Robby Gordon and Toyo Tires Charge to Second Overall in Stage 8 of the Dakar

CYPRESS, CALIFORNIA – International fans were treated to American V8 thunder as Robby Gordon launched an all-out attack on today’s Stage 8 of the Dakar rally. The determined Gordon surged forward with his #303 SPEED Energy / Toyo Tires HUMMER to finish second place in the stage, moving him to second overall in the 14-stage rally. The route traveled 477km northward from Copiapó, Chile to the town of Antofagasta on the Pacific Ocean. Gordon is now easily within striking distance of the overall lead of the Dakar.

Teammate Nasser Al-Attiyah, drove his #300 Qatar HUMMER to a fifth place finish in the stage and sixth overall. Both HUMMERS are equipped with Toyo Open Country M/T-R tires.

During Saturday’s Stage 7, the HUMMERS delivered a 1-2 punch by finishing in first and second place. Nasser Al-Attiyah scored a victory in the 419km Copiapó Stage in the Atacama Region. Robby Gordon finished in second place for a historic first-ever 1-2 finish for the U.S.-based Team SPEED and for Toyo Tires.

Gordon sacrificed a win in Stage 1 in order to tow Al-Attiyah’s stalled HUMMER two-kilometers across the finish line, keeping both HUMMERS in the hunt. Al-Attiyah returned the favor the next day with a remarkable charge from the 38th starting position to win Stage 2. Gordon drove a more conservative pace finishing third. Al-Attiyah, then finished third in Stage 3, but was followed by challenges in stages 4 and 5. Gordon proved strong in Stage 5, capturing second place. To date, Gordon has finished in the top five in six out of the seven stages of the 2012 Dakar. Stage 6 was canceled due to weather and Sunday was a ‘rest day’ which allowed teams to fully service their vehicles.

“Robby Gordon and Nasser Al-Attiyah have been spectacular throughout the 2012 Dakar rally,” said Amy Coleman, senior director of marketing, Toyo Tire U.S.A. Corp. “Their performance is a testimony to their will and determination to win, and to the performance delivered by their Toyo Open Country M/T-R tires.”

Highlights of the Dakar are broadcast in the U.S. each night on the NBC Sports Network (formerly known as Versus) at 1:30am EST (10:30pm PST.) Please check your local listings on where to find the NBC Sports Network.

Be sure to follow the daily action on the Dakar Rally Blog located at www.toyotires.com/dakar-rally-blog. To learn more about Robby Gordon and the Open Country line of light truck tires, log onto www.toyotires.com. Toyo Tires manufactures and distributes a complete line of premium replacement tires for nearly every make and model including high performance cars, luxury vehicles, light trucks and SUVs as well as tires for commercial trucks. Connect with the community at www.facebook.com/toyotires and www.twitter.com/toyotires.