Ensenada, Mexico (June 5, 2010) - Robby Gordon and his Monster Energy / TOYO TIRES off-road team headed south to Ensenda, Mexico with high hopes of winning the 42nd Annual Tecate SCORE Baja 500, one of the most difficult desert races in the world.

Before the event took place, Robby Gordon and navigator Andy Grider set out to pre-run the challenging course. After a successful pre-run, Andy commented that everything went smooth and that he expected a good finish for the No. 1 Monster Energy / TOYO TIRES Trophy Truck.

During the driver's meeting held on Friday, June 4, Sal Fish, owner of SCORE International Off-Road Racing, made it clear to the field (one of the largest trophy truck fields in the 41-year history of the Baja 500) that the course was by far one of the toughest that he has ever seen. Drivers, including Robby Gordon, welcomed the challenged and set of obstacles that lay ahead of them and couldn't wait to see who proved victorious in Saturday's 500-mile race.

On Saturday morning, the duo of Gordon and Grider strapped in and prepared for their 10:03:30 am start. They were the seventh truck off the line. Once Gordon got into his rhythm, he would end up passing a few trucks within the first 30 miles of the race.

By the halfway point, Gordon was only 11 seconds behind leader, Andy McMillin, who had started in 8th place. Just before Gordon was making the pass onto the famous Mike's Sky Ranch Road around race mile 222, the truck's transmission popped out of gear hindering Gordon's chance of taking the lead. With his pit only 10 miles back, he decided to head back there to assess the situation. Once Gordon limped his way back, the team went to work on a broken transmission and replaced it with a new one. Luckily for the team, it wouldn't end their day, but it did put them one hour and 30 minutes behind the leader and the 18th place truck on the road. Gordon tried to pick off as many competitors as he could, but time was running out for the Monster Energy / TOYO TIRES trophy truck. Heading into the night, he did everything that he could to pick up as many positions as possible, but ended up finishing 13th.

"All and all, it was a good effort by my guys. They gave me an awesome truck that got me to the lead fast but unfortunately we broke a transmission at the same time. I haven't broken a transmission in years so it really surprised me but we'll move forward and get prepared for Primm."

Gordon would also leave the Baja 500 with no flat tires. Gordon spoke highly of his "Robby Proof" tires, "I just can't say enough about TOYO TIRES. What an excellent job their team of engineers and staff did to come up with a tire that can outlast Baja. I'm even thinking of switching to the size 37 tire on my HUMMERS because they worked so well here today. I think they'll be better for us in the Dakar Rally coming up, and I just can't thank the guys over at TOYO TIRES enough."

Next up for Robby Gordon's Off-Road team is the Terribles Primm 300 in Primm, Nevada on September 10-12, where Gordon became the overall winner last year.