Team Gordon Trophy Truck - Off Road Magazine

Click here to see the buildup.
Click here for a brief biography on Robby Gordon.

Click here to see the buildup. Click here for a brief biography on Robby Gordon.

Robby Gordon, one of the most talented drivers on asphalt or dirt, was long overdue for a big Baja win. Robby has been close to that win several times, only to have it slip from his grasp. That all changed when Mr. Gordon dominated the field at the 2005 SCORE Baja 500. On a Baja 500 racecourse that many felt was one of the most brutal ever, Robby simply applied his driving skills and his throttle foot to the terrain and guided his Trophy Truck home for the win.

Famous for his no-holds-barred driving style, Robby's philosophy was to build a truck that could handle whatever he chose to dish out. A well-built truck meant that there was no need to slow down to "save the truck" for the finish line. The combination of Robby's philosophy and the inhospitable Baja terrain meant that in-house building was the only correct way to tackle the task. From the CAD designing to the CNC machining to the meticulous fit-up and welding, each critical element of the construction was tackled by Team Gordon staffers using Team Gordon equipment. We were fortunate enough to gain permission to document Team Gordon as they took Robby's 2005 Baja 500-winning Trophy Truck from concept to creation at Team Gordon's shop in Anaheim, California, during the months that led up to the truck's debut at the 2003 Baja 1000.

During this one-of-a-kind seven-month buildup, weekly laps up and back on the 57 Freeway were like seat time at Martinsville. During construction, our persistent appearances at the shop at least twice a week to record current updates nearly caused shop manager Roger Willis to issue us timecards to punch.

Team Gordon Trophy Truck
In this day and age of high-tech computers, there's no such things as T-squares, protractors, and slide rules anymore. Team Gordon's Trophy Truck was conceived from a computer's CAD program. From the computer to the tubing rack, material was pulled, then cut, bent, fish-mouthed, and tack-welded in place. Suspension components such as front A-arms, rear trailing arms, shock absorbers, spindles, and brake rotors were all designed and built in-house by Team Gordon. Even the body molds were CAD-designed. After the molds were prepped, they were gelcoated and hand-laid, and the body components were cured then pulled. Each body component was located, mounted, and secured using Dzus fasteners on the all-tube chassis.

The body was then removed, allowing access to complete the trophy truck's construction. The design and fabrication continued, including installation of the engine, transmission, V-drive, driveshafts, steering, fuel delivery and cooling systems, interior, electronic components, wiring, seating, safety equipment, and so on.

Our mission was to record on film the progression of the No. 31 Red Bull, Chevy CK 1500, trophy truck, from the computer to the desert.

Click here for Part II of the buildup!

Present-day computer technology is used from the start, and Team Gordon engineers retrieve information of a designed part from the computer. The entire trophy truck was designed using CAD software.
Present-day computer technology is used from the start, and Team Gordon engineers retrieve
Many of the parts and components were CAD-machined in-house by Team Gordon's machinist, Joe Hanson. They say a part is only as good as the person making it.
Many of the parts and components were CAD-machined in-house by Team Gordon's machinist, Jo
Here's just a sample of Team Gordon's long-travel shock assembly components, all produced in-house.
Here's just a sample of Team Gordon's long-travel shock assembly components, all produced

After the components were designed, they were fabricated and expertly welded.
Check out these massive, custom-fabricated rear trailing arms.
Along with the trailing arms, the front A-arms are the major components of the Trophy Truck's long-travel suspension.
Along with the trailing arms, the front A-arms are the major components of the Trophy Truc

This is the beginning of the chassis driver's pod, mocked-up driver seat, and transmission, with an engine mount for the reversed, mid-engine location, with the front bulkhead. Note the beefy in-house-built steering power rack.
This is the beginning of the chassis driver's pod, mocked-up driver seat, and transmission
This shows the continuation of the construction of the driver's pod as chrome-moly tubing was triangulated, creating enormous strength and protection.
This shows the continuation of the construction of the driver's pod as chrome-moly tubing
This 3-D shot from above shows more of the triangulated design. Notice how the tubing triangulation is all tied into the lower structural bulkhead.
This 3-D shot from above shows more of the triangulated design. Notice how the tubing tria

Donny Guerrero began to cut and fit tubing while constructing the upper rollcage section.
The tubing's fish-mouth fitment was very critical to creating a strong welded joint.
With the rollcage joints aligned, Donny lowered his welder's hood and began tack-welding all the rollcage joints.
With the rollcage joints aligned, Donny lowered his welder's hood and began tack-welding a

After the chassis was completely welded up, it was taken off the jig table. Gordon's driving position was then fitted to establish the correct angle of the steering wheel. Then, it was tack-welded in place. The rear differential was connected to the rear control arms, linking it to the chassis.
After the chassis was completely welded up, it was taken off the jig table. Gordon's drivi
Designed as a long-travel front suspension consisting of very long upper and lower A-arms, the pivot points were connected to the triangulated front bulkhead. These long A-arms allow 32 inches of front travel. Team Gordon fabricates its own front A-arms and reservoir shocks.
Designed as a long-travel front suspension consisting of very long upper and lower A-arms,
The rear suspension consists of a four-link system using massive rear control arms.

A strong bulkhead shock mounting plate was constructed into the triangle of the rollcage's rear down strut bar for added strength.
A strong bulkhead shock mounting plate was constructed into the triangle of the rollcage's
This setup allows 38 inches of the rear suspension travel.
Engineers from RCR designed and built this Chevrolet 400ci R-99 cast-iron small-block with aluminum heads. It produces 870 hp and redlines at 8,000 rpm. It is one of three in existence, and Team Gordon has the other two. This horsepower is constantly available for Gordon's trigger-happy right foot. Gordon drives the NASCAR NexTel No. 31 Cingular Monte Carlo for Richard Childress Racing (RCR).
Engineers from RCR designed and built this Chevrolet 400ci R-99 cast-iron small-block with

For better weight distribution, the RCR engine is located mid-engine, behind the driver.
A Ron Davis massive four-row aluminum radiator is mounted up front to gain maximum airflow for engine coiling.
A Ron Davis massive four-row aluminum radiator is mounted up front to gain maximum airflow
Another huge Ron Davis aluminum high-flow radiator is laid back at 30 degrees in the rear of the bed, and this location draws air coming off the roof and tumbling down into the high-pressure area of the rear of the bed. Dual auxiliary electric fans help draw air through the radiators during low speeds.
Another huge Ron Davis aluminum high-flow radiator is laid back at 30 degrees in the rear

The main chassis structure was complete and ready for a body.
Team Gordon designed and hand-laid the fiberglass body components.
After the cab had been located on the rollcage, body mounting brackets and Dzus tabs were welded from the frame.
After the cab had been located on the rollcage, body mounting brackets and Dzus tabs were

The remaining body components were located and hung off the cab, starting with the front end.
The remaining body components were located and hung off the cab, starting with the front e
The cab and front end mounting was complete.
Later, the bed sides were located and mounted.

Check out the louvered hood, it helps draw air through the front radiators and underneath the front end.
Check out the louvered hood, it helps draw air through the front radiators and underneath
Winning is all about penetrating the atmosphere the fastest, even in a truck. This truck's top speed is 170 mph.
Winning is all about penetrating the atmosphere the fastest, even in a truck. This truck's

Robby Gordon:

Off-Road, On-Road Racer Extraordinaire
Gordon began racing motocross at the age of 7. By the time he was 15, he was winning major events. In 1985, his dad, Bob, convinced him to switch to off-road racing. Gordon won the first off-road race he entered, the Nevada 500, beating his dad who finished Second. Gordon went on to win six off-road championships.

In 1990, he moved from dirt to asphalt, driving an IMSA GTO Mercury Cougar for the Jack Roush Racing team. He won three Rolex Daytona 24-Hour races in a row. In 1992, he captured his first-ever Trans-Am race, which he entered at Long Beach, winning the pole and the race. That same year, he drove a Lola for Chip Ganassi Racing in the PPG IndyCar Series. Gordon went on to compete in the PPG IndyCar Series full-time, making his NASCAR debut with the Kranefuss/Haas team. He also competed in the NASCAR Super Truck debut race at Bakersfield. His first taste of the Winston Cup came in 1991 when raced for Junie Dunlavey in the Daytona 500, and he followed that up by driving for the No. 28 Ford of Robert Yates at Talladega. He nearly won the Indy 500 in 1999, only to run out of gas on the last lap. Later, he formed his own NASCAR Winston Cup team for the 2000 season. Then in 2001, he signed with Richard Childress (RCR), when he drove the No. 31 Lowe's Chevrolet.

During the 2002 and 2003 Memorial Day weekends, Gordon transformed into an Ironman, competing in the Indy 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, then flying by corporate jet and helicopter to the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina, just in time to get strapped into his No. 31 Cingular Wireless Monte Carlo for NASCAR's Winston Cup Coca-Cola 600. That's 1,100 miles of racing in one day. In 2002, Gordon finished Eighth in the Indy 500 and Sixteenth in the Coca-Cola 600. Last year, Gordon's Indy 500 Honda-powered Dallara finished Twenty-seventh after dropping out on Lap 169 with gearbox problems. Changing from his Indy driver's uniform into his Cingular Wireless threads, he arrived at Lowe's Motor Speedway by helicopter, and Gordon was greeted to a standing ovation by the capacity crowd. Because he missed the mandatory driver's meeting earlier, Gordon had to start the race last. After driving tough all race, Gordon finished Seventeenth in the Coca-Cola 600.

Some consider Gordon to be the most versatile race driver on the planet.