Gordon on Roll, Wins 2nd in a Row

SAN DIEGO —  Youth was again served in the Grand National Sport Truck class at the Mickey Thompson Off-Road Championship Gran Prix stop at San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium Saturday night.

Robby Gordon, 20, rallied from two disappointing heat races to win his second main event in as many races before 42,256--the largest crowd to see a motorsports event at Jack Murphy.

It was a disappointing finish, however, for Gordon’s Toyota teammate, Ivan Stewart of Lakeside. Stewart easily won both heats and looked strong entering the main event. But Stewart, who has never won a main event in San Diego, suffered mechanical problems and dropped out of the race after five laps.

Stewart, the 43-year-old veteran, was in third when he started to fade while Gordon, in only his first year in the class, took control early and never trailed in the 12-lap final.

Gordon had an impressive start in the series this season, sweeping both heats and the main in the series’ first stop in Anaheim in January.

But it looked as if Gordon’s fast start would fade during the two heats.

Gordon’s troubles started in the first heat when Roger Mears flipped in front of him on the second turn. By the time Gordon could pull out from between Mears and the turn, he was in ninth. Gordon finished the heat in fourth but was dropped two spots when he and two other drivers were penalized for rough driving.

Stewart, meanwhile, had little trouble in either heat, leading most of the way in both.

After the crash set him back in the first heat, Gordon ran fifth most of the second before pulling up to finish third.

“I know I’m not going to win every race,” Gordon said. “I probably won’t even win a third.

“You’ve got to have a lot of luck. It’s so tight, and an accident can happen in a split second.”

Gordon, who nearly quit during the middle of last season while driving in the Super 1600 series because of mechanical problems and not having a sponsor, went on to have a successful season and finished the year by becoming the youngest driver to be named to the off-road racing All-American team by the American Auto Racing Writers & Broadcasters Assn.

Although he has been a success in other off-road events, Gordon was surprise in the Grand National Truck class, racing against veteran drivers.

Entering the San Diego stop, however, Gordon thought the fast start at Anaheim would help him.

“Now I know in my head I can win,” Gordon said. “I feel real, real good.”

Tallon Vohland of Sacramento won the 250cc Pro UltraCross. Brian Manly of Lake Elsinore was second and Jim Holley of Woodland Hills was third.

Marty Coyne of Lemon Grove finished third in the Super 1600 main while Bob Gordon, Robby’s father, finished second.

It was a busy night for Frank Arciero Jr., who won the main and his heat in the Super 1600 and then had to run to his truck to compete in the Grand National Truck Class.

Jeff Elrod, the 1988 points champion in UltraStock, won the class’ main event after finishing second in the heat. Vincent Tjelmeland won the heat but finished fourth in the main.

Rory Holiday of Fontana swept the Superlite class, winning the main and the heat. Frank Chavez of Lakeside finished fifth in the event’s main and was third in the heat.

Ron Pierce of El Cajon, who won the event point race in 1987 and finished second last year, had mechanical problems and had to be towed from both races.