TWELFTH PLACE FINISH FOR GORDON IN STAGE 12, AS TEAM SPEED HEADS TO FINAL STAGE OF DAKAR RALLY

January 18, 2016 by SPEED Energy

VILLA CARLOS PAZ, Argentina (January 15, 2016) – Robby Gordon and navigator Johnny Campbell moved another step closer to completing the 38th Dakar Rally on Friday by finishing twelfth in Stage 12 with a time of 5 hours, 47 minutes and 33 seconds.

Starting in the eleventh position, Gordon's run on Friday saw him trade positions on course with top-Argentina competitor Orlando Terranova multiple times as the two would keep a consistent pace of the leaders throughout the stage. Continuing to drive in a conservative manor through the narrow mountainous terrain, Gordon would finish the special in 5 hours, 47 minutes, and 33 seconds just 13 minutes, and 16 seconds back of Finland's Mikko Hirvonen who claimed his first stage win of the rally.

Qatar's Nasser Al-Attiyah claimed the second spot with a time of 5 hours, 34 minutes, 26 seconds just 9 seconds behind Hirvonen. Leeroy Poulter of South Africa rounded out the podium with a time of 5 hours, 35 minutes, and 2 seconds. Fellow South African Giniel De Villiers was credited with fourth in a time of 5 hours, 35 minutes, 14 seconds, with Spainard Nani Roma claiming a top-five with a time of 5 hours, 37 minute, and 26 seconds.

After twelve stages of the 2016 Dakar Rally, the overall remains the same with Peterhansel holding the lead going into the final stage over Al-Attiyah by 40 minutes, and 59 seconds. De Villers continues to hold the third position 1 hour, 7 minutes, 16 seconds back, while Hirvonen claims the fourth position 1 hour, 11 minutes, 42 seconds behind. Poulter rounds out the top-five trailing Peterhansel 1 hour, 41 minutes, and 6 seconds.

Robby Gordon's twelfth place finish today moves him to twenty-sixth in the overall standings in twenty-fourth 10 hours, 41 minutes, and 6 seconds behind the winning pace of Peterhansel.

Saturday's final stage will offer competitors the shortest special of the 13 stages, with 180 km's of twisty sandy and rocky roads. For Gordon and Walch the final stage will not be an easy task, as they will need to make sure they conserve their equipment to get the HST Gordini to the finish. Once arriving in Argentina's third largest city, a massive celebration is planned with several hundred thousands fans on hand looking to cheer on their favorite drivers as they cross the finish line.

Follow Robby Gordon and Kellon Walch's finish in the 2016 Dakar Rally for Team SPEED through live timing and scoring as well as live updates with chat at http://www.planetrobby.com and http://www.StadiumSuperTrucks.com

NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) will provide daily highlights after each stage of the 2016 Dakar Rally at 5:30 p.m. ET. Check your local listings for exact time and channel for availability.

Team SPEED is supported by the following partners; SPEED Energy, Toyo Tires, TRAXXAS, KMC Wheels, Arctic Cat, 4 Wheel Parts, Grand Design Recreational Vehicles, Magnaflow Exhaust, Eibach Springs, King Shocks, Outlaw LED, Mastercraft Safety, Holley Performance, Embee Performance, MAC Tools, DeWALT, Freightliner Trucks, Replay XD, Valvoline, Impact by Mastercraft Safety, Lincoln Electric, Torchmate by Lincoln Electric, Ron Davis Racing Products, Techni Waterjet, Mechanix Wear, Saftey-Kleen, Weddle Industries, and Loctite.

Stage 13: Villa Carlos Paz – Rosario

Cars

Special Section: 180 km

Total: 699 km

Aspiring winners will certainly be those who find the 180 km of the day's special section the most difficult, designed with twisty, undulating routes, faster sandy and rocky sections…leading to significant levels of stress. For most of the others, the 699 km to be covered before reaching the podium in Rosario will be a relief. To be enjoyed without moderation.

Photo credit: SPEED Energy
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