Former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon fought back tears and expressed disbelief Thursday about the deaths of his father, Robert “Baja Bob” Gordon, and stepmother, whose bodies were found at home on a Southern California hillside where he grew up and developed his love of racing.
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Police were called to the home of Robert and Sharon Gordon in the evening where the bodies of the Gordons’ were found alongside an unidentified weapon.
Known in racing circles as “Baja Bob”, the elder Gordon was a five-time victor of the grueling off-road competitions in the desert peninsula south of the US border.
The younger Gordon now races in an off-road series he created in 2013 called Speed Energy Formula Off-Road, following the path of his father.
Lopez said earlier Thursday that a firearm was recovered from the residence.
Former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon pauses while making a statement to members of the media gathered outside his home in Orange, Calif., on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2016.
“The truth will come out”, he told The Orange County Register.
Baja Bob Gordon was known around the NASCAR circuit as someone who was instrumental in launching the careers of young drivers, including multi-time Sprint Cup Champion Jimme Johnson.
“I’d like everybody to understand that this is very, very tough, and it’s not only tough for me, but it’s tough for my sisters Robyn, Beccy and my sister, which is Sharon’s daughter, Hailey”, Robby added.
Robby Gordon’s Stadium Super Trucks racing team is scheduled to race at this weekend’s Sand Sports Super Show in Costa Mesa. “Hope they find strength and support”, he said.
Before he was out of the NASCAR driving business Robby Gordon, 47, had won three races and posted an impressive 16 top-five and 39 top-10 finishes.
Police in the city about 30 miles (48.3 kilometers) southeast of Los Angeles said the cause of the deaths had not been determined.
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As news of the death of the NASCAR driver’s family began to spread, the NASCAR community began sending their condolences to the Gordon family. Gordon’s appeared in 575 races over 20 years with his best (ninth place) finish occurring at the 2003 Winston Cup Series. His wife, Sharon, was the stepmother of the NASCAR driver. Robby has two sisters, one of whom is the wife of open-wheel racer Ryan Hunter-Reay and recently had a baby.
