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Robby Gordon Motorsports is a NASCAR Nextel Cup Series Team. It fields the #7 Jim Beam/Menards Dodge Charger for Robby Gordon. It is based in Huntersville, North Carolina and is owned by Gordon and heavily supported by John Menard, Jr.
[edit] History
Gordon purchased the defunct Ultra Motorsports for the 2005 season with Menard as a business partner and former owner Jim Smith being listed as owner for provisional points. In 2005, Menard built engines for RGM with little success, as the engines were prone to failure. This led RGM to switch engine suppliers and lease from Dale Earnhardt Inc. Jim Smith also left the team after pulling his own Ultra Motorsports out of NASCAR completely. In October 2006, Robby Gordon Motorsports signed with Ford Racing, running the Ford Fusion in 2007. The car was sponsored by Jim Beam, Mapei, Camping World, and Monster Energy Drink. RGM used Roush/Yates engines.
During the preseason testing prior to the 2008 Daytona 500, RGM switched to the Dodge Charger, using Evernham engines. However, due to the sudden switch, GEM could only give Gordon a Dodge Avenger nose for testing. Gordon received the correct nose before the Daytona 500, and finished 8th at Daytona. However, he received a 100 point penalty from NASCAR along with a $100,000 fine. Many fans and sponsor Jim Bean have started a "Stand up for Robby Gordon" campaign, protesting the penalty, although it was standard in most 2007 COT penalties. On March 5, the National Stock Car Racing Commission made a decision on the penalty. The championship driver and owner points were reinstated making the #7 Dodge 21st in the Sprint Cup Standings. The suspension of Frank Kerr was retracted however he will remain on probation, and the fine was increased to $150,000.
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