Former NASCAR racer Robby Gordon’s father and his father’s wife were found dead in their Orange, California, home, their deaths reportedly the result of a murder-suicide, reports say.
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The spokesman said officers discovered the bodies in an upscale suburban neighborhood after receiving a 911 call Wednesday afternoon.
Authorities were called to the home located in the 1400 block of North Kennymead Street about 5 p.m. after a neighbor discovered two bodies inside the home, said Lt. Fred Lopez with the Orange Police Department.
Robby Gordon spoke to media members on Thursday, his voice choked with emotion, to thank friends and fans for their support, to express the impact of the family tragedy and to say he would have more to disclose after an autopsy was complete.
“I’m so sad and I can’t believe it”, Gordon told reporters at the home before the cause of death was announced. Gordon said his family is in shock and grieving the loss of his father and stepmother, who were found dead inside their Southern California home. No further details on the motive or circumstances were released.
He is the father of former NASCAR driver Robby Gordon. A rifle was found at the scene, and is still being tested if it was used as the murder weapon.
Police continue their investigation into the deaths. It is unknown at this point if Gordon himself will race this weekend, however, it’s believed the Stadium Super Trucks races will still happen.
Gordon, 47, is a former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and owner.
Robby Gordon told the Associated Press his father, a racer known as “Baja Bob” in the motorsports community, instilled in him a love of speed and competition in the Orange County neighborhood 30 miles southeast of Los Angeles.
Other NASCAR drivers began reacting to the news on Thursday, including Dale Earnhardt Jr., who tweeted “Praying for friends @RobbyGordon @BeccyGordon and the Gordon family during this hard time”.
“Heartbreaking news this morning”.
NASCAR was in the midst of a hefty promotional campaign involving the Chase for the Sprint Cup, which begins with Sunday’s race at Chicagoland Speedway. Gordon is one of only four drivers to compete in the Indy 500 and NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. His best finish was fourth in 1999, losing when he ran out of fuel in the closing laps. Hunter-Reay would appear as scheduled in a weekend race in Sonoma County, Gordon said. His wife, Sharon, was the stepmother of the NASCAR driver.
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One of Bob Gordon’s daughters, Beccy Hunter-Reay, is married to Verizon IndyCar Series driver Ryan Hunter-Reay.
