Monster Energy-Backed Robby Gordon On His Way To Challenge For the Lisbon To Dakar Rally Championship!

America's top finisher ever in the grueling 16-day off road racing competition has his sights set on victory in his cool Monster Energy/Hummer/Toyo Tires ride. Monster Energy-backed NASCAR and Baja racer Robby Gordon will attempt to do what no other American racer has accomplished - capture an overall victory in the adventerous Dakar Rally - a 16-day treacherous 5,000 mile event that runs from Lisbon, Portugal, to Dakar, Africa, and is widely considered the toughest test for man and machine in all of motorsports.

Gordon, fresh off the 40th running of the legendary SCORE International Tecate Baja 1,000 - an all-out burner from Ensenada down to Cabo San Lucas on Mexico's Baja California Peninsula - is primed and ready for the Jan.5-20 Dakar Rally. Teamed with fellow Californian Andy Grider, a two-time competitor in the Dakar Rally, Gordon is can't express is pleasure enough with the opportunity afforded him by Monster Energy and has set lofty aspirations for the event which begins next week.

"The Monster Energy Team USA Dakar program is poised and ready to challenge for the overall victory," said Gordon. "We have a staff of 46 members in place - including Monster's Joe Parsons - and plan on attacking this event with great passion and intensity."

Gordon, who finished 26th in the Nextel Cup NASCAR points chase this past season, placed 8th overall in last year's Dakar Rally. He's so focused on this international event that he's bailing on a crucial test weekend at Daytona International Speedway so he can pursue his dream of winning Dakar.

"In all the years I've been around Robby I've never seen him this focused, this driven," said Parsons. "He wants to make history for America in the Dakar Rally. And I wouldn't bet against him."

The legions of Monster Energy faithful can follow Gordon's quest via the Internet and Parsons' daily reports on www.monsterenergy.com/dakar. Another good site to check out is Monster Energy-backed Robby Gordon's own site:http://robbygordon.ning.com/

Monster Energy supports the sport. Be it Dakar, road racing, MX, supermoto, off-road, FMX, skate, MTB, off-road, surf, snow, BMX - name it - the athletes are rockin' Monster Energy more than anything these days. Check out all the types - Original Monster Energy, Monster Lo-Carb, Monster Assault, Monster Khaos, the new Monster/fruit juice hybrid called "M-80" and the ground-breaking Java Monster premium coffee & cream supercharged with our Monster Energy blend. Robby Gordon digs 'em - so will you. On the 'Net at www.monsterenergy.com <http://www.monsterenergy.com/> .