.

Robby Gordon continues with the Team after his exit out of the 2011 Dakar (Photo: Toyo Tires)

“Honestly, I was on the way to the airport in Iquigue and realized I needed to turn the car around after driving about 50 km. I needed to stick around for the team and their morale. It was the wrong thing to do and I realized it on the way out of town.”

Robby will stick it out down here to support the crew and the second HUMMER of Eliseo Salazar (CHI) and Steve La Roza.

Robby's Hummer looking all shiny and new before the race

Robby Gordon's Hummer after the Stage 2 incident

Robby Gordon jumps the start

Heavy rain created an unforeseen obstacle for Team HUMMER. According to the TV choppers flying over the route, the participants in the car category suffered from skidding and sliding. Robby Gordon, driver of the No. 303 SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER, started today’s special in fourth place. He was scored 9th as he crossed the CP1 marker located at km 137 together while last year’s winner, Carlos Sainz, led the field.

Disadvantaged by the slippery race conditions, Gordon finished 11 minutes, 4 seconds behind Carlos Sainz in the first stage of the Rally with a total time of 2 hours, 29 minutes and 36 seconds. This time puts Gordon eighth overall heading into tomorrow’s stage from Cordoba to San Miguel de Tucuman, which will be a 324-km race through the mountains.

“We started today’s special in fourth place, and unfortunately we finished eighth. We knew that the HUMMER team would not be as strong as we would like in the Argentina portion of this race, but we struggled a little bit more today than I would have liked due to the weather conditions and technical rally-style section. Sainz and Peterhansel led today’s stage, but they also started the race before the weather began and were virtually unaffected by it. That’s why you see the gap in time from the rest of the competitors,” commented Robby Gordon, driver of the No. 303 SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER.

Robby Gordon jumps the start

“We started out the special good, but we had a couple of challenges along the way. Kellon [Walch] and I had to change helmets during the middle of the stage because his microphone quit working. I ran off the road at one point. We also ran out of windshield wiper fluid due to the mud. These mistakes probably cost us about 1 minute of total speed. I expected to give up 5 minutes in today’s stage not 11 minutes, which disappoints me. It is still early in the race, but we have some ground to make up tomorrow. Some of the guys are already starting to have issues this early. Hopefully, we will recover quickly from today’s issues before we enter Chile because it is our best opportunity to make up time. By this point, I want to be less than 10 minutes behind,” furthered Gordon.

“Tomorrow’s stage is supposed to go through the mountains, which are not good for us for two reasons. First, the HUMMERs are not turbo-charged then the course is a little narrow. They did say that we should encounter some bumps, which could be good for us.”

Eliseo Salazar, driver of the No. 327 SPEED Energy / Cristal CERO HUMMER finished today’s stage 28th, 34 minutes, 25 seconds behind.

Buenos Aires, Argentina (December 30, 2010) – Robby Gordon has enlisted the driving skills of Chilean, Eliseo Salazar, to contribute to the efforts of Team HUMMER and their quest to win the infamous Dakar Rally.  Salazar and navigator, Steve La Roza, will be driving the No. 327 SPEED Energy / Cristal CERO HUMMER race vehicle in the cross country test of endurance.

Eliseo Salazar posing in front of the Dakar 2011 Hummer

Salazar’s racing roots run deep.  Beginning his career in 1981, Eliseo is the only Chilean to ever race in the Formula 1 series.  He also holds the title of the only driver in the world to race the Monaco Grand Prix, 24-Hours of Le Mans, Indianapolis 500, 24-Hours of Daytona and the Dakar Rally.

The 2011 rally will be Salazar’s second attempt at the Dakar Rally.  When asked what it means to join Team HUMMER Salazar states, “It’s the highlight of my career.  To race with Team HUMMER means to be a part of one of the most important teams in the Dakar Rally.”  For Eliseo, racing with Robby Gordon as a teammate is the ultimate experience because “he is a friend and an outstanding off road racer.”

“I am personally very excited about having Eliseo driving on our team. I have raced with Eliseo before in Indy cars. In fact, we were teammates in 2001 when we both drove for Foyt in the Indianapolis 500. Eliseo has driven the first version of the HUMMER before and has been racing rallies in Chile for the last few years, so I know this is going to help him with driving the HUMMER. With Cristal CERO being  partners with Speed Energy on Eliseo’s HUMMER, it gives us great opportunities in Chile and Argentina with Speed to become an international brand. I look forward to this year’s adventure with Eliseo – watching and rooting for him to crack the top 10,” commented Robby Gordon.

Being a native of Chile and racing in his home country is an honor for Eliseo Salazar.  “The Dakar route covers my native country so it will be special for me to be in touch with fans all over Chile who have supported my thirty-six year racing career.”  He also knows that the terrain through the Atacama Desert will be the hardest and most extreme, so “it will be important to be well prepared for these stages,” says Salazar.

Alongside Salazar will be his navigator, Steve La Roza.  La Roza has gained most of his Dakar experience in the motorbike category, but is up for the challenge of navigating the SPEED Energy / Cristal CERO HUMMER through the most difficult race course on the planet.

About Cristal CERO,0° – Cristal CERO,0° is a completely alcohol-free beer that maintains the incomparable flavor of Cristal beer through an elaborate manufacturing process by CCU. This product is related to CCU’s trend toward a more healthy way of life, supporting today’s society in the challenges it faces, stimulating responsibility with the community, and always concerned to meet the growing needs of its customers.

About SPEED Energy – SPEED Energy is available in three flavors: Unleaded, Fuel, and Octane, which provides the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent energy blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED is packaged in 12 ounce sleek cans that have a stylish black top and sexy body and are available in singles, four-packs, and cases.  SPEED Energy is available in the United States in major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For more information, please visit speedenergy.com.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit speedenergy.com, planetrobby.com, dakar.com along with Facebook and Twitter for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos.  The team will also be doing a preview daily leading up to the Rally that details their Dakar program and what it takes to get the team ready to participate in the 14-stage event. The Versus Channel will provide coverage throughout the United States.  A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day.  Check your local listing for exact show times.

NEW for 2011 – The SPEED Energy APP featuring exclusive updates of Robby Gordon and his SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER during the 2011 Dakar Rally.  Follow Robby as he competes in the world’s toughest race through Argentina and Chile.  Be the first to hear updates from the driver himself and get exclusive videos and photos during the team’s quest to win the coveted Dakar Rally.  You’ll be able to keep up with Robby during the rally from your iPhone or iPad!

Robby Gordon and Team HUMMER Dakar Statistics

2005

• First American to win a stage in Dakar Rally while driving for the VW Touareg Factory team
• Two stage victories
• Overall 12th place in a field of more than 460 competitors

2006

• Gordon began his own Dakar effort with the creation of Team HUMMER
• Campaigned a purpose built HUMMER H3 in conjunction with General Motors
• Ran as high as fifth in a field of more than 500 competitors before a hole in the radiator led to mechanical failure

2007

• Returned to Dakar with new sponsor and greater factory engineering support from General Motors
• Won one stage (longest stage overall)
• Overall 8^th place finish

2008

• The Dakar Rally was cancelled due to security threats in Mauritana, but Gordon ran in the replacement Rally, the Central European Rally, which took place through Hungary, Romania and Budapest
• Campaigned as a two-race vehicle team and both vehicles finished in overall top-10 (7^th and 10^th)

2009

• The Dakar Rally was moved to South American and took place in Argentina and Chile
• Campaigned again as a two-race vehicle team
• Robby Gordon finished 3^rd overall  and the second team HUMMER finished  13^th overall

2010

• Campaigned as a three-race vehicle team throughout Argentina and Chile
• Robby Gordon finished 8^th overall, the Vanguard HUMMER finished 20^th and the Chile HUMMER ended on Stage 3 after the transmission expired

Charlotte, NC (December 23, 2010) – Behind every successful race team is a group of experienced, dedicated personnel. For this year’s Dakar Rally, Team HUMMER consists of a twelve-person support team: one team manager, seven crew members, two engineers, and two media professionals. All are highly skilled and accomplished in the world of motorsports and off-road racing.

“Each year we continue to bring together a strong, cohesive group of individuals that are passionate about our racing program, which is a key ingredient to our success in the Dakar Rally. I feel that we have one of the strongest teams gathered this year, and I hope that everyone’s hard work and dedication translates into a podium finish,” commented Robby Gordon, driver of the No. 303 SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires Hummer.

As the drivers and navigators of Team HUMMER leave the starting line to commence the 2011 Dakar Rally on January 1^st, the support vehicles transporting the crew members are not far behind. While most people think that these guys are on vacation, little do they know that long days and even longer nights are what the crew has to look forward to on their attempt to win the infamous Dakar Rally.

By day, the team members travel from stage to stage in the custom-built Freightliner support vehicles.  Though rough terrain and extreme conditions take a toll on the race vehicles, the Freightliners were purposefully built to provide the team with a comfortable ride. Comfort is a must during the 15-day event since most days the only time that the crew gets to sleep is during the trip to bivouacs.

At the end of each day, racers and their crews gather in the bivouacs to recap the day and plan the strategy for the next leg of the rally.  The bivouacs are encampment style set ups that serve as pit area, lodging and meal quarters.  Once the HUMMER race vehicles reach the bivouac, the crew goes to work on their daily assignments to “rebuild” them. Each individual has a list of tasks that must be marked off before they can even think of setting up their tent. Due to the extreme punishment that the HUMMERs face during each stage, the crew must work as quickly and efficiently as possible to perfect the race cars prior to the start of the next day’s stage. They understand that they work all night that it is just part of what it takes to be a member of this elite team and have a chance at the coveted prize at the end – the overall Dakar Rally win.

When asked to describe what the Dakar Rally is like from a crew member standpoint, three-time rally veteran, Randy Rodriguez, says, “The rally is an adventure.  The route changes every year so what you saw last year you might not see again. Driving from town to town is a lot of fun.  The native people in the small, rural towns we race through are so happy to see us…they run out in the streets and kiss the trucks. It is a pretty amazing experience in which I am honored to be a part.”

For an off-road team member, the Dakar Rally is the ultimate experience.  Being a part of the greatest test of man and machine is what they have aspired to in crafting their skills and expertise. The quest for multiple stage wins and a podium finish begins in their hands. Making up the 2011 Team HUMMER crew for the Dakar Rally are the following:

Name:                                  Position:                                              Experience:

Jamie Campbell                Mechanic/Fabricator                      1^st year

Miles Stanley                     Engineer                                              1^st year

Randy Rodriguez              Support Vehicle Driver                  3^rd year

Ryan Wagoner                  Mechanic/Fabricator                      2^nd year

Johnny Miller                     Mechanic/Fabricator                      3^rd year

Daniel Boissy                      Mechanic/Fabricator                      1^st year

Daniel Denoncourt          Mechanic/Fabricator                      1^st year

Roger Willis                         Support Vehicle Driver                  5^th year

Kevin Wilson                      Press                                                     2^nd year

Adrian Puente                   Press                                                     1^st year

James Lin                             Electrical Engineer                           4^th year

Kyle Robbins                      Team Manager                                 6^th year

It’s time for the 2011 Dakar, the craziest, most dangerous off-road rally in the world. And once again, Toyo Tires is covering it all from the cab of an H3. For the fourth year, Toyo Tires will bring you stories, videos and photos from the frontlines as we follow off-road rock star Robby Gordon. January 1 through 16, Robby Gordon will traverse some of the world’s highest sand dunes and mountains while racing through Argentina and Chile with one thing on his mind: victory. Originally run through Europe and Africa, the Dakar returns to South America for the third time with a course that covers 5,903 miles (9,500 kilometers) over 14 stages. This is an incredible international event. It’s wild and fun, beautiful and dangerous, and you can be in the middle of it with Toyo Tires. Follow the Dakar Rally blog at www.toyotires.com/dakar-rally-blog. Check it out for an inside look as Team HUMMER prepares to leave for Argentina.We look forward to having you with us for the adventure.

Charlotte, NC (December 21, 2010) – 2011 marks the 33rd running of the international test of endurance and determination known as the Dakar Rally, which for the third consecutive year will take place in the South American countries of Argentina and Chile after security threats in Mauritania in 2008 caused the ASO, the race organizers, to move the race from Africa.  With more than 9,500 km (5,903 miles) to be completed from January 1^st to 16^th, 2011, the Dakar Rally is easily the “world’s most grueling race.”

Based on fourteen stages, known as “specials”, the winner of the rally is the team with the shortest elapsed time over the fifteen day event.  The terrain that competitors traverse is extremely difficult. Most of the competitive specials are off-road, crossing dunes, mud, camel grass, rocks among other elements. To be successful at the Dakar Rally, a team must possess three things: state of the art equipment, first rate driving and navigational skills, and true determination and perseverance.  The slightest mistake by man or equipment can cost a team valuable seconds in their effort to achieve the ultimate objective: winning the Dakar Rally.

Team HUMMER will be fielding two entries in the rally-raid.  Known as one of the best off-road racers in the world, Robby Gordon will be participating in his seventh Dakar Rally and piloting the No. 303 Speed Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER.   Gordon will depend on his navigator, Kellon Walsh, to maneuver through the ever changing terrain of the cross country race.  Gordon knows how to win in the rally, becoming the first American to ever win a stage.  “To win a stage of the event was great, but to be the first American to win the Dakar Rally would mean so much more,” says Gordon.  “With experience also comes the understanding that you have to beat the rally before you can beat your competitors.”

A formal announcement regarding the second HUMMER entry will follow early next week.

To aid in their effort to challenge the Dakar Rally and factory teams, Team HUMMER will be touting a new sponsor, SPEED Energy Drink.  “This company is based on a commitment to SPEED, energy and relentless determination.  No one personifies those values better than Robby Gordon and no race encompasses those qualities more than the Dakar Rally, which makes partnering with Team HUMMER a perfect fit for our new SPEED Energy brand,” commented SPEED Energy representative, Steve Nichols.

“We’re excited to have SPEED Energy Drink on our HUMMER’s for the rally this year.  SPEED is a new company that is gaining a lot of attention in the U.S., and I’m looking forward to introducing it to the international market as part of our team’s branding exercise. In addition to representing SPEED Energy, I will also be representing our long list of elite partners. We just signed a three-year extension with Toyo Tires, and I couldn’t be happier to have them as a co-primary for this event,” says Gordon.

About SPEED Energy – SPEED Energy is available in three flavors: Unleaded, Fuel, and Octane, which provides the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent energy blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED is packaged in 12 ounce sleek cans that have a stylish black top and sexy body and are available in singles, four-packs, and cases.  SPEED Energy is available in the United States in major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For more information, please visit speedenergy.com.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit speedenergy.com, planetrobby.com, dakar.com along with Facebook and Twitter for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos.  The team will also be doing a preview daily leading up to the Rally that details their Dakar program and what it takes to get the team ready to participate in the 14-stage event. The Versus Channel will provide coverage throughout the United States.  A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day.  Check your local listing for exact show times.

www.youtube.com/user/thespeedenergydrink – DAILY VIDEO UPDATES

www.facebook.com/pages/Speed-Energy-Drink/171315372883715 -OFFICAL FACEBOOK PAGE

www.twitter.com/speed_energy – OFFICAL TWITTER FEED

NEW for 2011 – The SPEED Energy APP featuring exclusive updates of Robby Gordon and his SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER during the 2011 Dakar Rally.  Follow Robby as he competes in the world’s toughest race through Argentina and Chile.  Be the first to hear updates from the driver himself and get exclusive videos and photos during the team’s quest to win the coveted Dakar Rally.  You’ll be able to keep up with Robby during the rally from your iPhone or iPad!

Robby Gordon and Team HUMMER Dakar Statistics

2005

• First American to win a stage in Dakar Rally while driving for the VW Touareg Factory team
• Two stage victories
• Overall 12th place in a field of more than 460 competitors

2006

• Gordon began his own Dakar effort with the creation of Team HUMMER
• Campaigned a purpose built Hummer H3 in conjunction with General Motors
• Ran as high as fifth in a field of more than 500 competitors before a hole in the radiator led to mechanical failure

2007

• Returned to Dakar with new sponsor and greater factory engineering support from General Motors
• Won one stage (longest stage overall)
• Overall 8^th place finish

2008

• The Dakar Rally was cancelled due to security threats in Mauritana, but Gordon ran in the replacement Rally, the Central European Rally, which took place through Hungary, Romania and Budapest
• Campaigned as a two-race vehicle team and both vehicles finished in overall top-10 (7^th and 10^th)

2009

• The Dakar Rally was moved to South American and took place in Argentina and Chile
• Campaigned again as a two-race vehicle team
• Robby Gordon finished 3^rd overall  and the second team Hummer finished  13^th overall

2010

• Campaigned as a three-race vehicle team throughout Argentina and Chile
• Robby Gordon finished 8^th overall, the Vanguard Hummer finished 20^th and the Chile Hummer ended on Stage 3 after the transmission expired

RENO, NV   SEPTEMBER 28, 2010 – Susan Austin finished the first desert race she has ever entered at the VORRA Hawthorne 225 race on September 5^th.   “I have been told by the best, including Rod Hall, that to win a race you must first complete the race.  My goal for this first race was just to finish, and I am so excited that I did!” said Susan Austin, who IronWomaned the entire 225 miles.

After attending the VORRA Xtreme Outlaw race in June, she decided that she wanted to start racing.  “It just looks like so much fun,” said Susan Austin.  “I don’t know how old women are that take up this sport, but at 60 to take it up I think this is amazing…  I imagine most ladies take up knitting, I don’t think I will ever do that!”

Susan purchased Rod Halls Hummer and enlisted his help in training for this first race.  “Working with Rod Hall has been an amazing and rewarding experience,” explained Susan.  When Rod was asked at the end of the race how his student did he exclaimed, “I am really surprised how well she has taken control of the car, and how well she has been able to keep the car under control.  I can’t believe with how much energy she has, how she has been able to control that right foot.  Its not always that easy!”

The track was everything that she had expected.  Susan came through the main pit four times after 55 miles, each time with a smile on her face no matter how rocky, dusty, and silty the track had become.  Susan’s lap times were consistent with her total finishing time in the car at 8 hours 53 minutes.  She placed fourth in the Sportsman Class.

She was driving a Rod Hall Hummer, prepared by ORI of Reno with no mechanical or tire failures the entire race.  “The boys pulled together a perfect car for me, I am thankful to Donnie (Gilman of ORI) and the whole team that supported me,” said Susan.  She is sponsored by Exit 28 Motorsports, Rod Hall Racing, Mustang Ranch, Wild Horse Resort & Spa, Mustang Ranch Productions and Modeling Agency, Reno Sparkes Cab and Scotty Roller Designs.

Video of Hawthorne 225: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_By7N5YXa4
Video of PreRunning at Exit 28 Motorsports: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PuM0KTJeIJ8

For More Information: http://madamsusanaustin.com

Photo Credit: Bower Motorsports Media

About Madam Susan Austin

Susan Austin, renowned Madam of The Mustang Ranch, became a “working girl” in her 40s after raising her 4 sons.  She fell in love with a client, real estate mogul Lance Gilman, who then built the Wild Horse Resort and Spa brothel on his property a few miles east of Reno, Nevada, for Susan to run.  In 2003, Gilman bought The Mustang Ranch on an eBay auction.  At great expense, he had the entire building moved onto his gated compound and, with Susan’s creative direction, turned it into a modern, luxurious destination.  The World Famous Mustang Ranch reopened in 2007 with its rich historic heritage impeccably preserved.  The Mustang Ranch and the neighboring Wild Horse Resort and Spa are widely considered to be the premiere bordellos in the US, and two of the best in the world.

Susan was the technical advisor on “Love Ranch,” a feature film based on the rich, early history of The Mustang Ranch, that was directed by Taylor Hackford and stars Helen Mirren and Joe Pesci.  “Love Ranch” opened in theatres in select national release this past spring.  In her spare time, Susan designs a line of jewelry, collects Western art, and joins Lance on long rides on their custom built Harley Davidsons.

www.mustangranchbrothel.com

About Exit 28 Motorsports Park

Built around the enthusiasm for offroading in the Reno Sparkes area, this motorsports complex will be able to host all styles of racing with its diverse terrain, weather, nearby hospitality and International Airport within 20 minutes.  In 2010, Exit 28 Motorsports Park hosted the VORRA Xtreme Outlaw 250 desert race, two CalRocs rock crawling events, the LivFast Motocross Park and the Stampede a King of the Hammers qualifier.  In 2011, the schedule will extend to include additional high profile desert races and multiple other events.  The park is available to be rented for any style event, race, concert series, corporate function, club events, offroad testing, and new product releases.  The options are endless with over 100,000 acres to utilize for executing a world class event.

Emily Miller and Wendy Fisher are gearing up for a second return to the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles. The event takes place across the southern portion of Morocco in some of the country’s most beautiful and challenging terrain. The race officially starts in Sete, France this Saturday, March 13th. The Prologue stage takes place outside Erfoud, Morocco on March 17th and the competition ends with the ceremonial finish in Essaouira, Morocco on March 27th. For a full schedule, check TeamMillerFIsher.com.

The rally is a unique competition where GPS, phones, radios and chase teams are strictly forbidden and teams must use traditional navigation skills to reach over 50 checkpoints in nine-days of driving.

Daily updates on the team will be available from a number of outlets:

RallyAichadesGazelles.com (*live satellite tracking)
TeamMillerFisher.com
Facebook
Twitter @usgazelles
Twitter @rodhallracing1
SPONSOR UPDATE
Many thanks to our sponsors who have returned for a second year to support our team. We hope you will support those companies that believe in what we do:

Rod Hall Racing
BFGoodrich Tires
Salomon
Crested Butte Mountain Resort
Manifest Group
The Tony Hawk Family
H. G. Miller, Jr.
Soulside Network

NEW SPONSORS FOR 2010
Big George Ventures – Based in Nevada’s Carson Valley, BGV’s mission is to produce high-quality, environmentally-friendly, affordable housing. The company is dedicated to investigating and investing in cutting-edge technology to meet this goal and push real estate and housing into a greener, brighter future. Visit biggeorgeventures.com

Argan Oils – This product is our favorite find! The Argan nut and oil is native only to a region of Morocco and today is heavily sought after for it’s anti-aging and culinary properties. Argan Oils works to support two primary goals – supporting the women’s cooperatives who harvest and process this amazing product, and working to support the endangered Argan forests. To learn more about the unique story of Argan and to purchase Argan Oils, log on tohttp://arganoils.com

HUMMER France – Paul Chedid Automotive group is providing a prepped H3 HUMMER for TMF. This is exciting for the team this year, as the H3 is a true, purpose built off-road vehicle. As Emily describes it, “when you are out on your own and your equipment makes or breaks your performance as well as your safety, regardless of the sport, you want only the best. For the sport of off-road and a rally like the Gazelle, the H3 is unparalleled.” Visit Paul Chedid Automotive Group.

Robby Gordon happy to have completed Dakar

Buenos Aires, Argentina (January 16, 2010) – Saturday marked the 14th and final stage of the 32nd edition of the Dakar Rally. The rally came full circle as competitors drove 707 kilometers from Santa Rosa to the finish line in Buenos Aires, where the Dakar Rally began nearly two weeks ago. The key to the final stage was staying focused for the duration of the 206 kilometers timed special. The 14th special was composed of a series of very fast track that forced competitors to navigate their way through the Argentinean landscape with precision. After reaching the finish line in the village of San Carlos de Bolivar, drivers had to travel another 335 kilometers to the official finish line of the 2010 Dakar Rally in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Team HUMMER was “wide open” for the final stage as they tried to gain as much ground as they could before the conclusion of the race. Robby Gordon piloted his Monster Energy / Toy Tires HUMMER to a seventh place finish while his Vanguard teammate finished ninth. When the dust had settled from this year’s Dakar Rally, the Monster HUMMER came home in eighth place overall roughly six hours behind this year’s winner Carlos Sainz. The Vanguard HUMMER was 21st. As much as Robby Gordon and his team would have liked another podium finish, they are happy with a top-10 finish.

Hummer H3 pushing hard for the last stage

“Today was another good, consistent day for the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER. We were wide open for miles and miles. In fact, it is the longest I’ve ever held the throttle open in the Monster HUMMER during the Rally. I really hoped that we could have brought home another stage win before the Rally concluded,” commented Gordon on the final day of competition.

“We’ll have to go back and go through all of our notes from this year so that we can be better for next year’s Dakar Rally. A top-10 finish is still impressive considering just how difficult this race is – both on people and equipment. I am just disappointed that we didn’t get another podium finish this year, but we will come back next year and be that much stronger because of it. We won’t give up, and I’m confident in our race team that we have what it takes to be competitive against the world’s best. We’ve proven that time and time again. We build great race cars and have a good team; we’ll be back next year looking for a Dakar Rally overall win.”

Buenos Aires, Argentina (January 16, 2010) – Saturday marked the 14th and final stage of the 32nd edition of the Dakar Rally. The rally came full circle as competitors drove 707 kilometers from Santa Rosa to the finish line in Buenos Aires, where the Dakar Rally began nearly two weeks ago. The key to the final stage was staying focused for the duration of the 206 kilometers timed special. The 14th special was composed of a series of very fast track that forced competitors to navigate their way through the Argentinean landscape with precision. After reaching the finish line in the village of San Carlos de Bolivar, drivers had to travel another 335 kilometers to the official finish line of the 2010 Dakar Rally in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Team HUMMER was “wide open” for the final stage as they tried to gain as much ground as they could before the conclusion of the race. Robby Gordon piloted his Monster Energy / Toy Tires HUMMER to a seventh place finish while his Vanguard teammate finished ninth. When the dust had settled from this year’s Dakar Rally, the Monster HUMMER came home in eighth place overall roughly six hours behind this year’s winner Carlos Sainz. The Vanguard HUMMER was 21st. As much as Robby Gordon and his team would have liked another podium finish, they are happy with a top-10 finish.

“Today was another good, consistent day for the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER. We were wide open for miles and miles. In fact, it is the longest I’ve ever held the throttle open in the Monster HUMMER during the Rally. I really hoped that we could have brought home another stage win before the Rally concluded,” commented Gordon on the final day of competition.

“We’ll have to go back and go through all of our notes from this year so that we can be better for next year’s Dakar Rally. A top-10 finish is still impressive considering just how difficult this race is – both on people and equipment. I am just disappointed that we didn’t get another podium finish this year, but we will come back next year and be that much stronger because of it. We won’t give up, and I’m confident in our race team that we have what it takes to be competitive against the world’s best. We’ve proven that time and time again. We build great race cars and have a good team; we’ll be back next year looking for a Dakar Rally overall win.”

For further information on Team HUMMER:
Kevin Wilson, Mobile 407-432-1993, kwilson@teamgordon.com
Ramses Perez, Mobile 626-372-2645, perezr@toyotires.com
For daily videos and photo recaps please visit: http://www.robbygordon.com

Santa Rosa, Argentina (January 15, 2010) – Competitors in the 2010 Dakar Rally wrapped up Stage 13 on Friday and just one stage remains until the 2010 Dakar Rally champion is crowned. During Stage 13, drivers traveled from San Rafael to Santa Rosa on a 725 kilometer course, which was expected to take competitors nearly 9 hours to complete. The stage featuring a 368 kilometer timed special which started off with areas of fast, jumpy track. Despite being just a day away from the conclusion of the rally, drivers still faced several challenging areas to navigate throughout stage 13. For nearly 40 kilometers, drivers ran the risk of getting stuck in the gray sand of the Nihuil dunes, which are some of the last few dunes they will encounter during the 14-stage ally. Once they made it past the sand dunes, drivers experienced much larger and faster paths that allowed them to push their vehicles to the fastest speeds possible.

Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER would finish the stage eighth, still sitting ninth overall for the 2010 Dakar Rally. It would be an overall good day for Team HUMMER as the Vanguard HUMMER finished ninth, right behind Gordon. As the team heads back towards Buenos Aires for the final stage, they reflected on the events that unfolded during this year’s Rally. Based on everything that they have learned, Gordon feels confident that they will be a force to reckon with for 2011.

“We went for it today and drove the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER hard. I had Peterhasel in my sights, but Mark Miller had to change a tire and got stuck in front of us and held us up for at least 150 mile. When I tried to pass him in the rocks, we hit a big rock and had to change a tire. All in all, it was a good day for our Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER coming in eighth. I look forward for tomorrow’s final stage heading into Buenos Aires; we will try to get another stage win for 2010 before I head back to the US for the Laughlin Desert Challenge,” Robby Gordon commented about Stage 13.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

For further information on Team HUMMER:
Kevin Wilson, Mobile 407-432-1993, kwilson@teamgordon.com
Ramses Perez, Mobile 626-372-2645, perezr@toyotires.com
For daily videos and photo recaps please visit: http://www.robbygordon.com

San Juan, Argentina (January 13, 2010) – In Stage 11 of the Dakar Rally, competitors from Team HUMMER left Chile to begin their trek across Argentina back the finish line in Buenos Aires for the scheduled conclusion of the race on Saturday. The journey from Santiago to San Juan included dramatic changes in altitude as competitors travelled a total of 434 km and completed a 220 km timed special. The course allowed drivers to admire views of the famous Aconcagua, which is the highest mountain peak in the Americas. The day began with a trip through the Paso Libertadores, which is a mountain pass in the Andes Mountains that allowed competitors to cross into Argentina. The first fifty kilometers was the only portion of the rally completed at high altitude, but required mechanics to incorporate a setup that would compensate for a lack of power. Additionally, drivers had a make a conscious effort to take care of their brakes today to ensure they would last the entire descent of nearly 20 kilometers.

Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER finished seventh despite an inflation line problem that resulted in a tire change midway through the special. Without the issue, Gordon felt confident that he and navigator, Andy Grider could have taken another stage victory in the 2010 Dakar Rally; however, he finished five minutes behind Guerlain Chicherit. He remains 10th overall behind overall leader, Carlos Saniz.

The Vanguard HUMMER would finish 14th due to a brake line issue at the last leg of the stage. The duo hope to have better results during the last days of the 2010 Dakar Rally.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

Santiago, Chile (January 12, 2010) – Competitors from Team HUMMER completed the tenth of fourteen stages in the Dakar Rally today. Drivers travelled a total of 586 km from La Serena to Santiago, and completed a 238 km timed special composed mostly of fast, winding track. After leaving the Atacama Desert, they were exposed to the dense vegetation and hilly terrain of Chile as they travelled to Santiago. The stage was further complicated by the winding tracks, which could cost valuable time. Completing Stage 10 without any major mistakes is essential to successfully completing the Dakar Rally.

Today would be an almost perfect day for Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER despite finishing ninth, 9 minutes and 36 seconds to the stage winner Carlos Sainz. None of the problems the team had faced during the previous three stags would affect him today. The terrain was not as difficult as the dunes but was similar to World Rally Championship style racing with tight roads and technical execution. The Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER would run good for Gordon but just come up short on time. Robby Gordon falls back to tenth place overall, but is looking forward to gaining more ground as teams fight to survive the final stages of the 2010 Dakar Rally.

Robby Gordon was upbeat after his performance during Stage 10. “The team did a good job preparing the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER for today’s stage, We had no mechanicals, failures or issues. We just got beat by our 2-wheel drive system on the tight, slippery roads. Toyo Tires has done a good job keeping up with the competition, and the HUMMER has been running good. Monster has given the team plenty of energy to finish this thing, and we have four more days of racing left.”

The driver of the Vanguard HUMMER would also have a much better performance than the day before. Starting in the rear of the field for today’s stage, the Vanguard HUMMER would finish in the 23rd position, moving up to 21st in the overall standings.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

La Serena, Chile (January 11, 2010) – Stage 9 of the Dakar Rally presented another unique set of challenges for Team HUMMER on Monday as they travelled from Copiapo to La Serena. The start of today’s special was delayed due to dense fog setting in Copiapo over the last few days. Due to the delay, organizers for the Dakar Rally also shortened the route from 547 km to just a total of 354 km, with only 170 km timed. Stage 9 also marked the final day of competition in the Atacama Desert and allowed competitors one last chance to gain ground across the desert’s sand and dunes. By the time drivers reach La Serena, they will have conquered the most technically challenging portion of the rally’s course, but they will still need to complete five additional stages before returning to Buenos Aires for the successful completion of the 2010 Dakar Rally.

Yet another day of getting stuck in the sand would haunt Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER through the dunes of Copiapo. During the first few kilometers of the stage, Gordon would lose air pressure and get stuck in the dunes. Despite the issues, Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER would survive and come in 10th place for the day. On a positive note, the duo of Gordon and Grider moved to ninth place overall.

“Today was a tough day, especially through the tricky dune sections and soft sand,” said Robby Gordon. “I got the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER stuck twice, but we survived with another top-10 finish. One thing that we learned during this Rally is that we can’t be stopped. Our competition never stops; this race is about endurance and how quickly you recover from obstacles that are thrown at you. I think that we have done a really good job getting back up when we get knocked down.”

The driver of the Vanguard HUMMER would get stuck late in the stage. It was a long day for the driver and navigator trying to get their HUMMER out of the grip of the soft sand. The Vanguard HUMMER would end up in 45th position, but ready to tackle another day tomorrow.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

Antofagasta, Chile (January 8, 2010) – Today marked the longest special of the grueling 14 stage Dakar Rally for Team HUMMER. Measuring in at 641 km, the special was made even more difficult by the varied terrain that competitors had to race across. As competitors travelled from Antofagasta to Iquique they encountered everything from areas of fast off-track, to slow track, to windy track and even a salar. Stage 7, which was expected to take competitors around seven hours to complete, was filled with magnificent views of the Chilean landscape. Drivers were challenged early in the day as they crossed over sand dunes.  However, the most demanding part of the stage came when competitors had to cross the salar. The salar, which spans 3 km, is an area filled with huge blocks of dry salt that requires competitors to slow their speed to under 10 km/h. Once competitors made it past this portion of the stage, it was mostly fast, open track to the finish line.

What seemed to be a great start for Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER ended in heartbreak. Gordon led the stage through the halfway point before an alternator failure crippled his HUMMER on the course, crushing his hope for another stage win. Once the No. 302 was back on course, he finished the stage in 24th place and dropped to 10th in the overall standings.

“We started off with a really good run. By the start of the second liaison, I motored by two cars and was about the fifth car on the road. I saw low voltage on the dash and switched back and forth between batteries for about 120k before the Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER finally stopped running. We had to wait a long time for a replacement, which cost us a lot of time. It’s just a huge bummer. I am ready for tomorrow’s rest day so that we can reevaluate and strategize for the rest of the race. Our plan is to come on strong for the final stages and make up as much ground as possible.”

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.

Iquique, Chile (January 7, 2010) – Stage 6 was a very disheartening outing for Robby Gordon in his Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER as he experienced what the world’s toughest race can do to a driver. Robby Gordon would end up stuck in the sand, costing him valuable time against the leaders. By the time that Gordon was able to free his HUMMER, it was too late in the stage to make up any more time. The Monster Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER finished the stage in 17th place, more than 49 minutes after stage winner, Stephane Peterhansel. Dropping to sixth place in the overall standings, Gordon is roughly 1 hour and 48 minutes down to the leader, Carlos Sainz.

As disappointing as it may be, Robby Gordon knows that it’s still not over. “Unfortunately, today was a big setback for Team HUMMER. Andy and I got stuck and lost a bunch of time – both in today’s special and overall. This resulted in us dropping in the overall standings; we went from fourth to sixth. We still have a long way to go before the race is over. As disappointed as we are with today’s finish, tomorrow’s special is 600 km and will be the toughest day of the entire Rally. We hope to regain some of today’s lost time.”

For the Vanguard HUMMER, it was a turnaround from what the earlier stages had show for the driver. The Vanguard HUMMER’s driver would take the early lead in the stage. A brake line issue late in the special caused the Vanguard HUMMER to lose his earlier advantage. Regardless, it was a good showing for the Vanguard HUMMER who would end up in the 15th position.

Tomorrow the competitors will enter Stage 7, the longest stages of the entire rally. It will take teams back to Antofagasta from Iquique. Team HUMMER looks to rebound and make up as much time as possible to the leader.

Race Coverage – For fans tracking the Dakar Rally at home, please visit robbygordon.com, planetrobby.com, and Robby Gordon’s twitter page for daily updates on the team’s performance including a daily recap, photos and videos. Versus will provide coverage throughout the United States. A 30-minute daily program featuring highlights from that day’s racing will be aired on Versus daily at 3:30 p.m. with a replay airing later in the day. The show is set to air daily from January 3rd through January 18th, check your local listing for exact show times. A 60-minute recap show featuring all fourteen stages will air on Versus on Sunday, January 24th at 3:00 p.m.