Gordon to field own entry in Indianapolis 500

[Elwood]

Gordon to field own entry in Indianapolis 500

 

 

March 8, 2004

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) -- Robby Gordon said Monday he will field his own entry in the Indianapolis 500 this year, marking the fourth consecutive season he will compete in the IRL race and NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 on the same day.

 

Robby Gordon Racing will field the Chevrolet-powered Dallara with sponsorship from Meijer in the May 30 race. He will then jet to Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., to compete in the NASCAR event for his Richard Childress Racing team.

 

``As a racer, I love the challenge we'll face in May,'' Gordon said. ``Practice and qualifying at Indy, plus the NASCAR race will make for a very busy month, but we know how to organize and coordinate all the details.''

 

Gordon, 35, failed to complete the 1,100-miles of ``double duty'' last season.

 

A gearbox problem knocked him out of Indy early, and he finished 22nd. He started 42nd in the NASCAR event and had worked his way up to 17th by the time the race was called because of rain.

 

He completed 824 miles of the two events.

 

Gordon is so far the only driver to announce plans to compete in both races. Tony Stewart has said he won't run the Indianapolis 500.

 

Gordon, who has five-career top 10 finishes in the Indy 500 and started third in both 2001 and 2003, will team with engineer Thomas Knapp this season. They worked together in the 1999 Indy 500, when Gordon ran out of gas leading the race with two laps to go.