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NASCAR's Robby Gordon - Double duty in Baja 1000 and Homestead

by Edmund Jenks | November 20, 2009 at 06:21 pm

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NASCAR driver Robby Gordon was expected to be the driver to beat today in the 42nd Tecate SCORE Baja 1000 off-road race. Gordon leads both SCORE's overall and TrophyTruck points races.

Roger Norman and Larry Roeseler are the San Diego based, defending overall champions, and Wayne Matlock (El Cajon) leads a five-rider team that is the defending overall ATV champion.

Other Southern California natives of note are Ivan Stewart and the McMillin family. Stewart will be driving a factory-backed Toyota 4Runner in his first Baja 1000 in nine years. The McMillins are returning after a two-year break with five-time overall winner Mark McMillin teaming with Brian Ewalt in one TrophyTruck. The father-son duo of Scott and Andy McMillin are running another TrophyTruck. Mark's sons, Luke and Daniel, are teaming together in the 1600cc buggy class.

The Baja 1000 is the 672.9-mile season finale. The start/finish is in Ensenada, Baja California. The first finishers are expected to return to Ensenada late tonight.

More than 325 trucks, buggies, motorcycles and ATV's have entered the race with the first motorcycles entering the course at 6:30 a.m. The first trucks and buggies started at 10:30 a.m.

Gordon will go from Ensenada to Homestead to compete in NASCAR's final race of the 2009 season. Matt Crafton, NCWTS driver of the No. 88, practiced and qualified Gordon's No. 7 Toyota to allow for Gordon to race on Sunday.

SOURCE: Southern California Motorsports Examiner - Janelle Jalbert