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Robby in Autosport magazine 7th February
Not sure if many of you read Autosport magazine (UK weekly motorsport bible) but Robby appears in this week's Race of My Life feature. I've typed the full version out below for you to enjoy.
'There are probably other races you could make a case for as the race of my life - like my first Daytona 24 Hours with Roush when I finished fifth overall, won my class and doors really opened for me. But one race sticks in the memory: the race that got away, the 1999 Indianapolis 500.
At the time I was running in CART for Toyota, but the Indy 500 is the Indy 500 and, like I told all the CART owners, I had to do it. There was a clash with Gateway, so I ran that the day before but crashed out early.
There wasn't any real added value to doing both - in fact it disrupted preparations, including me missing Carb Day - but I had commitments to fulfill. Two years previously I 'd also run Indy and Charlotte in NASCAR, attempting to do 'Double Duty'. That was a slog, but double-stinitng doesn't really affect you too much as a driver.
Gateway was on the Saturday, so after my exit I headed straight across to Indy, where I had qualified on the second row, right behind poleman Arie Luyendyk. We were flying, in the lead group, so I just held position and ran near the front all the way. We were so fast, the top guys, that we had everyone up to fourth lapped.
The race swung on a caution, which came out on lap 169. I had just stopped five laps, so I told my partner (and team owner) John Menard that we needed to pit, but just for a splash and dash. The other guys all needed a full pit, so we would have been the first car on the road and we could have destroyed the field.
John disagreed though, and he's obviously the team owner. He said we'd make it, that there'd be another caution in the race. But this particular caution lasted just two laps, and there wasn't another incident. One more lad and we'd have won. If we'd been smart, we'd have won.
But we stayed out, amd as everyone else stopped and the order changed we gained a massive advantage. At one point I had a seven second lead, literally the entire straight - I could look in my mirrirs and there was no-one there.
But obviously, all the time we were out in the lead we also knew we were very tight on fuel, and we had to really rein it in. I was still out fronton the penultimate lap, but as we came off the final turn, with the white flag waiting, suddenly we were empty. It's probably the biggest win that was taken from us. And it was definitely taken - it was ours!
I managed to roll into the pits and we splashed and dashed, headed out and finished fourth. That's still my best Indy result but there's no satisfaction in it, just disappointment. It was our team - I was a young owner at just 31 - so it hurt even more. I'd call it the race of my life - it's the one i'll never forget.'
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mark Reeves on
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You're very welcome - it was a nice surprise to see RG in the mag, not nearly enough coverage for him in UK - i've sent a very nice letter to Autosport to spell out the whole range of RG's talents, if it gets published it i'll share it here.
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Permalink Reply by 7gason7 on
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Was loving every minute of that race (Up until our hearts broke) I was in a pick pool for Indy that year and my #1 driver was Robby. Another player looked at me laughed and said "who the 'F'' is Robby Gordon.. He has no chance." I couldn't wait to talk to that idiot after the race. Arghhhh noooooo............. woulda coulda.. As TOG says "thats racin"
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Permalink Reply by JerrDog on
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Yes, I remember this one, a matter of fact, I will never forget it! As a fan of RG since forever, this one hurts the most...my only question, and maybe this is a crazy one, but does anyone think he will attemp the Indy 500 ever again?
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Permalink Reply by matts11 on
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i was a that race, going crazy watching Robby lead the race.
Hard day as a Robby fan, but even harder for Robby. Thanks for the article.
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Permalink Reply by mj on
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Great article . I too remember that race and the " shot in the guts " feeling that happened that last pit stop .
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Permalink Reply by Wally Meier on
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Thank you for the article, that was a tough one I was sitting in a room of family and friends, my folks were having a BBQ. Of those of us watching the race no one else was really invested in any one driver but me. When I heard Robby over the radio that he was out of fuel I choked up it took alot not to drop a tear it really ripped my guts out. I can't imagine what it felt like for Robby, that has to be a pain that will never go away. I had already been a fan for sometime but after that race there was no backing anyone else. GAS ON!!
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Permalink Reply by Michael Martinez on
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"Yea Rob you got it yea you got it"..........................I can still hear my ears whistle in the silence as microscopic nightcrawlers peered from my pores with jagged skin and my throat ran dry with a constricting flow of unforgiving sand as I tried in vain to grab the very air in front of me. Others in the room looked at me as if I had turned gray. Perhaps I had I'll never know. Gotta find a copy..internet here I come thank you for the heads up.
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No problem - great to hear Robby talk through it but you just know the pain is still there all those years later.
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