Robby Gordon - how good is he really?

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jan 2005, 13:23 (Ref:1208532)

I couldn't decide where to put this, but a moderator can shift it if necessary.

Simple question, thoughts please.

Kicking-back · 24 Jan 2005, 13:30 (Ref:1208545)

Hit and miss.

In ChampCar he had days when he was stellar, but days when he was anonymous.

Very versatile though - he'll race anything.

BootsOntheSide · 24 Jan 2005, 16:24 (Ref:1208660)

He's won a stage on the Dakar rally this year, something no American had ever done in the car event, not to mention numerous road and oval victories in both open-wheel and stock cars. When he was in ChampCars full-time he often had an attitude problem, and was reckless and inconsistant, although I don't think those problems are there so much anymore. Given a full season in a strong ChampCar or IRL team, I think he'd win races again.

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jan 2005, 17:16 (Ref:1208709)

Yet he's been fairly anonymous in NASCAR (or so is my impression, but I don't follow the Winston/Nextel Cup closely).

Snrub · 24 Jan 2005, 17:30 (Ref:1208722)

Robby Gordon is one of those drivers I just cannot figure out. In his first stint in CC, he had moments where he was quiet impressive. In his second stint, he had poor equipment, but even then I don't recall seeing anything that would suggest that he was substantially better than his compatriots with similar equipment.

Kicking-back · 24 Jan 2005, 17:33 (Ref:1208724)

He has won races in NASCAR, BSchneiderFan

camcartfan · 24 Jan 2005, 18:20 (Ref:1208780)

Robby Gordon is my favorite driver overall. He is very versatile, and as someone else said "he'll race anything." I'd like to add to that statement. He'll race anything, well!

He runs one race a year in the IRL and that's the Indy 500. Whenever he shows up there, he's immediately considered a threat. He almost won the 500 (during the glory years), but ran out of gas. Nobody else could touch him that day, so the race was his to lose.

As for his ride in Nextel Cup, he hasn't had a good car. I talked to a racing pro and close friend of Robby's last year in Arizona. The pro told me that Robby was completely frustrated at getting a car that is barely pieced together. He thought Childress would have given him a better ride.

Robby won the Baja 1000 twice, he won 2 stages at the Dakar Rally this year (not 1 as stated before), he was given a test in a WRC car and was immediately up to speed, success in open wheelers and a race winner in Nextel Cup.

The guy is a stud. And it all started with a tack and feed store in Orange, California.

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jan 2005, 18:27 (Ref:1208785)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

He has won races in NASCAR, BSchneiderFan

Really? My apologies, I had no idea. What sort of numbers are we talking?

Kicking-back · 24 Jan 2005, 18:35 (Ref:1208793)

3

BootsOntheSide · 24 Jan 2005, 18:42 (Ref:1208798)

My mistake regarding the Dakar stages.

Wining 3 races in NASCAR isn't as big an achievement as it sounds, because they do 36 races a year, and they always have at least 15 different winners (from the 43-car fields) a year. It shows his versatility, but I don't think he's a potential NASCAR champion (incidentally, he's unrelated to the 4-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon)

rustyfan · 24 Jan 2005, 19:21 (Ref:1208841)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BootsOntheSide

Wining 3 races in NASCAR isn't as big an achievement as it sounds, because they do 36 races a year, and they always have at least 15 different winners (from the 43-car fields) a year.

Actually, there have only been 15 or more winners in a season three times in the modern era (since 1972), and that was 2001 (19), 2002 (18) and 2003 (17). 2004 saw 13 different winners, and throughout the modern era the average number of winners per season has usually hovered around 10-14 or so.

Sorry, NASCAR-nerd at work

marcus · 24 Jan 2005, 20:48 (Ref:1208904)

Robby Gordon.

I reckon he is great

I was a huge fan of his in Champcars and thought the guy was brilliant (he kinda had a flare like jean Alesi)

he left and went to nascar and thats how I became interested in that series and he of course does Indy every year or so.

i think he is good value to have around , Ok his results havent been schumacher like but he certainly gives it everything and you cant deny a guy for doing that.

Go Robby

Kicking-back · 24 Jan 2005, 21:01 (Ref:1208915)

Jean Alesi is a great comparison.

Cleveland 1995 and the battle with Andretti will stick in the mind for many a year.

macdaddy · 24 Jan 2005, 21:38 (Ref:1208958)

I was a Gordon fan when he was in CART. He was quick and fearless, but very tempermental. I think KB is referring to the warm-down lap at Cleveland, when Robby pulled up beside Andretti and suddenly steered into him. (Earlier in the race, Andretti had cut Gordon's tire). In one of his last CART races, he burned bridges big-time with Ford on national TV.

I'm still a RG fan, but I no longer follow his career.

BootsOntheSide · 24 Jan 2005, 22:07 (Ref:1208987)

I guess it's a case of how you interpret the statistics then - 'always' is closer than 'only 3 times in 30 years' considering that it's happened three times in the last four years. I'm not a long-term NASCAR follower (and I hate the 'Chase For the Championship' system they've introduced, but that's largely off-topic), and was under the imprtession that a huge variety of winners is commonplace.

Jordi · 24 Jan 2005, 22:23 (Ref:1209003)

I think Robby would be a worthy addition to the field if he came back. Why did he ever want to do NASCAR? Also, he tried it way back in 1997, then again in 2000.

But then again you can't keep the fellow in just one car!

rustyfan · 24 Jan 2005, 22:28 (Ref:1209010)

Actually, Robby Gordon made his first Cup start back in 1991...

Wasn't a full-time effort though.

BootsOntheSide · 24 Jan 2005, 22:55 (Ref:1209034)

I don't think anyone really wanted him in ChampCars by 1997, considering his misbehaviour on occasion, and the fact that he was American and under-funded (in his own right) might not have helped. He's probably not as big a loss as the other Gordon, but in hindsight it's a shame he switched focus.

BSchneiderFan · 24 Jan 2005, 23:03 (Ref:1209044)

Presumably his own team ran out of money, forcing him to seek employment elsewhere. I do think he'd be better in Champ Cars than in NASCAR.

Ac. · 25 Jan 2005, 00:11 (Ref:1209095)

macdaddy might remember, but doesn't RG occasionally patrol these forums (or at least someone claiming to be him).

evo · 25 Jan 2005, 00:17 (Ref:1209097)

Quote:

Originally Posted by camcartfan

He runs one race a year in the IRL and that's the Indy 500. Whenever he shows up there, he's immediately considered a threat. He almost won the 500 (during the glory years), but ran out of gas. Nobody else could touch him that day, so the race was his to lose.

Are you refering to 1999 when he ran out of fuel and Brack won? I don't remember him dominating the race at all, and 1999 was hardly "the glory years" at the 500.

JohnSSC · 25 Jan 2005, 02:20 (Ref:1209137)

There was a thread (perhaps in the IRL Forum) regarding Robby a little while ago, but he is one of those enigmatic drivers you have to love discussing.

As far as I am concerned, there are few with the raw talent that he has. Off-road, NASCAR, CC, IRL and I think some sportscar (endurance) as well. Beside the definition of "race car driver" in the encyclopedia they should have his picture - he even [/I]looks[I] the part! I certainly do not know him well enough to say it is a focus thing with him or what, but certainly it seems that his brilliance is at times outshone by some equally non-brilliant actions or non-brilliant drives. Maybe it is the frustration for him of being in the right place with the wrong drive, but what a career of might-have-beens!

I remember watching his battle with Michael at Cleveland. What a race! Those two went at it hammer and tongs - a true duel of the type that you just do not get to see anymore. Two very talented drivers doing everything they could to get past/stay in front of the other. And, as harsh as it may sound, I loved it when RG nerfed Michael on the cooldown! It was a real warrior's statement if you will that "that's it for today, but it ain't over!" Not appropriate, of course, but there you are: emotions right out there on his sleeve for all to see, honest with no excuses.

I rate him highly and wish that in whatever series he concentrates on he could get a quality team behind him for the long haul. I hope I am able to see him win the 500 - the Borg Warner needs to have his face on it!

camcartfan · 25 Jan 2005, 05:16 (Ref:1209191)

Quote:

Originally Posted by evo

Are you refering to 1999 when he ran out of fuel and Brack won? I don't remember him dominating the race at all, and 1999 was hardly "the glory years" at the 500.

You are probably right on both counts. For sure, 1999 was not a glory year. Maybe it was the year he caught on fire? Not sure exactly.

Snrub · 25 Jan 2005, 05:20 (Ref:1209194)

Quote:

Originally Posted by macdaddy

In one of his last CART races, he burned bridges big-time with Ford on national TV.

I remember that, but I thought it was actually the last race of the season? (first stint) Do you remember exactly what he said?

Kicking-back · 25 Jan 2005, 06:14 (Ref:1209211)

There was one race where he kicked the Ford badge on camera after an engine blew.

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