Dakar, Toyota, Shootout -- Gordon loving '09 so far

Robby Gordon's 2009 NASCAR season got a whirlwind start this week as Gordon, about 32 hours after returning to America from a three-week South American excursion, confirmed Wednesday he'd race a Dodge Charger in the season-opening Budweiser Shootout.

The 32-hour delay came up because of a question of whether or not Gordon would run a Toyota -- the brand he'll use for 2009 -- or Dodge.

Career-best finish

Robby Gordon wrapped up a demanding two weeks in Chile and Argentina with an impressive third-place finish in the Dakar Rally.

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Gordon hit the ground running on Tuesday morning upon returning to the United States after a third-place run in the Dakar Rally through Argentina and Chile, and explored the possibility of running a Toyota in the Shootout, set for Feb. 7 at Daytona International Speedway.

"When I left to go to the Dakar Rally, there wasn't the wild card program, there was only the Dodge guys, and I chose to be a Dodge because I could be in the Bud Shootout," Gordon said. "We have a Dodge done, with an Ernie Elliott motor in it, so it's easiest to just go that route."

In addition to the Dodge leftover from his 2008 season, Gordon said he also has two superspeedway Toyotas complete that he'll use for the balance of Speedweeks 2009.

"I'm happy that we're two weeks ahead [of Speedweeks] and we have three cars done," Gordon said. "I consulted with Toyota prior to our agreement and they approved my running a Dodge [in the Shootout]. With the wild card, I had to make some more phone calls to see if they wanted me to run a Toyota or a Dodge because I could do either."

The only potential glitch to Gordon's plan was if Earnhardt Ganassi Racing, whose Ganassi Racing arm fielded Dodges last season, would take advantage of either of its owner point positions ahead of Gordon to run the Shootout. An EGR spokesman on Wednesday said the team wouldn't field a Dodge at Speedweeks.

It created the latest good feeling around the Robby Gordon Motorsports complex.

"I've kinda stayed out of the media a bit here lately, because we haven't been running that good -- and when you don't have anything good to say, don't say nothing at all," Gordon said. "But now we've got good stuff again and I feel really good about my Toyota program -- I feel good about what we're bringing for race cars." (Continued)