Robby Gordon and Dan Davis, Ford's head of racing, unveil the No. 7 Ford Fusion. Credit: Autostock

Robby Gordon switching to Ford for 2007 season

CONCORD, N.C. -- Owner/driver Robby Gordon at Lowe's Motor Speedway Saturday announced his Robby Gordon Motorsports operation would field Ford Fusions in 2007 -- breaking a six-year stretch in Chevrolets but reprising the earliest stages of his career.

	Robby Gordon has three career Cup victories, all in a Chevrolet. Credit: Autostock
	Inside the Numbers Robby Gordon's career stats Year Starts W T5 T10 1991 2 0 0 0 1993 1 0 0 0 1994 1 0 0 0 1996 3 0 0 0 1997 20 0 1 1 1998 1 0 0 0 2000 17 0 1 2 2001 17 1 2 3 2002 36 0 1 5 2003 36 2 4 10 2004 36 0 2 6 2005 29 0 1 2 2006 30 0 1 3 Bold years are in a Ford

In 2000, Gordon's first year as an owner in the Cup Series, he fielded Ford Tauruses for 17 races. Since then, he's raced Chevrolets in 182 events for Richard Childress, Larry McClure and in the last two years for himself.

All three of Gordon's career Cup victories came in Richard Childress Racing Chevrolets, but at the beginning of his career, Gordon was a Ford factory driver in family prepared off-road trucks and sports cars fielded by Roush Racing.

"I had a lot of success with Ford early in my career and I owe a lot to Ford," Gordon said. "I think our Nextel Cup program is at the point now where we're ready to take it to the next level."

Gordon said his team has already begun preparation of Ford racecars and would use powerplants from Roush/Yates Engines next season, but that he would not test any Fords himself until after the 2006 season, when his current relationship with General Motors in NASCAR ends.

Gordon said that he would also continue his Dakar Rally program, which uses the Hummer H3, as well as his Chevrolet off-road Trophy Truck team. The loyalty to multiple manufacturers is much like team owner Roger Penske, who fields Dodges in NASCAR, Honda-powered cars in the Indy Racing League and Porches in the American Le Mans Series.

"Ford has pledged its complete support of helping me realize my dream of winning a NASCAR championship as an owner/driver," Gordon said. "I believe my best days as a Nextel Cup driver are still in front of me and I also believe we have laid the groundwork for the expansion of our program."

Gordon said in a worst-case scenario he wanted his Nextel Cup team to be a two-car operation by 2008, and also said he planned to field Ford Fusions in the Busch Series, though he provided no details.

Mike Wallace gets new Busch sponsor

Veteran Mike Wallace announced a three-year Busch Series sponsorship with Geico Insurance, which in 2007 will grace Chevrolets fielded by James Finch's Phoenix Racing.

Wallace said that Finch, in addition to his No. 7 Chevrolet, would field a No. 1 Chevrolet Monte Carlo for a set of to-be-named drivers in the colors of the Miccosukee Tribe of Florida, which currently sponsors Finch's 10th-place Busch team for which Wallace drives.

The points from the No. 1 will be assigned to Wallace's car in 2007, Wallace said.