DAKAR OR BUST!

Stage 14 is the last true competitve stage in the 2007 Dakar Rally. Stage 14 is another great stage for The Monster. Robby is in a great starting position to catch yesterday's winner and 9th place car overall, Carlos Sainz. Carlos sits just 25 minutes behind Robby in the standings. Expect Robby catch Carlos at KM175 and bird dog him to the finish. With only 12 miles of tricky navigation at the end RG should come out of here with a stage win do to his 20 minute start gap and lock up 8th place or better in the overall standings.

Positions 3rd through 6th face a delima of being blanketed by only on hour. There is a 70% chance one of these racers will snap under the pressure be delt a fatal blow and allow the rest of the field to move up one position in the overall standings and into Fly's mid race report prediction of a 7th place finish overall.

Everybody in the city of Dakar tomorrow will really enjoy seeing The Monster and the powerful big inch V-8 show it's stuff on the on the beach sands of Dakar. They will be witness to the greatest team from the USA ever to participate in the Rally's almost 30 year history.

Turbo Tom's Trio!

Wow! Turbo and his boys are on track to break another USA Dakar Rally Record! If they finish this stage today, tomorrow will go down in the record books as they will be cruising the beach sands of Dakar knowing they are the only team from the USA to finish the race ever in a T-4 support truck.

Team Dakar USA is doing it their way and have left an impression the Europeans will find hard to forget.

Team Dakar USA is doing it their way and have left an impression the United States will find hard to forget.

GAS ON! Fly

9 SECONDS OF PURE BLISS!

No Prerunning here; CLICK HERE

Yeah that will give a taste of V-8 Americana to them Euros...

I like how they yell HUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMER!!!
Before it's even in view...

Then start yelling in Spanish,

"bla bla Hummer yeah! bla bla awesome bla bla!"

The Monster Drifting! What a site, not too many people on this planet that can do that on a road they have never seen with a two wheel drive.

Gas On! Fly

THE TIDE OF BATTLE CHANGES!

Robby and Team Dakar USA in the top ten overall! After two strait days and almost 1000 Kilometers of Special, Robby and Andy Grider finished both days in the top ten. As Fly stated in his last post three days ago, Fly predicted that history would repeat it's self and 2 of the top ten would have major blows to their effort.

Robby's bad luck came early in the rally and it seems to have turned the tide to the other competitors. Two of the top five got kicked in the nuts today.

Robby's two top ten finishes in stage 8 and 9 coupled with his top 15 finish in stage 7 and his stage 6 win, plus other car's troubles thrusted Robby into the 8th position overall. What does this mean? With 5 big stages left in the rally, Robby currently leads what is now being called the "open class".

Although Robby's car is fully designed to met the regulations of T-1 it seems some big dawg somewhere was looking to discredit Robby's type of effort with some "Open Class". The fact is, he came playing by their rules, and sits in the 8th position overall. Sure Hummer and Toyo Tires could do an ad stating a victory. They could and should... However, this by no means satisfies Robby's needs. If it be 20 Baja 1000s, 10 Indy 500s, a half a dozen Daytona 500s and 24 hours races, Robby isn't there for the Championship or second place. He is there to run with the very best and WIN the race. To Robby an "Open Class" win could be likened to taking your sister to the Prom. It just is not going to suffice.

Barring an act of God, Robby will not win The 2007 Dakar Rally. Barring an act of God, Robby will be back in 2008 looking to serve up some more roast rabbit.

Turbo and The Boys?

The #556 hit something big a couple days ago on Stage 7 and they worked on it all night and all day with the porta-power pulling the bent front frame apart. They had to replace leaf springs, coil buckets and a ton of stuff. Of course, Robby has a deal with the MAN Service crew who was there working on all the MAN stuff, John Marking (FOX) flew into the bivouvac for the rest day to drop off some Tommy's Burger but instead of pigging out on the best chile burgers in the world, He and the MAN service crew helped Turbo work on the T-4 beast until 3:30 AM…

Turbo completed Check 2 in 22 hours today(Stage 9) and appears to be at the finish line but without a time for finishing. I can only imagine the weakest link has broke apart on the MAN truck again… Time for Team Dakar USA to get some good Ol'American Oshkosh Iron for next year.

Gas On! Fly

STAGE 7 HALFWAY POINT

It was a long day for all competitors. Today's stage was cut short due to visibility issues for ASO aircraft. The stage was cut by almost 150KM. The day started out with Robby and a band of 5 other cars breaking away from the rest of the field. In the end Robby had a few minor setbacks. Such as changing his first ever Toyo Tire during a race, getting caught in a zero visibility dust storm and The Monster got a bit Hungry and decided to eat some more camel grass to seek retribution for this stage last year. Robby and Andy finished in 13th place for the stage. This moved Robby up to 16th overall and only 1 hour and 5 minutes out of 10th place.

Tomorrow is a rest day for everyone. Today was the end of the first half. 7 stages down and 7 specials to go. So, with 7 special stages and over 2000 kilometers left to go, history has proven from here to the end at least 2 of the current top 12 will find a fatal blow to their goal of finishing The Dakar Rally.

Click Here for Kewl Video of Stage 7

The Monster is running at top level and will continue to extend Team Dakar USA's record streak. After tomorrow's rest day, Robby will be in the same starting scenario as his stage 6 win. Robby will have a 22 minute Gap at the start to another long stage suitable for The Monster's demeanor.

Turbo Tom and his T-4 team are running a smooth race and currently sit in the 22nd spot out of almost 60 Trucks still able to continue.

Fly says: Expect Robby and Andy to win stage 9 by 16 minutes.

Gas On! Fly

Stage 6- A shot over the bow

Robby Gordon and Andy Grider break and extend records for the USA.

Along with today's win in stage 6 (The longest stage ever in Dakar Rally history), several US records in the Dakar rally were set today. Robby Gordon, driver of the Team Dakar USA - Monster Energy - Toyo Tire - Micron - ProComp - Mac Tools - DeWalt - Hella Lighting - King Shocks - KarTek - Pilo.ti - Hummer H3 along with navigator Andy Grider, left their names in the record books forever!

USA Dakar Car Records Set:
1.First American Born and Raised Driver/Nav Team to win a Dakar Stage.
2.Co-Pilot Andy Grider became the first American Navigator to provide direction to a stage win.
3. Hummer was the first US manufacture to win a Dakar Stage.
4. In 2005 Robby was and still is the only American to win a stage... multiple stages and today Robby extended that to 3.
5. First and only Dakar racer ever to design and win on his own brand wheels. (LOL)
6. First and only American to Design and win with his own Brand Shocks. Put that in your pipe and smoke it Chase.
7. First American Based racing team to build, prepare, support and win a stage in the Dakar Rally.
8. First Team to give Toyo Tires a stage win in the Dakar Rally.
9. First American to drive his own car to a stage win in Dakar.
10.First team to film and produce in the field thier own YouTube.Com Web Site (Ranked top 20 on the 6th most viewed site in the world).


All of these records will be extended tomorrow. Petrol On! Fly

Side Note: Turbo Tom and his T-4 Beast decided to stop and have a Tommy's Burger 5KM from the finish line and finished the stage in 50th place.

TEAM AMERICA!

STAGE 5 "A Thing of Beauty"

RG Hauls Ass in stage 5, Passes 50+ cars and finishes stage 5 in 15th place!

Robby Gordon's Quote after Stage Five
"The tires that Toyo brought to Dakar have been spectacular and litreally showed today in the very rocky track. We passed quite a few cars today by leaving the track and we punished the tires and they survived extremely well. Our finish today will get us a much better start tomorrow so we are looking at getting the Hummer closer to the front so we can contend for stage wins. Much has happened so far but you have to realize that this race is just five days old and there is a lot of racing left. Our team is working hard and since we solved our fuel problem the Hummer is running exceptionally well. We are going to push hard and make something happen!"

So what does this mean to the Robby fan? Sit back and watch RG clean house on Stage 6. Robbys starts stage 6 in 15th place. The starting times work like this; Cars 1-10 start 2 minutes apart, Then cars start 1 minute apart. This will put a 23 minute gap between Robby and the front runner. Robby will suck that gap up. This gap will close by 150KM and hold a 20 minute lead to the front runner. ... The rest of the stage RG will just have to keep the second place car within eyesight.

Fly says RG wins stage 6 by 10 minutes+. Gas On!

STAGE 4... WHAT A BITCH!

Entering Africa 2 days ago was a time to say... "Let's get it on" Going into stage 5? Let's get it on already!

During stage 3 Robby noticed a dip in The Monster's powerband. After a night in the service area and trying in vane to locate the power drop no specific issues could be found. During today's stage 4 the problem became so obvious Robby could only muster a piss poor finish outside the top 50. After today and two lost stages for which the Monster was designed, Robby is relegated to 49th in the overall standings.

The fuel issue, weather it be a poorly maintained and neglected year old fuel system or strait up sabotage; Caused 4 of the 8 fuel injectors to be clogged thus leaning out the LS7 power plant and cooking a few spark plug wires. After this, the problem was clearly identified and resolved. Hey, didn't Fly suggest a 9th injector last year?

10 stages remain... Will the luck run out for other teams too? Yes. Is a top 5 finish this year still doable? Yes. Can Robby and The Monster extend Robby’s USA Dakar Driver Record? Yes.

The 4 first stages are gone forever. In this time of mild despair, Fly must quote a top disciple from the book of "Baha Robba Haul Assah”: The top disciple - Rory Artistico VonAirbruch said;
"I like the idea that Robby is having problems, that means he's gonna drive the piss out of The Monster because he is down so far, no team orders, no following the team car, no pulling over to wait for a team car, just good ol' fashioned RG driving like a mad man. Anybody ever see RG drive right after a couple flats trying to make up time.....a thing of beauty."

And the word is spoken. Let's get it on!

Another interesting side note: Prior to the stage 4 start Bobby "The Punk" Chuck, told Turbo Tom there was a Tommy's Burger drive thru at the end of the stage. Turbo Tom and his Team Dakar USA T-4 crew sit 18th overall in the truck class now. (First among the "true support" T-4s).

Gas On! Fly

STAGE 3 THE LAST WORD

Today’s special began with a very technical aspect including numerous elevation changes and a winding course which tested the navigation skills of the competitors. The course consisted of rocky trails and several perils, with longer stretches that allowed the competitors to push their vehicles to more aggressive speeds. A course very well suited to Team Gordons race Hummer H3.

“The terrain of the special was quite rocky and ideal for the H3.” said Gordon “If there was anything I would have changed it would have been the length of the special. A longer course would have given me more time to pass more of the competitors that are just ahead of our team.” Gordon said with a smile

“We started the day in some what of a catch up mode,” explained Gordon. “Any problems from the previous day will follow you to the start of the proceeding day.” A finish of 41st from the day before will mean you start from that same position the next day.”
Team Gordon’s Monster Energy Toyo Tire Hummer made the most of the day and finished the special in 21st place. This will place the H3 in the 21st starting postion for stage four.


An extra side adventure: The Monster energy In-Race T-4, needed a police escort after it got lost in the Spanish city of Seville.The three-man team blamed their Global Positioning System,or GPS, for the mishap yesterday on day two of the race characterized by desert racing in north Africa, said Diego Gimenez, a spokesman for Seville city hall.``Two police officers got them on the right road and told them: watch out when you get to the desert because we won't be around to help,'' Gimenez said by telephone.Competitors started out in Lisbon and caught a ferry last night from Malaga, Spain, to Morocco before today's 648-kilometer (402-mile) stretch into the desert. The only all-American team in the truck race comprises Thomas Geviss, Paul Mischel and William Higman.

"The Punk", a spokesman for Gordon, didn't immediately respond to a message seeking comment. But, it was thought the crew was lured away from their path by a mirage that looked similar to a Tommy's Burger drive thru...

Lasty: Can't have a race without Robby getting in some trouble with the powers that be: Robby was docked 13 minutes today for a speed violation during the stage 1 liason.

Tomorrow is Stage 4 and wide open Africa! Gas On, Fly

Stage 2 update.

Robby finished out stage 2, 11 minutes and 3 seconds back of stage winner Carlos Sainz (59min-26sec). Robby suffered a minor setback after putting The Monster Hummer in a ditch. Thanks to a fellow competitor Team Gauloises' Raphael Sperrer; Robby was pulled out of the situation that happened 5 KM from the finish. Robby was able to move on and now sits in 18th place overall 18 minutes and 8 seconds back. Tonight they ferry across to Africa and the over 4000 mile battle still left in Africa. Things are looking great for Team Dakar USA.

Stage 3 is a long one, and should open the door for Robby to make up some serious time in the dunes. Expect Stage 3 to swallow up some fellow racers. Also, expect Robby to start 18 minutes behind the first car and make that time up and zero in on the Rabbit.

GET READY FOR WAR!

STAGE 1: LISBONNE - PORTIMAO
Today’s stage: 492 km total, 117 km of specials. The competitors will already put their wheels on the sand! Then the race will continue on a WRC type of track. This is where the rally drivers will show all their skills! Be sure to keep a close eye on Carlos Sainz (Volkswagen) who won the first two specials last year in Portugal. And of course, Robby Gordon who can wheel a car in any conditions. Race for the cars should start at about 12:39 AM PST

The Monster is T-1 Approved!

Team Dakar USA Clears First Hurdle: ScrutineeringRobby Gordon's Team Dakar USA arrived at the Belém Cultural Centre in Lisbon for scrutineering in an impressive all black convey that consisted of six off-road vehicles that included the H3 race Hummer, a T4 4x4 race entry, a 4x4 support truck, a 6x6 support truck, and two assistance Hummer H1's. After almost a year of preparation for the most challenging off-road race in the world, the Monster Hummer team was given the green light to race in the 2007 Dakar Rally. The day of scrutineering included almost five hours of activities that included GPS training, document processing, photos, Iritrack installation and finally technical inspection. Gordon's Toyo Hummer which caused a sensation last year was equally well received. The all black race truck was the last vehicle to complete the technical inspection process but the crowd was still thick with anticipation to see what has quickly become a fan favorite. Billboards throughout the Lisbon area feature the H3 Hummer - including a 40ft high billboard cascading the side of the Cultural Centre. "It's very exciting to be here," said Gordon, "The reception for the Hummer has been unbelievable. Our guys have worked so hard to get everything ready and I feel we are very well prepared. After last year we identified our weaknesses and went to work. The Hummer has been in the wind tunnel and we have put almost 10,000 miles of testing on it. We are ready and have one shot and we are hoping to make it count." The first of 15 stages in the Dakar Rally begin tomorrow in Lisbon and travels to Portimão. The rally can be seen in the United States on the Versus Network. In addition Team Dakar USA has combined forces with Micron to provide daily video updates that can be seen on RobbyGordon.com.

ROBBY AND MICRON DELIVER THE GOODS!

Racer Robby Gordon and Micron Technology to digitally capture video of legendary Dakar Rally

Micron Equips Gordon Dakar Vehicle with Image Sensors and Flash Memory

To Capture Race, Video To Be Shown on Robby Gordon Motorsports and Micron Websites


HUNTERSVILLE, N.C., and BOISE, Idaho, Jan. 4, 2007 – Robby Gordon, one of the racing world’s most versatile drivers, is teaming with Micron Technology to digitally capture video of Gordon in action at the 29th Dakar Rally that begins Jan. 6 in Lisbon, Portugal, and ends 15 stages and 7,915 kilometers later in Dakar, Senegal.

Video of the legendary competition will be captured using innovative Micron image sensors and NAND flash memory technology specially outfitted on Gordon’s Monster Energy, Toyo Tires-HUMMER H3 Dakar racer. Video from the in-car cameras, which are programmed to record at set intervals or can be activated by Gordon at the push of a button while driving, will be available at http://www.micron.com/dakar with regular race updates on the Robby Gordon Motorsports website at http://www.robbygordon.com.

Gordon first met Micron officials and learned of the company’s technology when both he and Micron competed and won their respective race classes — Gordon in the Trophy-Truck division and Micron in the Wide Open Baja Challenge division — at the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 race in Mexico in November. Micron equipped four vehicles operated by its executives with Micron’s imaging and flash memory products to capture video of the grueling off-road contest and test the durability of those products.

“We want to bring our fans closer to the real Dakar experience, and working with Micron to capture video of this legendary rally is a great fit,” said Gordon, who is competing in his third Dakar Rally as the driver of Team Dakar USA. “By using Micron’s technology and broadcasting video updates of the race on YouTube, the world gets a chance to see firsthand how intense this race is and we’re looking forward to every minute of it.”

The Micron/Robby Gordon Motorsports new media project hopes to complement the already impressive media offerings from the rally organizers. The Versus channel will provide more than 29 hours of Dakar Rally coverage throughout the month of January. In addition, rally fans can follow their favorite drivers via Iritrack – a GPS tracking solution available on Dakar.com once the rally begins.

For Micron, the Dakar Rally offers another harsh environment to test the durability of its DigitalClarity™ image sensors and Lexar Professional CompactFlash™ memory cards. Additionally, Micron welcomes the opportunity to help deliver regular updates to Robby Gordon Motorsports fans using its innovative technology platform.

“At Micron, we’re a company that captures, moves and stores digital data,” said Steve Appleton, Micron Chairman, CEO and President. “Collaborating with Robby and his team provides us with a unique forum to showcase our products and our culture of innovation.”

With its superior image quality, Micron is the leading supplier of CMOS image sensors in the technology industry today. The company’s imaging technology can be found in a variety of applications from mobile phones and PC cameras to security and healthcare products. Micron also provides best-in-class image sensors to the automotive industry, with its image chips designed into backup cameras and parking, lane departure warning and several other safety navigation systems in various makes and models of automobiles worldwide. Micron image sensor technology being used to capture images in Gordon’s H3 at Dakar can be found in the rear-vision system offered in the 2007 HUMMER H2.

Additionally, the three NAND flash memory video recorders installed in Gordon’s vehicle contain an 8 gigabyte Lexar Professional CompactFlash memory card. Trusted by professional photographers, the memory cards provide a high-speed, high-capacity removable storage solution that facilitates the ultimate performance in digital still and video recording equipment.

Gordon is the first and only American to win a stage in the Dakar Rally. He shocked the racing world in 2005 by winning his first-ever stage of the famed rally, and he also won the third stage. Last month, he teamed with rookie Andy McMillin to win the SCORE Baja 1000, after also winning the race in 1987 and 1989. He has 11 top-five finishes in 18 Baja 1000 starts, is a three-time winner of the Baja 500 and has three SCORE International Series Championships to his credit. Additionally, he is a four-time NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race winner and has also won in the NASCAR Busch Series, Indy cars, IMSA sports cars and virtually every other type of racecar in which he has competed.

Gordon’s HUMMER H3 Dakar racer consists of an H3-shaped body paired with a specially developed chassis featuring a suspension designed by Gordon and his Off-Road team. The Gordon H3 will be a tube-chassis vehicle similar to Trophy Trucks racing in the famed SCORE Baja 1000, except that it will have a fully enclosed air-conditioned cockpit, including windshield and side windows. It will be powered by a production-based General Motors V8 engine.

Micron Technology, Inc., is one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions. Through its worldwide operations, Micron manufactures and markets DRAMs, NAND flash memory, CMOS image sensors, other semiconductor components, and memory modules for use in leading-edge computing, consumer, networking, and mobile products. Micron's common stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) under the MU symbol. To learn more about Micron Technology, Inc., visit www.micron.com.

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Micron, the Micron orbit logo and DigitalClarity are trademarks of Micron Technology, Inc. Lexar and the Lexar logo are trademarks of Lexar Media, Inc. Micron Technology, Inc. is an authorized licensee of the CompactFlash™ and CF logo™ trademarks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.