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Devastated Robby Gordon vows “truth will come out” after family tragedy

Former IndyCar and NASCAR star Robby Gordon says “the truth will come out, what went down there” following the deaths of his father and stepmother in California.

Robby Gordon

Robby Gordon

Race of Champions

Coroners identified the victims as Robert Gordon, 68, and his wife Sharon, 57 following the double shooting, and confirmed no other suspects were involved.

Police were called to the Gordons’ house in Orange at 5pm yesterday, and say the investigation is continuing.

A distraught Gordon Jr, who is also a star of the off-road racing scene, spoke to assembled press outside the family home.

Gordon said: “Obviously we’re grieving the loss of my dad Bob and his wife Sharon. I grew up on this property my whole life, I learnt all about everything about motorsports at this tented barn over here.

“When I moved to North Carolina to go NASCAR racing, you’re probably wondering how did it happened in my house. I gave my house to my dad and his stepwife to live in, because they had a young daughter and I didn’t need to be here.

“I want to thank all our friends in the racing community, not only the auto racing community but the horse racing community for their incredible outpouring of support and prayers.

“I’d like everybody to understand that this is very, very tough – not only tough for me but my sister Robyn, Beccy and my sister that is Sharon’s daughter, Hailey. It’s tough on all of us.

“My father is still my inspiration for motorsports and competition in general, and he was in the horse racing business and taught me at a young age that one horsepower wasn’t going to be enough, [that I was] gonna do something different – and I was fortunate to do something different.

“With respect to him and in his honour, both my [off-road racing] event in Costa Mesa will go on and Ryan Hunter-Reay, who is Becky’s husband, will continue on at Sonoma [IndyCar Series] this weekend.

“With that said I just wanna say I’m so sad and I can’t believe it. And there will be… the truth will come out, what went down there. Personally I will explain it to you when the coroner tells me I can.

“But please understand, and please be respectful.”

Jimmie Johnson reacts

Six-time Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson, who got his start in motorsports driving an off-road buggy for Gordon Sr, said he contacted Robby Gordon and his sister, Beccy, on Thursday to offer his condolences.

"Robby mentioned his dad gave me my first ride and that he was always so proud of me, was a big fan and bragged about me," Johnson said Thursday at the NASCAR Chase Media Day in Chicago.

"It made me smile a little bit but it is still a complete and utter shock."

Johnson recalled a funny story of riding with Bob Gordon in the Baja 500 race over 20 years ago.

"I didn't know I had a motion sickness problem riding in a car and I rode in the Baja 500 and puked, literally, for 499 miles," Johnson said. "My dad was in one of the pit stops and I was stopped and covered in vomit. Rags all over the inside of the car with me.

"He was trying to pull me out, but I wanted to finish the race so bad I didn't care how bad I felt. I made the race but it wasn't pretty."

Johnson said Bob Gordon ran half that race as well as Frank Arciero. "Bob and Frank were teammates in all the desert racing," Johnson said.

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