Robby Gordon

Birthday: Jan. 2, 1969
Hometown: Orange, Calif.

Gordon

YEAR-BY-YEAR CUP SERIES RECAP

2009 -- Finished 34th in points. ... Had a top-five (third at Charlotte), his first since 2007, and a top-10 after having three in 2008. ... Average finish was 28.453. ... Doug Richert, crew chief for the 1980 championship-winning Rod Osterlund team -- notable as Dale Earnhardt's first title -- became crew chief for the final five races, replacing Kirk Almquist, and will return for 2010.

2008 -- Finished 33rd in series points. ... In 36 events, posted three top-10 finishes, including eighth and sixth in the Daytona events and an eighth at Talladega. ... Best qualifying effort of eighth at Sonoma.

2007 -- Finished 26th in series points. ... Started 35 of 36 races. ... Best finish was a fifth at Watkins Glen. Also started second and led 48 laps before finishing 16th at Sonoma.

2006 -- Finished 30th in series points. ... Started all 36 events. ... Best start and finish of 2006 came in same event at Watkins Glen. ... Started sixth and finished fourth for only top-five of season.

2005 -- Finished 37th in series points. ... Started 29 races in first season as owner/driver. ... Best finish was a second place at Watkins Glen. ... Other top-10 finish was at Phoenix (eighth) in November.

2004 -- Finished 23rd in series points. ... Struggled in his final season with Richard Childress Racing, ending the season with two top-five finishes and six top-10s. ... Competed in Truck Series race at Bristol, finishing fourth in his first appearance in the series since 1996. ... Attempted to complete "double-duty" on May 30 by competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600, but failed to complete the 500 due to a rain delay, turning driving duties over to a relief driver.

2003 -- Finished 16th in series points. ... Set the tone for a career-best season with a win in the first qualifying race for Daytona 500. ... Completed "double-duty" on May 25 by competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600, finishing 22nd and 17th, respectively.... Swept season's two road-course races, leading 81 of 110 laps at Sonoma and 30 of 90 laps at Watkins Glen. ... Posted career bests in wins (two), top-fives (four) and top-10s (10).

2002 -- Finished 20th in series points. ... First full-time season. ... Led 21 laps on the road course of Watkins Glen, earned his best finish of the season (third). ... Completed "double-duty" chores on May 26 by competing in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca-Cola 600, finishing eighth and 16th, respectively.

2001 -- Finished 44th in series points. ... Drove for three different teams. ... Won first career NASCAR race in 10th start for Richard Childress Racing, in New Hampshire on Nov. 23. ... Began the season with Morgan-McClure Racing for five races. ... What began as a substitute situation at Sonoma with the Jimmy Smith-owned Ford turned into a semi-permanent deal in July. ... Offered to drive the Richard Childress-owned Chevrolet in September, while then-driver Mike Skinner elected to have surgery to repair an injured left knee. ... Announced as the driver for the No. 31 Chevrolet for the 2002 season. ... Led 22 laps in the Indianapolis 500 in a car co-owned by Richard Childress and A.J. Foyt.

2000 -- Finished 43rd in series points. ... Returned to NASCAR racing in 17 events as driver for team he co-owned with Mike Held and John Menard. ... Earned two top-10s, both at road-course events, Sonoma (ninth) and Watkins Glen (fourth).

1998 -- Finished 67th in series points. ... Drove one race for car owner Buz McCall, finishing 37th at Sonoma.

1997 -- Finished 40th in series points. ... Competed in 20 races for car owner Felix Sabates. ... Won first career pole at Atlanta. ... Finished fourth at Watkins Glen.

1996 -- Finished 57th in series points, starting only three races. ... Drove at Charlotte for DEI. ... Drove in two races for Felix Sabates, at Rockingham and Phoenix.

1994 -- Finished 76th in series points. ... Made only one start, for Kranefuss-Haas Racing at Michigan, starting 38th and finishing 38th.

1993 -- Finished 94th in series points. ... Made only one start, but a highly significant one. ... Drove the No. 28 Texaco Havoline Ford at Talladega in that team's first race since the death of Davey Allison, finishing 42nd.

1991 -- Finished 55th in series points. ... Started only two races. ... Made series debut in Daytona 500, finishing 18th. ... Also competed at Richmond, finishing 26th. ... Drove both races for car owner Junie Donlavey.

PREVIOUS RACING HISTORY

Finished third overall in the 2008 Dakar Rally. ... In 2005, became the first American to win a stage in Dakar Rally. Won two stages and finished second. ... Qualified on the outside front row (third) and finished 22nd after a gearbox failure in the 2003 Indianapolis 500. ... Qualified 11th and finished eighth in the 2002 Indianapolis 500. ... Led 22 laps in the 2001 Indy 500. ... In the 2000 Indy 500, qualified fourth and finished sixth. ... Led 33 laps near the end of the 1999 Indianapolis 500, only to run out of fuel on the last lap, relegating him to a fourth-place finish. ... Ran own team in Championship Auto Racing Teams series in 1999 and for Arciero-Wells Racing in 1998. ... In May 1997, he qualified 12th for the Indianapolis 500. On Lap 19, fire erupted in the cockpit of Gordon's car ending any chance he might have in this race. He suffered second- and third-degree burns on his hands, wrist and right thigh that sidelined him for a month. ... Finished second in the Baja 1000 that same season. ... Finished second in the 1996 and 1997 IROC series. ... Won the 1996 SCORE Off-Road Trophy Truck Championship with four wins. ... Won CART races at Detroit and Phoenix in 1995 and finished fifth in the point standings. ... Voted most improved driver by peers in 1994 CART series. ... First full CART season was in 1993, driving for the legendary A.J. Foyt. ... Won GTS class in IMSA 24 Hours of Daytona, his fourth consecutive victory in that event, all for car owner Jack Roush. ... Won Sports Car Club of America Trans-Am race at Long Beach, Calif., in 1992, also for Roush Racing. ... In 1991, won five IMSA GTO races in a Roush Racing Ford Mustang. ... Finished second in 1990 GTO season standings. ... Overall winner of the Baja 1000 in 1987 and 1989. ... Won Mickey Thompson Stadium Series championships in 1988 and 1989. ... SCORE Off-Road champion for five consecutive years, beginning in 1985.

NOTEWORTHY

Opened "Robby Gordon Off Road" in April 2003 in Anaheim, Calif., a race shop for off-road enthusiasts that is also used as a race shop for Gordon's off-road racing pursuits. ... Favorite place to visit is Mexico. ... Nickname is "Flash." ... Pre-race ritual is eating a turkey sandwich. ... First job was working in his dad's feed yard raking chaff (strands leftover from bales of hay). ... Known for being an outstanding trick water skier.