MOTOR RACING / SHAV GLICK : Gordon Will Go From Desert to Testing Grounds

This is a fun week for Robby Gordon, the off-road racer turned Indy car driver from Orange. He will be sharing a ride in a Ford truck with Frank (Scoop) Vessels of San Luis Rey Downs, racing in the 26th annual Tecate SCORE Baja 1000.

“There’s nothing as much fun as driving in the desert,” Gordon said. “I hope I can keep on doing it as long as my dad. It’s so different from other kinds of racing. I really love it.”

Bob Gordon, Robby’s father, will be one of the favorites in the Baja race, driving a Chenowth desert buggy with Frank Arciero Jr.

Next month, Robby Gordon will go back to work, starting a new Indy car career with Derrick Walker after one season driving for A.J. Foyt. Gordon will test at Sebring, Fla., in early December, with more testing booked on the mile oval at Phoenix International Raceway and road courses at Firebird Raceway in Chandler, Ariz., and Willow Springs Raceway before the 1994 season starts March 20 at Surfers Paradise, Australia.

“I can’t wait; I’m a big believer in testing,” Gordon said. “I’m definitely looking forward to it. It’s going to be a lot of fun racing for Derrick.”

One problem, however, is that Walker has not decided what chassis to run next season, a new Reynard or the new model Lola, powered by a Ford Cosworth engine. Whichever the team selects, it isn’t expected to be delivered until January. Meantime, Gordon will test in one of the Lolas that Scott Goodyear drove last season.

Goodyear, who won the 1992 Michigan 500 with Walker, left the team at the close of the 1993 season to drive for Kenny Bernstein.

“With Scott, we completed about 18 days of testing,” Walker said. “With Valvoline’s support next year, we’re looking forward to more development. We have a lot stronger program. We’re involved in a wind tunnel program, so we’re going to go for it in the true sense of the word.”

Gordon, 24, hopes to follow the path Rick Mears took from off-road racing to Indy car championships. Last season, Gordon had nine top-10 finishes driving a Lola Ford-Cosworth for Foyt. His highest finish was a second to Emerson Fittipaldi in the Pioneer Electrics 200 at Mid-Ohio. He also was third behind Nigel Mansell and Fittipaldi at the season opener in Australia.

“I don’t see any major differences (between Mears and Gordon). They’re both talented drivers, they’re from California and they kick the dirt,” said Walker, who worked with Mears when he was crew chief and team manager for Roger Penske before starting his own team.

Gordon, who won the 1989 Baja 1000 driving alone in his own Ford truck, will be making his second off-road start this season. He drove a Ford Ranger in the Parker 400 early in the year but failed to finish within the prescribed time limit.

After pre-running the course last week, Gordon said it should be fast and rough.

“If anybody gets stuck in the Matomi Wash (200 miles south of Mexicali), maybe nobody will finish,” he said. “That’s the key to the race, what happens there.”

The 762-mile race will be run over a radically different course than in recent years. Instead of the traditional start in Ensenada, it will take off from Mexicali for the first time in 19 years and consist primarily of two long loops that circle Laguna Salada.

The change was made, according to Sal Fish, SCORE’s chief executive officer, because Mexicali officials have been requesting a race from their city--the state capital and industrial center of Baja California.

“Right now, this is a one-time departure from the norm, but it’s quite possible we may schedule some future races in Mexicali,” Fish said.

Among the more than 250 entries--an increase over recent years--are two AM General Hummers, civilian versions of the army’s popular Desert Storm vehicle. They will be driven by Rod Hall, who has competed in all 25 previous Baja 1000s, and his son, Chad.

Paul and Dave Simon of Fallbrook are defending champions in their unlimited Ford F-250, but among the challengers are Roger Mears and Roger Mears Jr., Ivan Stewart and the Herbst racing family, Troy, Ed and Tim, of Las Vegas.

The race is scheduled to begin with motorcycles at 6 a.m. today.

Briefly

SPRINT CARS--Ventura Raceway will conduct its first full program of sprint cars Saturday night. The event will also be the first for the newly formed Sprint Car Racing Assn. Among the drivers expected are Mike Kirby, Rip Williams, Mike Sweeney, Troy Cline and California Racing Assn. champion Ron Shuman. The event will honor Dean Thompson, former CRA champion. The SCRA will also run at the Imperial Valley Fairgrounds, near El Centro, on Nov. 20.

DRAG RACING--The second California Hot Rod Reunion, featuring men and machines from the 1940s, ‘50s and ‘60s, will be held Saturday and Sunday at Bakersfield Raceway, the old Famoso track. Two of drag racing’s most famous top fuel eliminators, the Wynn’s Charger of Don Garlits and the Wynn’s Winder of Don Prudhomme, will be on display along with both drivers. . . . Louis Brewster, sports editor of the Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in Ontario, was presented the National Hot Rod Assn.’s media award at the NHRA banquet.

MIDGETS--The final four races of the U.S. Auto Club’s national and western states season have been designated as the Hoosier Tire Midget Challenge Series. The races are Saturday night at Kings Speedway in Hanford, Nov. 20 at Ventura, Nov. 25 for the annual Turkey Night Grand Prix at Bakersfield Speedway in Oildale and concluding Nov. 27 at Ventura Raceway. Former winner Brent Kaeding and USAC champion Stevie Reeves have entered the Turkey Night race.

POWERBOATS--Ron Braaksma of San Bernardino and Clinton Anderson of Alpine will continue their assault on the world drag boat record this weekend at Firebird Lake, near Phoenix, in the Coors Light World Finals. Braaksma, who also is close to clinching his fifth International Hot Boat Assn. title, holds the record of 235.32 m.p.h., although Anderson has an unofficial speed of 235.68.

MISCELLANY--The American IndyCar series championship will be decided in a doubleheader Nov. 20-21 at Willow Springs Raceway. Two 100-mile races are scheduled, one Saturday--postponed from a May rainout in Kansas City--and one Sunday, the season finale. . . . The Southern California Timing Assn. has scheduled a speed meet Sunday at El Mirage Dry Lake. . . . The Walt James Vintage Race Car Gathering will be held at Willow Springs Raceway on Thanksgiving weekend. It is open to any pre-1970 non-caged midget, three-quarter midget, sprint car or roadster.

SPORTS CARS--Mark Hotchkis of Pasadena and Jon Van Caneghem of Woodland Hills are among 12 finalists in the Skip Barber Racing scholarship run-off Monday and Tuesday at Sebring, Fla. The winner gets a full season in the IMSA Zerex Barber Saab series.

AWARDS--The American Motorcyclist Assn.’s athlete of the year will be named Nov. 20 at an awards banquet in Long Beach. Contenders are Sam Ermolenko, Jeremy McGrath, Kevin Schwantz, Ricky Graham and Doug Polen.