Racing legend Robby Gordon returns to Parker 400 this weekend behind the wheel of his iconic "Black Diamond" Ford Trophy-Truck, marking a significant homecoming for both driver and machine.

The groundbreaking truck, designed by Gordon in the early 1990s, revolutionized off-road racing with innovative features like internal bypass shocks, swing set steering, and removable brake rotor hats. Built with a simple yet effective design philosophy, the truck was engineered to run at full throttle continuously.

Gordon will share driving duties with current owner Mark Post and Gordon's son Max in the 400-mile desert race. The strategy calls for Robby to handle qualifying and the first lap, Max to take the second lap, and Post to bring it home for the finish.

While maintaining its original chassis and suspension design, the truck now features an upgraded 1,100 horsepower Joe Gibbs Racing engine and Masonmatic sequential gearbox. During recent testing, Gordon noted the truck's enduring competitiveness: "This thing is still really, really good. It shows how advanced our thinking and design was over 30 years ago."

Black Diamond's impressive racing history includes 19 overall wins across various desert racing series, including:

• 1996 SCORE Trophy-Truck Championship
• 2007 SCORE Baja 1000
• Multiple victories in SCORE, BITD, and NORRA events

The 2025 Parker 400 features nearly 130 entries, including 14 Trophy-Truck and Class 1 unlimited vehicles. The event kicks off Friday with motorcycle races, followed by limited class races. The main Unlimited Race begins Saturday at 10am, with an estimated finish time of 4:30pm.

This race marks the first of four rounds in the 2025 UNLTD Off-Road Racing Series, followed by events in Las Vegas, Reno, and Barstow later in the year.

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