Gordon Makes A BIG Move

March 15, 2012 (Charlotte, NC) – What is another form of racing that Robby Gordon can mark off his impressive list of racing series? If you guessed monster trucks, you guessed correctly. Robby Gordon Motorsports and SPEED Energy have formed a partnership with BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc., owner of the most well –known monster truck in the United States.


NASCAR and Off-Road racer, Robby Gordon, and BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc. have entered into a multi-year agreement beginning with the 2012 season. The addition of the monster truck, built at Gordon’s race shop in Charlotte, NC, will be the nineteenth chassis in the line-up of BIGFOOT trucks.


Gordon’s energy drink company, SPEED Energy, will be the co-primary sponsor of the monster truck. “This partnership with BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc. is a big step for our company. It opens the door to market SPEED Energy to a new demographic. Being featured as a sponsor on the truck is just one element to the relationship, we will also be selling SPEED Energy/BIGFOOT #19 diecasts, t-shirts, hats and other merchandise,” says Gordon. During the first year of the agreement the monster truck will be used primarily for display purposes. From there the truck will participate in events, with the possibility of Gordon being behind the wheel. “I’m excited about the opportunity to drive the SPEED Energy/BIGFOOT #19 monster truck. We built the truck a few years ago and we’ve played around with it, but actually competing in events would be a lot of fun,” Gordon remarks.


“We are really looking forward to teaming up with Robby and Speed Energy! Robby and Bob Chandler go back to the early days when both teams were Ford sponsored. Robby’s dynamic outlook and his racer’s mentality fit right in with the BIGFOOT way of life! Be on the lookout for a whole line of Robby Gordon’s Speed Energy/BIGFOOT #19 merchandise,” says Bob Trent, Vice President of Sponsorships & Business Development at BIGFOOT 4x4, Inc.

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Permalink Reply by TOG on March 15, 2012 at 9:02pm

and he would love to bring that back.

Permalink Reply by mj on March 15, 2012 at 9:09pm

OK OK OK guys please stop !!!!!!!

I'M DROOLING JUST THINKING ABOUT ALL THIS GREAT STUFF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Permalink Reply by NIKAL on March 15, 2012 at 11:24pm

Back during the RCR Cingular days RG was eating and hanging out at our Fontana infield camp and we were talking about the good ol' Mickey Thompson days. RG shared his idea's and thoughts about bring a stadium style off road series back. It was a cool conversation as he and my family had both been involved in the series back in its prime. We had many of the same ideas and RG said doing this was part of his long term plan when his driving days were over. But as we all know things change. Back then he had not been involved with the two big energy drink companies, and back then he would have never thought about owning a drink company. So who knows if this is still a dream or idea of his?

Permalink Reply by Wheaton56 on March 16, 2012 at 12:14am
Sweet.
Permalink Reply by Ken on March 16, 2012 at 10:33am

What was your involvement?? I ran in the ultra-stock class with the 2 Toyota 4-runners. The company I worked (RACECO) aslo built several of the super 1600s. Brad and Kent Castle were 2 of our better drivers.

Permalink Reply by NIKAL on March 16, 2012 at 11:41am

The first round of involvement was my family was part of the Mazda desert race team. We had the 7s truck and Glenn Harris and one other guy raced the 7 open class. That involvement got my grandfather to be an investor/partner to help get Mazda into the stadium series. I was young and dont know all the details, but I believe Nye Frank was designing those trucks and Mazda was going to have Glenn oversee the project. This part is a bit fuzzy for me, but my grandfather was friends with Walker Evens and Walker helped build the 7s chassis and suspension. I think Walker was originally involved in building or built the first Mickey Thompson chassis and then Glenn took over and moved the operation to Nye Frank. My family was only involved the first year to two with that deal. I dont think it was something my grandfather wanted to continue to be apart of. One part I find interesting is General Tire was a big part of both the Mazda desert race teams and the stadium teams. Here it is 20+ years later and General is back into off-road racing in a huge way.

The second time getting involved with Mickey Thompson was with Marty Hart. Marty was a neighbor and I used to go over and help him once in awhile. Then when he got off the quads and into the desert racing (class 5) I started helping him prep and doing some prerunning and chasing. Then when Marty got back into Mickey Thompson on 4 wheels (Super 1600 with Duncan Racing sponsorship) The first super 1600 car Marty bought was actually RG's Chenowth Super 1600 car as RG raced those when his dad was. Bob was selling the 1600 cars and I went up with Marty to pick up the car from Bob's shop. I'm thinking this was around the time RG was driving the PPI Toyota stadium truck. So I was helping prep and going to as many races as I could while still in high school. Marty later built a new Chenowth 1600 chassis and got Castrol sponsorship with Toyota power. At the same time one of the owners of the Ultralite cars wanted Marty to drive one of those cars to compete against the Natures Recipe cars (Which Jimmie Johnson used to drive for) Part of the deal was Marty had to prep and maintain the car. So at Marty's house I used to help prep that and the Super 1600 car.

Permalink Reply by Ken on March 16, 2012 at 1:01pm

I remember those days well. Mickey Thompson was at the Raceco shop himself the night before he got killed. He was getting fitted in a new car. Which at the time was a new ultra-stock car. He wanted to get more manufacture intrest going so thats why he started the class. Needless to say the car got back burnered and later became one of the Porche's that ran in the class.

Permalink Reply by NIKAL on March 16, 2012 at 1:49pm

Ken I'm sure you remember the best race of all time? Riverside! Both Score and the Short course cars/trucks would show up and race. You had Thompson's Ridge and where all the spectators watched across from Thompson's Ridge was called the Zoo. Since we were either racing the 1/1600 desert car, 7's or involved with the Mazda deal we were always on the other side with all the teams. Once again I was really young and enjoyed the racing from a kids eyes. I'm sure as an adult it was much more fun! The night life on the zoo side I heard rivaled what people now say about Talladega's infield night life parties. Also these were the days way before TT's and the Heavy Metal (Full size trucks) and Mini Metal (Mini trucks) classes were king with all the manufacture support.

Permalink Reply by Ken on March 16, 2012 at 5:00pm

I was in the Zoo a few times. Water balloon launchers across the track. You were able to camp right above Thompson's Ridge. Looking over the K-rails watching the trucks hauling ass sideways all the way down the Ridge. The "land rush" starts were the best..........right into the whoop section. Who had the biggest ball would win that one.

Permalink Reply by Wheaton56 on March 16, 2012 at 1:56pm

Nikal,

do you remember the other Mazda Gut you raced with, was it Wayne Demonja? I know he was backed by Mazda for a few years....a few years ago. He was from colorado

Permalink Reply by Head Held High on March 15, 2012 at 11:04pm

+1

Permalink Reply by TeamMMR.com on March 15, 2012 at 9:11pm

Listen, any exposure is good. Any type of alliance is great, certainly this is a name synonymous with motor sports so I'm glad Speed has an association.

With that out of the way, I'm rater perplexed. Admittedly, the first year of this project its going to be nothing more than a promotional piece, I can only assume rolling from town to town, waiting to pop up at your local market, car wash or auto parts store. Look, id be in line to go see the darn thing in person, but there already is a strictly promo RGM car that at least once was a counterpart to its racing decals.

Secondly, call me short sighted here but doesn't the monster truck "demographic" still really apply to the 6-12 year old market, where "Kids seats are still just $5". Again, that doesn't mean I didnt go to a Monster Jam in my 20's nore already have my tickets for them at the Linc. I just don't see many parents handing the already most hyper thing on the planet a can of caffeine, sugar and vitamins to pound down....right before an extended period of sitting is required.

Finally, this truck has a long running conflict that has kept it out of the largest, marketed, notarized, publicized and did I mention televised touring series.....specific to its racing. I just don't understand what your going to do with a Monster truck that cant tour with Monster Jam that's going to be extremely productive.

Personally, I hope this is a way to dust off the original Monster truck and keep a legend relevant all in one swoop. That said, I personally think its going to be another court ended marriage when two very stubborn parties clash over how this gets off the ground.

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