Robby Gordon Heads West for the Popular SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge

LAUGHLIN, NV (January 23, 2009) – Just days after Robby Gordon finished competing in the 2009 Dakar Rally, he is preparing to get behind the wheel of another race vehicle – his Trophy Truck. After arriving back from Argentina, the team members have been preparing the No. 77 Monster Energy Toyo Tires Trophy Truck for this weekend’s 15th annual SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge.

The Laughlin Desert Challenge is the first of five major off-road racing events of 2009 for the SCORE International Series. The Laughlin race is truly one of the most unique formats on the SCORE schedule, due in part to the two-day race schedule and the temporary stadium that surrounds the start/finish line area and main pits.

For the second year, trophy truck qualifying will commence on Friday at 1:30 p.m., and each truck will be timed over one lap of the 6.25-mile course to determine the start order for Saturday’s first half of the race. Sunday’s starting positions will be based on Saturday’s finishing order unless the class has more than ten finishers. At that point, there will be a drawing of the top ten finishers to determine their start order. The other participants will start in the order they finished on Saturday.

“After just completing the 31st annual Dakar Rally, racing in Laughlin this weekend is going a little challenging for our team. Since the Rally is such a long race, it takes many spare parts and pieces and much of our support equipment to compete at the highest level. We basically load up the whole shop for the Dakar Rally. Most of our equipment is just beginning its nautical journey back from Argentina, which will make this weekend’s race tough from a preparation standpoint. But, Laughlin is a short course race and the only one where fans can see the action up close. We are excited to be bringing our No. 77 Monster Energy Toyo Tires Trophy Truck to compete against the best teams in the US. We just finished third in the Dakar Rally, and we really want to start the SCORE season off with a win,” commented Robby Gordon on this weekend’s SCORE Laughlin Desert Challenge race.