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Robby Gordon Road To Dakar: One American's Quest to Capture the World's Most Demanding – and Dangerous – Sporting Challenge
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (December 10) – The world is full of sporting events and challenges that make most bystanders and observers question the sanity and admire the tenacity of individuals that undertake seemingly impossible and death-defying feats:
- The Ironman World Championship in Hawaii is widely considered the most physically challenging triathlon in the world with a 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike and 26.2-mile run making up the grueling race;
- The 24 Hours of Le Mans sports car race in France is one of the world’s most demanding challenges with non-stop twice-around-the-clock racing pushing competitors and cars alike to the brink of failure;
- The running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain is regarded as one of the most dangerous activities on earth having had 15 people killed since 1910, most from the sharp horns of bulls goring runners as they race down city streets.
For American Robby Gordon and members of the more than 400 teams that will start the annual Dakar Rally on Jan. 4 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, with 9,938 scheduled kilometers of racing ahead of them through unknown deserts, along sheer cliffs and through towns and villages in South America they have never heard of, much less seen, the challenge of competing in an event that lasts one day or less like those listed above seems like child’s play.
Yes, the world is full of challenging adventures and competitions, but there is only one Dakar Rally.
Like all automobile races, the Dakar Rally requires tremendous preparation to succeed. However, unlike any other car race, teams will compete and work literally non-stop every day except one from Jan. 4-17 through mountains, deserts, sand dunes, peaks, valleys and otherwise the most desolate spots on earth. Gordon and his rivals will be given one day of rest – Jan. 12 – by the sanctioning body ASO. While the day of rest will give drivers a much need break from the 120-degree temperatures they are sure to face in the summer of the southern hemisphere, it will be anything but a relaxation for the more than 30 team members – including Gordon – who will effectively tear apart their race car prepping it for the remaining five days of racing. This same maintenance and preparation will not be limited to the rest day, it takes place every day and night of the Rally.
In addition to the Dakar Rally, the ASO owns and operates the famed Tour de France, so it is fitting this race is often compared to the brutal bicycle race. Instead of the grueling climbs on paved roads through the postcard-perfect European countryside, once the Dakar Rally leaves stopping points throughout Argentina, Chile and Bolivia, competitors will race on their own through the most dangerous terrain on the planet not knowing when or if they will finish the day’s stage or if they will be fortunate enough to begin again the next day.
Racers are legendary for not discussing death, but it is inevitable at Dakar. In its 35 years, 27 competitors have lost their lives challenging the elements and each other in pursuit of glory that more than 1 billion global spectators witness each year on television or in person in South America.
Countless more have been injured causing withdrawal from the event. In 2014, of the 434 teams that started the Dakar Rally in car, motorcycle and truck classes, only 47 percent of teams finished. Some faced mechanical challenges, others simply gave up as the challenge overwhelmed them.
For Gordon, engine failure sidelined the SPEED Energy/Traxxas/Toyo Tires team, which has made the Californian known as perhaps the world’s greatest off-road racer more determined than ever. He will roll to the starting line of the race he most wants to win for the 11th time in January. In his first attempt at Dakar glory in 2005 he became the first American to win a stage in the famed race, and has since won a total of nine as a driver and 11 as a car owner. His goal remains to capture the overall title thus planting the Dakar Rally flag in America for the first time in its history. He finished third overall in 2009.
“This race is the Indy 500, Daytona 500, 24 Hours of Daytona and the Baja 1000 all rolled into one, and then some,” Gordon said in describing the race. “I have been fortunate to race in nearly every great car race in the world, including all of these, and nothing compares or can prepare someone for the Dakar Rally before they show up the first time.
“It’s just a reality that people don’t understand,” Gordon states in the opening seconds of the documentary. “They have no clue what this race really is. It is three or four seasons of Baja… all packed into 14 days. Logistics, parts, preparation, man hours, things that you need to do to prepare for this race – people have no idea what it really takes.”
The two-part Robby Gordon Road to Dakar: One American's Quest to Capture the World's Most Demanding – and Dangerous – Sporting Challenge will air Dec. 12 and 24 on NBCSN at 10 p.m. (PT) – (Dec. 13 and 25 at 1 a.m. ET respectively). Gordon’s hope is that American’s who until now have not been exposed to the great race will begin to understand what in fact it takes to compete and will gain the appreciation in the United States that the race enjoys throughout the rest of the world.
The NBCSN documentaries will provide behind-the-scenes access and the year-long rarely seen testing, logistics, engineering and construction of vehicles by more than 30 individuals at Robby Gordon Motorsports. Gordon leads his team to meet deadlines in order ship their race cars, support trucks, transporters, parts and equipment from Charlotte, N.C. to Buenos Aires on time and on budget.
NBCSN will again provide daily highlight packages of the 2015 Dakar Rally following the opening stage on Jan. 4. Check local listings for times of the NBCSN programs.
Gordon’s progress can be followed live throughout the Dakar Rally by visiting www.dakar.com or www.planetrobby.com, the latter of which is a fan web site the includes discussions boards, personal updates from those following the race in South America and updates on the challenges and off-track obstacles Gordon will inevitably face throughout the race.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by roy on
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Unfortunately I missed the first airing. Hope a link gets posted but if not I searched it on Direct tv and it will be re-aired on Xmas eve (wed 12/24) at 10pm on channel 220. You might want to "record series" to catch part 2.
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Permalink Reply by deantac on
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I missed it also, DIRECTV recorded some other show. I hope they show part 1 again, I see part 2 on the 24th but not any more showings.
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Permalink Reply by mj on
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Why has the YouTube vid been changed to private ? NbcSports not want it aired or something different ? It's not only off of here but YouTube itself plus RDC .
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Permalink Reply by MTG on
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Was it that RDC guy from NBCSN? If memory serves he has been anti RG before. Maybe he made some calls.
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Thanks TOG should I let them know on RDC as well or do you wanna do it or just leave it as is ?
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Permalink Reply by Michael Martinez on
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Feel free to shoot me down, I know what i'm saying.......I know how it will sound. It was a nice piece and folks who are in the dark were given a good chunk to digest. For us who have a full belly of the happenings in years past I would hope there are some good vintage Dakar footage shots in part two...if they are not protected by copyright and such by whom ever, in hopes that the folks who are able to see it can be taken back a bit as it were and get a feel of what happens. We all know the behind the scenes stuff about the inflation system and the Nasser thing and the Peter hitting the biker and so on and so on ....all those blocks that form our foundation of understanding and fandom. What I'm saying is I understand the first part was an introduction and to leap frog from there to the point of knowing Dakar is a far stretch, and so in that light I know the focus is on Robbys quest for the current Dakar edition it, would be however very beneficial for those who are new for some back takes. Where ever it goes from part one ...that's where it goes. It would take some organizing to get the juice in the right order to where a guy who loves his leather chair, wife and dog and not much more to log on here and see some highlights and explanation in order to be at least "hooked" if not up to speed. I know I can dig through the depths of this site a find what I know i'm looking for and again wish I had all along book marked and peeled the stuff as it happened over the years..............HELL that would be one damn good "speed reel". and unless I missed it and whatever the official relationship is I have no idea but I thought for sure there would be a good mentioning that you (the viewer) could go to...www.hear and there........... and follow and support this years cause. I was lost on the fact that the wealth of the internet and the 4-5 places to go were not mentioned. If it was I may have been away from the set at that time but I only missed like 1 minute. Another long winded blowfest perhaps and if anybody has mentioned this in earlier comments I must admit I failed to read every one......I will start now as ...yea i'm one of those. thanks
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Permalink Reply by billy williams on
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Guerlain Chicherit aboard the Gordini in the 2015 Dakar Hummer17/12/20142014-12-17T11: 53:03 + 00: 002014-12-17T11: 53:03 + 00: 00 Guerlain Chicherit sera coequipero of Robby Gordon Hummer Gordini in the next Dakar 2015 to be held in South America, lead on board already has experience co American runners since the last Dakar was backpacking BJ Baldwin but both abandoned the competition problems in their buggies, with this addition team Speed Energy puts them on the map of favorites to fight for a good place.
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Permalink Reply by Speed Freak 7 on
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Where did you find this? That would be big news!
I found the article, hope this is true as Chic is only listed to be in an X-raid and not a specific vehicle on the competitors list!
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Permalink Reply by Turtle7 on
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Paddock Talk has Guerlain Chicherit running a X-Raid Buggy for Team Toyo along with RG.
"Racing for Team Toyo® in the 2015 Dakar Rally is multiple-championship winning driver Robby Gordon with his SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires #308 Gordini; and Guerlain Chicherit of Team X-Raid driving the #323 buggy. Both drivers have won multiple Dakar stages in the past, and both will rely on championship-winning Toyo® Open Country® tires as they race to capture more victories in 2015"
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Permalink Reply by Bruce Smith on
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Thanks TOG. I saw this last night and figured it was total BS. The writer probably got confused by the Toyo press release this week. Probably couldn't read English very well.
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