Robby Gordon is the son of off-road racer Bob "Baja Bob" Gordon. He began his racing career competing in off-road racing, following in his father’s footsteps.
Gordon won five consecutive SCORE International off-road class championships from 1986 to 1990. He also won two championships in the Mickey Thompson stadium series, three Baja 500s in 1989, 1990, and 2005, and three Baja 1000s in 1987, 1989, and 2006. In 1990, Gordon began racing sports cars, winning races in both Trans-Am and IMSA Camel GT, where he had four consecutive class wins in the 24 Hours of Daytona from 1990 to 1994, and three consecutive 12 Hours of Sebring class wins.
Gordon’s first start in the CART IndyCar series came in 1992, with a full season and Indy 500 start following in 1993 with A. J. Foyt’s team. He raced for Derrick Walker from 1994 to 1996, capturing his first career pole in 1994 (Toronto), and both his CART career wins in 1995 (Phoenix and Detroit). He raced ten times in the Indy 500 from 1993 to 2004, fielding his own team in 1999, 2000 and 2004. In 1999, Gordon nearly won the Indianapolis 500, leading late in the race before running out of fuel on the penultimate lap.
Gordon’s NASCAR career began in November 1990 at Atlanta Motor Speedway, driving for Junie Donlavey in the Automobile Racing Club of America season finale. His first full-time ride came in 1997 with Felix Sabates’ Team SABCO, where he captured the pole at Atlanta. In 2003, Gordon earned wins at Infineon Raceway and Watkins Glen. He, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Kyle Busch are the only drivers to win both road course events in one season.
During the 1996 Grand Prix of Cleveland, Gordon exited his vehicle mid-race after a mechanical failure and, while standing atop his car, kicked the Ford Motor Company logo. This incident led to a strained relationship with Ford until 2007, when his NASCAR team switched to the manufacturer.
The 2001 New Hampshire 300 was marked by controversy. Gordon won the race after contact with Jeff Gordon while attempting to pass a lapped car. Gordon donated his winnings to the victims of the 9/11 attacks.
In the 2007 NAPA 200, Gordon was involved in an on-track incident with Marcos Ambrose, resulting in a penalty and suspension from the following race at Pocono.
Gordon competed twice in the Race of Champions, first in 2001, where he broke the lap time record. He also participated in the Dakar Rally in 2005 and 2006, winning a stage in the car division in 2005 and finishing eighth overall in 2007.
In June 2012, Gordon announced the formation of the Stadium Super Trucks series, based on the stadium truck racing concept developed by Mickey Thompson. He won the inaugural championship in 2013, by seven points over Rob MacCachren. He won a second championship in 2014 with six wins, and the series made its X Games debut that year. The series expanded overseas in 2015, hosting a race in Australia and participating in the Goodwood Festival of Speed. In 2017, Gordon was fined in Australia for performing donuts in a truck at a nightclub, and temporarily banned from racing there, a ban later lifted after an apology and donation to a road safety foundation.
Gordon has seven SCORE International off-road championships, three Baja 1000 wins (1987, 1989, 2006), and three Baja 500 wins (1989, 1990, 2005). He also has three NASCAR Winston Cup Series wins and one NASCAR Busch Series win.
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