NEWS

5TH PLACE OVERALL FOR GORDON & CAMPBELL

2012-01-24T13:06:37Z

Lima, Peru (January 15, 2012) - At the conclusion of the 2012 Dakar Rally, Robby Gordon and Johnny Campbell left their mark on the final stage by finishing first in the capital of Peru. This marks the third stage win for the American duo and Team SPEED's fifth of the rally. Despite being faced with adversity from their competitors and the organization, the No. 303 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires HUMMER stole the show. Gordon posted 10 top-5 stage finishes to finish in fifth place overall. Even though it wasn't Gordon's best finish (third in 2009 was) of his rally career, it certainly was his best performance.

"It's all about SPEED. Our HUMMER was definitely capable of winning the rally. I just made a couple of mistakes that cost us, but I'm happy to walk away on a good note and really ready to start talking about 2013." As Gordon commented about his effort in 2012, he also praised his new navigator, Johnny Campbell, "Johnny is such a great guy. Not to take away from anyone else because I've been lucky to have good navigators in the past, such as Kellon Walch and Andy Grider. Johnny really helped me stay focused, and I think he helped from a management side of things to bring us to a championship caliber team."

Gordon also thanked his sponsors and fans. “I want to thank Toyo Tires, Traxxas, Mapei, Menard’s, SPEED Energy Drink, Polaris, 4Wheel Parts and all of our great sponsors in all of the racing series we run throughout the year. Without them, we wouldn’t be in a position to do this. I also want to say thanks to all the fans all over the world, and a special thanks to the fans in South America. They really seem to love racing, and they made us feel at home wherever we went. I always try to have fun racing, and make it fun for the fans. I hope we did.”

The story for Team SPEED in 2012 was all about redemption. Robby Gordon produced a team that was on the edge of glory to become Dakar Rally Champions. By Stage 9, they would find themselves only a few minutes behind the overall leader. Unfortunately the distraction of the dispute about his air inflation system made it hard for Gordon and his team to stay focused on the main goal for the overall win. Despite the adversity, the team walks away with five stage wins between Gordon and Al-Attiyah, making up for what was such a disappointing 2011 rally.

Looking forward to 2013, Gordon and Team SPEED plan to take nothing short of victory. Gordon and team will make the long journey back to the United States and begin preparations for next year's edition.

Team SPEED - Dakar Rally Stage 1 Recap

2012-01-02T07:53:44Z

Santa Rosa (January 1st, 2012) - On the first day of the New Year, the competitors of the 2012 Dakar Rally prepared for an early start, which took them from the beach city of Mal Del Plata to Santa Rosa de La Pampa. The special stage section was only 57km, making it the shortest racing section of the rally.

Nasser Al-Attiyah would start out with an advantage being the first car on the road, and teammate Robby Gordon would follow off the line in fourth. When the auto class got to the special stage, they would find areas to pass the competition along the coast line and drive into small dunes that represented their first hurdle. In this short section, the fastest time would establish each competitors position in the rankings.

By checkpoint 1 of the Special Stage, Al-Attiyah and Gordon were running first and second, only 9 seconds between them with Peterhansel 51 secs behind. The HUMMERs were off to a great start, proving to be a real contender. Unfortunately only 2km from the finish, Al-Attiyah's HUMMER lost power. Seeing his teammate on the side of the road, Gordon had no choice but to help the 2011 Dakar Champion cross the finish. With the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires HUMMER towing the Qatar/Toyo Tires HUMMER, Gordon ended up losing valuable seconds, resulting in him being the third car to finish. He ended up fifth based on corrected time. Al-Attiyah's finish will be determined at a later time due to the fact he had assistance. Al-Attiyah and his navigator Lucas Cruz would evaluate the situation with their vehicle before heading towards Santa Rosa de la Pampa. Not really knowing what exactly happened, they were able to communicate with Gordon to help get his HUMMER up and running again.

About SPEED Energy– SPEED Energy is available in four flavors: Unleaded, Fuel, Ethanol and Octane, which provides the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent energy blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED is packaged in 12 ounce sleek cans that have a stylish black top and sexy body and are available in singles, four-packs, and cases. SPEED Energy is available in the United States in major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For more information, please visit speedenergy.com.

Race Coverage– Follow Team SPEED during the 2012 Dakar Rally on www.speedenergy.com as well as twitter and facebook at www.twitter.com/speed_energy and www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink. Daily highlights from each stage can be viewed on the NBC Sports Network (formerly known as Versus) January 1st – the 15th at 1:30AM Eastern Standard time. Please check your local listings on where to find the NBC Sports Network.

The SPEED Energy APP - featuring exclusive updates of Robby Gordon and his SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER during the 2012 Dakar Rally. Follow Robby as he competes in the world's toughest race through Argentina, Chile and Peru. Be the first to hear updates from the driver himself and get exclusive videos and photos during the team's quest to win the coveted Dakar Rally. You'll be able to keep up with Robby during the rally from your iPhone or iPad!

Copyright © 2011 SPEED Energy Racing, All rights reserved.
Our mailing address is:
10615 Twin Lakes Parkway
Charlotte, NC 28269

Media Contact: Kevin Wilson or Alison McCabe
Tel. 704-949-1255
kwilson@speedenergy.com or amccabe@speedenergy.com

Media Contact: Jay Jones, TMC
Tel. 949-851-6313
jay.jones@tmcauto.com
Toyo Media Site: http://toyotires.mediaroom.com/

Team SPEED and Toyo Tires® - A Force for 2012 Dakar Rally

2011-12-14T20:42:02Z

Charlotte, NC (December 14, 2011) – Robby Gordon’s Team SPEED and Toyo Tires® are returning to compete in the 2012 Dakar Rally in force. This year, two of Robby Gordon’s specially built HUMMER H3 racers will compete for the overall win. Gordon will drive his bright orange #303 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires entry; while defending 2011 Dakar winner, Nasser Al-Attiyah, joins the team to pilot the #300 Qatar HUMMER H3 racer. The race vehicles rely on Toyo® Open Country M/T®-R tires to deliver off-road performance and durability.

Team SPEED and Toyo Tires are no strangers to Dakar. Gordon and Toyo Tires first competed in the Dakar in 2006. Together they showed their capabilities with a Stage 6 win and an Open Class victory in the 2007 Dakar, and then scored their highest finish, a third overall, in the 2009 Dakar. That year, the HUMMER was the only two-wheel-drive vehicle to finish in the top ten, proving the capabilities of the team and the Open Country M/T-R tires.

“Toyo Tires and I have worked hard over the years to develop a tire combination that is right for the HUMMER,” said Gordon. “Their team has put a lot of effort into making a Toyo tire that is tough, durable and ready for the Dakar Rally. It has good grip and can sustain the varying terrain, from sand to slick gravel roads to hard rocky areas. I look forward to getting out there and racing on it.”

For the 2012 Dakar, Robby Gordon will be joined in the cockpit by multiple Baja 1000 winner and off-road legend, Johnny Campbell. Campbell will serve as navigator in the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires HUMMER, guiding the vehicle through challenging terrain on this 14-day, and nearly 6,000-mile Pan-American odyssey. The 2012 Dakar starts on New Year’s Day on the East coast of Argentina in Mar Del Plata. It will cross over the Andes of Chile and then finish on South America’s West Coast in Lima, Peru.

“Dakar is the most challenging off-road endurance race on the planet and is a true test of both man and equipment,” said Stan Chen, manager of events and motorsports, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “We are proud to have Toyo Tires represented by these off-road champions. The Open Country M/T-R is the perfect tire to lead them to their goal of winning the 2012 Dakar.”

To follow the team’s journey to compete in the upcoming Dakar, and for updated race team coverage, log onto www.speedenergy.com and www.toyotires.com. Fans can also participate in the Dakar experience by connecting with the community at www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink, www.facebook.com/toyotires, www.twitter.com/speed_energy and www.twitter.com/toyotires.

Toyo Tires’ Adrian Puente will travel with the team during its effort to win Dakar, providing reports, photos and videos. Toyo Tires manufactures and distributes a complete line of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks. Learn more at www.toyotires.com.

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EDITOR’S NOTE: Photos of Robby Gordon, Johnny Campbell and the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires HUMMER are available at: http://toyotires.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=13&cat=138&mode=gallery

Media Contact: Kevin Wilson or Alison McCabe
Tel. 704-949-1255
kwilson@speedenergy.com or amccabe@speedenergy.com

Media Contact: Jay Jones, TMC
Tel. 949-851-6313
jay.jones@tmcauto.com
Toyo Media Site: http://toyotires.mediaroom.com/

OFF-ROAD LEGEND JOHNNY CAMPBELL JOINS SPEED ENERGY RACING FOR THE 2012 DAKAR RALLY

2011-12-08T20:26:47Z

Charlotte, N.C. (December 8, 2011) – Robby Gordon and the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team announce the addition of off-road legend, Johnny Campbell to the 2012 team. Johnny Campbell will serve as Gordon’s navigator during the 2012 edition of the infamous Dakar Rally. Campbell will be responsible for directing Gordon through the 6,000-mile pan-American journey that is different than years past, which will add to the allure of the grueling race. The 14-day racing event will starting on New Year’s Day in Mar Del Plata, Argentina, cross over the Andes of Chile and then finish in country of Peru. Both the route and terrain will be different than years’ past, making Campbell one of the most important team members.

The Southern Californian 2-wheel racer is most known for his multiple Baja 1000 victories. This will be his second entry in the Dakar Rally and his first on to the South American continent as a navigator. Campbell, age 40, finished 8^th overall and1^st as a privateer during the 2001 Dakar Rally, bringing an impressive resume to Robby Gordon’s SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team. With a total of 16 Baja wins - 5 Baja 500 and 11 Baja 1000 – Campbell not only brings along a tradition of success but a great deal of experience when it comes to reading the desert terrain. Campbell’s ability will be key to Gordon’s success as the two look for their first Dakar Rally overall win in 2012.

"I have always said that I would return to conquer the Dakar Rally when the right opportunity presented itself. When I got the call from Robby, I knew that time had come. To be partnered with one of motorsports all-time legends, his great team and awesome equipment is a dream come true. I am very excited and looking forward to the challenge of navigating the Speed Energy / Toyo Tires team to the top of the podium," commented Johnny Campbell.

“Having Johnny Campbell join our team is a real honor. Having 11 Baja 1000 victories and finishing the Dakar Rally in 2001 on a motorcycle, he understands what it takes to be successful and competitive. Not only will he be an asset on the car side, he also brings a level of professionalism to our team given his managerial background, which is only going to make our team that much stronger this year. He is a true champion, and I am excited to have him as part of this year’s Dakar Rally team,” commented Robby Gordon.

Johnny Campbell’s Career Highlights:

* Baja 1000, 1997-2005, 2007-08

* Baja 500, 1997-98, 2002-04

* San Felipe 250, 1998-2000, 2002-04, 08

* Vegas to Reno, 2001, 2004-05, 2007

* Terrible’s Town 250, 2001-03, 2005

* HYR 24 Hours of Glen Helen, 1999, 2006

* 2005--Henderson's Terrible 400, Nevada 1000, Parker 250

* 2004--Henderson's Terrible 300

* 2003--Laughlin U.S. Hare Scrambles

* 2001--8th overall/1st privateer, Paris-to-Dakar Rally

* 2000--Nevada 2000, Tonopah 300, Adelanto Grand Prix

* 1998--Silver State 300

* 1995--Nevada Rally

* 1992--HDRA Nevada 500, Rosarito Beach Grand Prix

For more information on champion Johnny Campbell, please visit www.jcrhonda.com. Follow the SPEED Energy Off-Road Racing team during the 2012 Dakar Rally on www.speedenergy.com as well as twitter and facebook at www.twitter.com/speed_energy and www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink.

NASSER AL-ATTIYAH, WILL DEFEND TITLE IN 2012 IN A ROBBY GORDON HUMMER

2011-12-06T18:50:31Z

2011 DAKAR RALLY CHAMPION, NASSER AL-ATTIYAH, WILL DEFEND TITLE IN 2012 IN A ROBBY GORDON HUMMER

Charlotte, N.C. (December 6, 2011)– Winner of the 2011 Dakar Rally, Nasser Al-Attiyah confirmed that he will join Robby Gordon and his off-road team in the 2012 edition of the Dakar Rally. Driving one of the highly-modified HUMMERs sponsored by his native country of Qatar, Al-Attiyah will compete for his second consecutive overall Dakar Rally victory. Should he conquer the South American desert once again, he will be only the second driver to triumph in two different manufactures; Ari Vatanen did so in 1990-1991.

Al-Attiyah has an impressive racing resume and is an accomplished cross-country and classic rally racer. He has won seven FIA Middle East Rally Championships titles since 2003 and collected 13 stage wins in the infamous Dakar Rally from 2009 to 2011.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to defend my title with the big support from my country Qatar and have a new challenge in driving a 2-wheel drive car with Robby Gordon and his team," Al-Attiyah said.

Lucas Cruz, who won as a co-driver in 2010 with Carlos Sainz, will sit along side of Al-Attiyah for the 2012 Rally.

“To have Nasser as a teammate in this year’s Dakar Rally is a huge boost for our team. He brings the excitement and experience of a champion to our team. I personally take it as an honor that he chose our team to defend his 2011 overall win. Between my SPEED Energy HUMMER and his Qatar HUMMER, we have a strong team, cars, and drivers capable of winning the Rally,” commented Robby Gordon.

Nasser Al-Attiyah Career Highlights:

1990 1st place Qatar National Rally Championship

1991 1st place Desert Fox by Marlboro

1992 1st place Qatar National Rally Championship

2003 1st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2006 1st place FIA Production Car World Rally Championship

2007 1st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2008 1st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup

1st place FIA Cross Country Rally Worldcup for Bajas

2009 2nd place Rally dos Sertões, Silk Way Rally

1st place FIA Middle East Rally Championship

2010 2nd place Dakar Rally

2nd place Silk Way Rally

2011 1st Place Dakar Rally

For more information on champion Nasser Al-Attiyah, please visit www.nasser-al-attiyah.com. For updates on Nasser Al-Attiyah, Robby Gordon and SPEED Energy during the 2012 Dakar Rally, be sure to visit www.speedenergy.com, twitter: www.twitter.com/speed_energy, and facebook: www.facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink.

2011 BAJA 1000 RACE REPORT

2011-12-05T22:59:22Z

Charlotte, NC (Nov. 19, 2011) – Robby Gordon drew the 20th starting position for the 44^th running of the Tecate SCORE Baja 1000. The team immediately knew that the odds were against them to capture another Baja 1000 victory, but it was definitely a challenge that they were up for after finishing second last year only five minutes behind winner, Tavo Vildosola.

The trophy truck class was delayed by a jack-knifed semi-trailer blocking the course and was forced to restart approximately 10 miles outside of Ensenada, Mexico. With his sights set on a victory for his team, Gordon immediately starting to pick off a few trucks, trying to get out of their dust early. A good battle with Pistol Pete around race mile 70 put him exactly were he wanted to be at this point in the race; he was sixth on the road and third overall on corrected time. Once the trucks made it to the highway, Gordon got just enough gas so he wouldn’t get passed by the onslaught of trophy trucks that he had put behind him already.

Heading into San Felipe would bring some of the roughest terrain along with darkness that proved to be a problem for many competitors including Gordon. The SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team pitted around race mile 250. In under 55 seconds, they added a light bar, two rear Toyo Tires and a tank full of gas, sending him on his way quickly. After the stop, he still was the sixth truck on the road, only minutes behind leader Bryce Menzies.

The team was getting set up for their next pit stop around race mile 400 when they heard some commotion on the radio. Just miles before the pit, Gordon and his navigator hit a burm at speeds close to 130MPH and rolled the truck. Even though most of the bodywork on the truck was destroyed, the truck landed back on its Toyo Tires. Having to limp to the race mile 400 pit with no lights and severe damage, the team thought their race was over. Luckily, the truck had no real mechanical issues; all it needed was a new set of Toyo Tires and more lights. After these adjustments, Gordon was on his way again. The crash would send him back to ninth place on the road and nearly 45 minutes back of the leaders.

Knowing that the crash set them back, Gordon put the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires trophy truck into overdrive. Over the next 100 miles heading into Valley Trinidad, he would make up 25 minutes on the leader, proving the truck and driver still had their sights on the finish line. Deep into the night, the few lights that Gordon had left on his truck would hinder his efforts of gaining on the leaders. By the time he got to race mile 645, his lights were bent down. He had to stop to fix them when he got to the arch way heading back into Ensenada. Despite yet another setback, Gordon was sixth on the road and looking for a top-5 finish with only a handful of miles to go.

Heading back into the muddy washes of Ensenada, Gordon had tracked down the first truck off the line (Jesse James) and had him in his sights to pass. James rolled onto his side as Gordon went for the pass. Unfortunately for Gordon, his truck would come to a halt just 2 miles before the finish. A broken drive shaft stopped the No. 77 SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires in its tracks. Having to push the truck out of the mud, the team changed the driveshaft losing an hour and a half to the overall winner. Without the failed part, Gordon and the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires team would have finished fifth about 25 minutes behind winner, Andy McMillan.

It was a day of adversity and perseverance for the team as the No.77 finally crossed the finish line at 5:30AM local time. “We missed a turn at the 390-mile mark, and we crashed the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires trophy truck. We were running 130 before that so we probably hit the ground at 100; it was a big one. I haven't crashed that hard in a long time. Then literally two miles from the finish line, the drive shaft broke but I'm sure it broke because of the crash. The back of the truck moved over about three inches because of the crash so the drive shaft probably got jarred pretty hard,” Gordon commented after finishing eighth in the Trophy Truck class and tenth overall. “Toyo Tires were great, just awesome. We just never have any problems with them. I think with SPEED Energy we are gaining more exposure for the brand and changing the desert from green to orange.”

Next event for the SPEED Energy/Toyo Tires Off-Road racing team is the 2012 Dakar Rally where Robby Gordon looks for redemption from an early exit last year. You can follow along with SPEED Energy and Robby Gordon’s efforts on twitter.com/SPEED_ENERGY and facebook.com/thespeedenergydrink. You can find all the latest news, photos and videos online now at speedenergy.com

TALLADEGA POST RACE QUOTE

2011-10-24T00:33:43Z

ROBBY GORDON (No. 7 SPEED Energy Dodge Charger R/T) Finished 37th
“What a bummer. I thought this might be the day that we get this SPEED Energy Dodge in victory lane. We had a great car. We ended up having a problem with the rear gear, started to leak some oil on the track and NASCAR made us park the car. It’s a bummer. It may have happened when we lost the rear bumper cover and that could have caused a weird vacuum under the car. We’re really not sure. Our car was fast. We led laps. We ran great with Trevor (Bayne) all day. It just wasn’t meant to be.”

SPEED ENERGY RACING: DEGA PREVIEW

2011-10-22T23:52:34Z

Charlotte, NC (October 21, 2011) – Making his 22^nd career start at Talladega Superspeedway, Robby Gordon will be piloting the No. 7 SPEED Energy/MAPEI Dodge Charger in the Good Sam Club 500 this weekend. In the spring event at the 2.66 mile tri-oval, Robby Gordon and the SPEED Energy team rallied to claim a 20^th place finish.

“Restrictor plate racing is usually good for our team. We can come out of here with a decent finish and improve on our record from earlier this year. The key is trying to find the right partner to push you toward the front. My car seems like it works better while pushing someone else. Happy to have MAPEI on board for Talladega…it should be a fun one,” says Gordon.

Race Coverage – NASCAR fans can watch the The Good Sam Club 500, October 23rd beginning at 2 p.m EDT. On Saturday, October 22nd, SPEED Channel will broadcast qualifying from Talladega Superspeedway beginning at 12: 15 p.m. EDT. For news and updates, please visit SPEEDENERGY.COM, PLANETROBBY.COM or follow SPEED Energy on Facebook and Twitter.

About SPEED Energy – SPEED Energy is available in four flavors: Unleaded, Fuel, Octane, and Ethanol which provide the human machine with the fuel it needs to keep up with the SPEED of life. Each drink contains a potent blend of B-vitamins, caffeine, taurine and ginseng. SPEED, packaged in 12 ounce and 16 oz cans with a stylish black top and sexy body, is available in singles, 4 packs, and cases. SPEED Energy is available at major retailers, convenience stores, grocery stores, bars and nightclubs. For a retailer near you, please visit www.speedenergy.com.

THE HUMMER FINISHES TOP 10 AT BAJA 500

2011-06-07T01:25:19Z

ROBBY GORDON, No. 77 (Fifth in class. Gordon drove the entire race.) – It was good. There were a lot of people out there having fun. We didn't pass anybody. That's the reality of it. With Trophy-Trucks today you don't pass anybody. You can't; it's physically impossible because even a slow car causes so much dust that you can't pass. I couldn't pass somebody for 100 miles. I followed Kory (Scheeler) for about 200 miles about 100 yards back. I had to change a right-rear (tire), but it is in the system because as soon as I changed the other right rear, I plugged in and the air started going down. We stopped, unplugged it and went with it. It is our own central air system but we still fight with it a little bit in the CV joints. It was a good course, just tough to pass.

ROBBY GORDON'S SPEED ENERGY DRINK

2011-06-01T14:15:01Z

An interview with Robby Gordon during an appearence at a local Walmart in Mexico