Robby Gordon 2013

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Shawnee Bill

The likelihood of more than just a few of the top 20 that have made it this far dropping out or loosing many hours is very slim. We all understand that. Robbie understands that better than we do, with that in mind replay his comments about those ahead of him having problems. He said when he flipped over his chances of placing high were gone. Everybody understands that. So does he roll over and play dead or keep charging? You think he should hang his head in shame and wave everyone by that is higher than him in the overall? That ain't happening.

Nasser making it as far as he did was not a fluke, like him or not, the guys good, he built (had built) a good buggy.

I never said he should hang his head in shame or wave anyone by. I've simply pointed out what seems to escape many of his fanatic followers.

Nasser getting as far as he did was a total Fluke. Damon Jefferies building those cars at the last second with zero testing and development time and expecting them to perform was a joke. Jefferies had never built a car for the Dakar before, 90% of what they build are toys for playing in the dunes. The engine builder Jefferies used is a shop that specializes in dyno tuning and all of their true builds have a history of being unreliable, not endurance motors. The last 3 race cars Jefferies built caught fire and burnt to the ground.

[larryboy]

[wayne_l]

what happened in the final WP today for robby ? last i checked he was 4 min ahead then he losses 4 minutes to the minis in the end ? i smell a rat !

[Shawnee Bill]

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

The last 3 race cars Jefferies built caught fire and burnt to the ground.

The last two Dakar buggies Jefferies built did pretty good, one made several days (don't remember exactly), the other made it 11 (?) days running near the front.

I'm a casual observer of Dakar, the name Jefferies means nothing to me. But I have been following motorsports for many years and what I've noticed is that serious enthusiasts are often surprised at how well some do that don't show up with what is considered proper equipment.

So don't take me or Robbie too seriously, we're just having fun at the moment and next week will be off to something else. Me more so than Robbie.


.

[larryboy]

Originally Posted by wayne_l

what happened in the final WP today for robby ? last i checked he was 4 min ahead then he losses 4 minutes to the minis in the end ? i smell a rat !

He lost 10 minutes at a CP that they put on an uphill in sand, they don't want the buggies smoking their boys too bad.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by Shawnee Bill

The last two Dakar buggies Jefferies built did pretty good, one made several days (don't remember exactly), the other made it 11 (?) days running near the front.

I'm a casual observer of Dakar, the name Jefferies means nothing to me. But I have been following motorsports for many years and what I've noticed is that serious enthusiasts are often surprised at how well some do that don't show up with what is considered proper equipment.

So don't take me or Robbie too seriously, we're just having fun at the moment and next week will be off to something else. Me more so than Robbie.


.

Robbie Jajajajajajajaja!

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by Brodovitch

45 minutes to start, do yourself a favour and listen to this:

Mark Miller interviewed on Robbie Gordon and his new book about Dakar, DASH

Really cool info on his co-drivers, his teammates from the VW years and Rubbie.

At the end, he has a little surprise announcement, I won't spoil it for you though

Originally Posted by Strong Bad

Robbie Jajajajajajajaja!

If I didn't know better, I'd think you were at the interview StrongBad...

[larryboy]

Listened to that Miller interview, what a blow hard. Name dropping water carrier.

I expect a guy that wants to win to think he's the best in the field, if you don't you're just another wannabe..."Just want to finish.".

Nasser said in this years rally that he is a better driver than Robby, he wasn't even behind the wheel when his car got towed in for the final time.

Doesn't Robby have more stage wins than Miller ever thought about having?

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

If I didn't know better, I'd think you were at the interview StrongBad...

Yeah, too many years on Mark's team I suppose. I know that Dirk & Mark have been tight they both raced the Atlas Rally together on team KTM, but I thought he was a bit harsh on Ralph.

Just a heads up for the leg humppers; Rubby Gordon HATES it when people spell it Robbie. If you had been listening you would have heard Mark praise a large number of Dakar winners. I doubt your hero would ever say anything like that. As Kellon said in his interview; "Nobody loves Robby more than Robby....."

[troy safari carpente]

Originally Posted by larryboy

Listened to that Miller interview, what a blow hard. Name dropping water carrier.

It's all about perspectives... and who's corner you are holding the towel and spit bottle for... isn't it?

I expect a guy that wants to win to think he's the best in the field, if you don't you're just another wannabe..."Just want to finish." I think that might be one of the key points where VW management might look at things differently than yourself and the RG faithful.

Nasser said in this years rally that he is a better driver than Robby, he wasn't even behind the wheel when his car got towed in for the final time. Aha, I see the problem, your using Nasser as your yardstick...?

Doesn't Robby have more stage wins than Miller ever thought about having?

Possibly...? I'm not sure... at a quick guesstimate I would think that Mark has more top 5 stage placings than Robby... the stats will show what approach gives the best results/podiums of the two...?


So to round off/bow out, maybe I will just put up the notion that there are two schools of thought or approaches in the (global) world of offroad racing... the traditional euro "Dakar" cross country rally school of thought... and the old school USofA "SCORE/Baja" offroad racing school of thought...

The former is full of politics, tactics, semantics intrigue and carefully laid strategies... the latter is full of high tech "go hard or go home" foot to the firewall racing (which I love as well... don't get me wrong). Both have pro's both have con's, both have their place in the world.

Miller seems to have understood an embraced the "euro" train of thought and meets them at their own game... Robby seems hell bent on taking the US approach and meeting them head on with it.

How successful each has been with their respective Dakar careers is for them (and perhaps their respective fans) to decide for themselves...

I'll just leave you with this... there is more than one way to skin a cat.

[larryboy]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

I'll just leave you with this... there is more than one way to skin a cat.

Not a doubt, I prefer the current way Robby gets to run...back into the top 15 after a 5 hour turtle, during the dark days at VW they wanted to part his car out and send him home after a rollover.

[Strong Bad]

Originally Posted by troy safari carpente

Possibly...? I'm not sure... at a quick guesstimate I would think that Mark has more top 5 stage placings than Robby... the stats will show what approach gives the best results/podiums of the two...?


So to round off/bow out, maybe I will just put up the notion that there are two schools of thought or approaches in the (global) world of offroad racing... the traditional euro "Dakar" cross country rally school of thought... and the old school USofA "SCORE/Baja" offroad racing school of thought...

The former is full of politics, tactics, semantics intrigue and carefully laid strategies... the latter is full of high tech "go hard or go home" foot to the firewall racing (which I love as well... don't get me wrong). Both have pro's both have con's, both have their place in the world.

Miller seems to have understood an embraced the "euro" train of thought and meets them at their own game... Robby seems hell bent on taking the US approach and meeting them head on with it.

How successful each has been with their respective Dakar careers is for them (and perhaps their respective fans) to decide for themselves...

I'll just leave you with this... there is more than one way to skin a cat.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

I have to admit I totally lean towards the traditional as I started trying to follow back when Danny LaPorte was racing it. I say trying to follow as it was pretty much reading what happened several days after the fact.

In another couple of days it looks like we will be able to say: Robby Gordon tried for years to win the Dakar and was never able to do it.

[joe a]

It's a shame that this thread continues to be pushed off in a direction that has more to do with personal opinions,attitudes and values than it does with racing....But then again it's the internet and someone always feels a need to get in the last word....................sad.

[larryboy]

The American’s Hummer was the first car to cross the finishing line with a total time of 4:50’53'. His pursuers have not yet finished.

[Velociraptor]

After Robby had the two setbacks early on, I was not that impressed with his chances of ever winning a Dakar, but I am more optimistic since then. Seems like he is running very consistent stages. Much better!