Robby Gordon breaks cover with MMM.

In what is probably Robby Gordon's last chance to make the grade in the world of NASCAR racing, the ex-Indycar ace made a promising start to his relationship with the veteran Morgan-McClure outfit at the half mile Greenville Pickens Speedway in South Carolina on Wednesday.

The duo were due to start their preparations for the 2001 NASCAR Winston Cup season last week with the No.4 Kodak Chevrolet Monte Carlo but persistent bad weather threatened to postpone their testing schedule until January. However a break in the precipitation allowed the 31-year-old driver to get in some decent instillation miles with his new team in which he also linked up with new crew chief David Ifft for the first time.

Reports from the track say that the combination appeared to work well with Gordon turning in a great number of laps whilst acclimatising himself with his new pit-crew and both parties ended the test feeling satisfied that the performance of the car and driver boded well for the upcoming season.

Gordon will enter the 2001 season desperately seeking his first win in the NWC after a disastrous 2000 campaign with his own outfit. The No.13 Team Gordon Ford only started 17 races and failed to qualify for a further seven leaving its' driver 43rd in points with just two top ten finishes all year.

The native Californian made his NWC debut as far back as 1991 and during his selective appearances in the early to mid 1990's he impressed many with his pace and car control. Leaving Derrick Walker and the CART series at the end of 1996, the fiery driver embarked on what was supposed to be a full season with Felix Sabates in 1997 although after a number of accidents and retirements he returned to single seater competition where he began forming his own team. However after a disappointing 1999 season, which also saw the deaths of fellow CART drivers Gonzalo Rodriguez and Greg Moore, Team Gordon entered the Stock Car arena with backing from long time associate John Menard.

The team was at an instant disadvantage being based in California and by mid-season the squad had cut back to a restricted schedule as they attempted to find more power and reliability from their engines. However that improvement never came and when Morgan McClure came knocking, Gordon could not refuse the chance to drive a potentially race winning car and although Team Gordon have now virtually ceased to operate, its' patron could be on his way to achieving the sought after success that the team craved.

It won't be easy though as NASCAR's 'other' Gordon joins a team in desperate need of rejuvenating after back-to-back winless seasons and it's least competitive year since the squad made their NASCAR debut in 1983. Outgoing driver Bobby Hamilton's 30th place finish this season was last amongst those drivers who qualified for all 34 events this season and several of those starts owed much to NASCAR's novel 'Provisional' system that virtually guaranteed the team a place on the grid at each race.

If Gordon can tame his tendency to overdrive and lose his cool and if team boss Larry McClure can nurture the immense talent that lies within his latest signing, it may not be too long before the bright yellow Chevy is back in the winner's circle.