Posted on Fri, Feb. 01, 2008
DAVID POOLE
The Charlotte Observer

Robby Gordon announced Friday that he will drive Dodges instead of Fords in the 2008 Sprint Cup season and will get engines and other support from Gillett Evernham Motorsports.

"I feel this agreement with Gillett Evernham Motorsports helps make the learning curve of the COT little bit easier to navigate," Gordon said. "I like what they have going on over there and I think both organizations will benefit. As an owner I want to do what is best for my employees and sponsors."

Gordon was not present last week when the NASCAR Sprint Media Tour sponsored by Lowe's Motor Speedway met with Ford teams at Roush Fenway Racing. A Ford official said Gordon's absence was due to schedule conflicts.

Gordon is both the driver and owner for his single-car team, which fielded the No. 7 Fords in 2007. Gordon was 28th in the final standings.

"Ford has been very good to me, and this move is not a reflection on our relationship at all," Gordon said. "Ford was planning on supporting me, and even increasing its engineering support for my program in 2008.

"However, I felt that I needed to make this move to help put my team in a more stable financial situation in terms of marketing and sponsorship help."

Doug Hervey, North American operations manager for Ford Racing Technology, said the manufacturer is disappointed to lose Gordon's team.

"Robby made a difficult decision to do what he thought was necessary to financially support and stabilize his race team," Hervey said. "We were fully prepared to continue our commitment with him this year, and had plans to increase our level of engineering support. ...As a manufacturer, we're disappointed to be losing him and his team, but understand the difficulties of running a one-car team in the sport today."

Gillett Evernham Motorsports fields three Dodge teams - the No. 9 cars for Kasey Kahne, the No. 10s for Patrick Carpentier and the No. 19s for Elliott Sadler. It also provides engines and technical support for Petty Enterprises and BAM Racing.

GEM will provide technical, manufacturing and marketing services as part of its agreement with Robby Gordon Motorsports.

"We pride ourselves on being a leader in technology, innovation, and provider of top flight equipment to other Cup teams," said George Gillett Jr., the team's co-owner. "This is another example of a team coming to us for help in areas where we believe we excel."

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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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the way he's going there needs to be a new manufacturer by 2010

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"It's all fun and games until somebody wrecks a racecar" Larry McRenyolds


Will race for nothing just give me a car

Hopefully he will do good there this year.

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Just when I think you said the stupidest thing ever .....You keep talking
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Ryan Newman, Daytona 500 Champion!!
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pretty quick in indycars.remember him coming close to winning the indy 500 afew times

Robby made switch to be stonger team: #7-Robby Gordon believes he made his team stronger through a technological and marketing partnership with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. Gordon will switch to Dodge immediately and he said Friday afternoon he plans to lean on the three GEM Sprint Cup teams for help. "I look at it as it's a stronger way for my team to survive," said Gordon, who was 26th in [driver] points [and 28th iin owners pts, #96 Hall of Fame Racing was the highest single car team at 25th in 'owners' points'] despite missing a race last year. "Hopefully it's going to make a good partnership going forward. Right now, today, we're probably receiving a few more benefits than they are. We've got a decent group of engineers at our place, but having teammates is going to be important, It's going to be nice to have people that we can walk over and say, 'What are you running for shocks? What are you running for springs?' I haven't had this kind of information the last three years. We've been able to make it and be competitive, but I think this will take us from the 20s, hopefully back to the teens and maybe even [to] an opportunity to make the Chase." Short term, Gordon said he believes his team will be ready with its Dodges when practice for Daytona 500 qualifying begins Feb. 9. "I've never converted a COT before, especially ones that had never been raced," Gordon said. "Our cars were ready. I've got a good group of guys back in the shop, and I'm confident they'll do a wonderful job converting these cars. I think we'll be competitive when we roll out at Daytona."
But why now? Why a week before the season starts? "These were the guys that were willing to do it with me now," Gordon said. "The season is starting. There is no better time than at the beginning of the season. Right now is the right time. We're getting ready to go racing." Another reason was that Gordon's motorsports operations had spent about $4.5 million for the Dakar Rally, which ended up being canceled. There likely will be a substitute race later this year, but Gordon said that the Dakar situation made him look more urgently about a partnership because "it cleaned some of our slush fund out." Gordon said he had no problems with Ford as a manufacturer. Gordon had moved from Chevy to Ford for the 2007 season. "Ford was great to work with," Gordon said. "I didn't feel there was a suitable team there that was willing to open up their books and share their technology with us. Ford, as a manufacturer, they stood up to everything they said they were going to do."(SceneDaily.com)(2-2-2008) Comment here

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Auto racing, bull fighting and mountain climbing are the only real sports... the rest are just games........ Earnest Hemmingway