Gordon to Drive No. 21 Rockwell Automation Car at The Glen

WELCOME, N.C. (June 28, 2001) -- Robby Gordon will drive the Rockwell Automation Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo for Richard Childress Racing/Brant Motorsports on July 8 in the GNC Live Well 200 NASCAR Busch Series race at Watkins Glen (N.Y.) International.

This is not the first time the car owner and driver have teamed up. Childress and A.J. Foyt were the co-owners of the Indy Racing League entry Gordon qualified on the front row (third) for this year's Indianapolis 500. Gordon led the first 22 laps before finishing 21st.

"I appreciate Robby helping us out for this race and hope we can continue the success we had in qualifying for the Indy 500 into qualifying and racing the Rockwell Automation car," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of Richard Childress Racing. "He has shown how strong he is in a stock car on a road course so we know he can do the job for us in the Rockwell Automation car at Watkins Glen."

The Busch Series start will be the first for Gordon, 32, who has extensive racing experience in NASCAR Winston Cup, CART, IRL, IROC, SCORE/HDRA off-road, IMSA GTO/GTU, and SCCA Trans-Am. Highlights include two victories and four poles in the CART Series, two overall victories in the Baja 1000, four straight class victories in the 24 Hours of Daytona and four SCORE Off-Road Championships. Gordon finished a NASCAR Winston Cup career-best second in the June 24th NASCAR Winston Cup race at Sears Point Raceway driving in a substitute role for the No. 7 Ultra Motorsports team.

"I'm really looking forward to driving for an established team like Richard Childress Racing in my first Busch Grand National race ever," said Gordon. "I've raced at Watkins Glen and before last weekend (at Sears Point) it was where I had my best Winston Cup finish. I finished fourth there in 1997 and 2000. I think driving the Rockwell Automation Chevrolet will be a great opportunity for me to showcase my ability in a very competitive Busch Grand National car. I think this is an opportunity to show up at my first race and maybe even slip out with a victory."

This is the second time a substitute driver has driven the No. 21 Rockwell Automation car since Mike Skinner took over the full-time driving duties earlier this season. Travis Kvapil ran the June 16 race at Kentucky Speedway, starting third and finishing 28th after getting caught up in a late-race accident. Skinner is scheduled to be back in the car for the July 14 NASCAR Busch Series race at Chicagoland Speedway.