PARIS -- NASCAR driver Robby Gordon retook the overall lead Monday in the Dakar Rally with his second stage victory.
The American won the third leg of the two-continent road race, a
76-mile run from Rabat to Agadir, Morocco, in 1 hour, 14, minutes,
1 second in a Volkswagen. Defending champion Stephane Peterhansel
of France was second in a Mitsubishi in a time of 1:14.54, followed
by compatriot Bruno Saby in 1:15:09 in a VW.
Gordon, who won the opening stage Friday, is 59 seconds ahead of
Peterhansel and 1:14 in front of Saby.
The previous day's overall leader, former World Rally champion
Colin McRae of Scotland, was 11th Monday. He finished nearly four
minutes behind Gordon and dropped to 10th overall.
Gordon often competes in various racing events outside NASCAR,
from the Indianapolis 500 to the annual Baja 1,000 off-road race in
Mexico. Gordon and car owner Richard Childress agreed to part
company at the end of last season and the driver will field his own
Nextel Cup car this year.
This year's Rally will cover 5,566 miles between Barcelona,
Spain, and Dakar, Senegal, before it ends Jan. 16.