HUMMER Race Trucks at 2009 SEMA Show

The SEMA show was the first time we got to see Robby Gordon’s Dakar HUMMER H3 in person (and Robby, for that matter). While it more closely resembles an unlimited class race buggy, it still uses several H3 design cues.

More closely representative of a stock HUMMER H3 is Rod Hall Racing’s HUMMER H3 Alpha, which enters the stock-class in races like the Baja 1000. The stock-class requires trucks use stock engines, chassis, steering wheel, frame, etc. A few tweaks the suspension, some heavy duty safety rigging, and some electronic bells and whistles are all that separates the successful race truck from one you pick up from your local dealership.

More information on HUMMER’s racing program is below, along with the photos of the two trucks featured at the 2009 SEMA show.

Robby Gordon Off-Road Dakar HUMMER

HUMMER and Robby Gordon Off-road have joined together again to take on the 2010 Dakar Rally, widely considered to be the most grueling off-road race in the world due to its brutal terrain and extreme environmental conditions. Gordon will lead Team HUMMER from behind the wheel of his HUMMER H3 race truck.

Gordon was the first American to win a stage at Dakar, and he has been passionate about the program ever since. Since forming the relationship and building his Dakar HUMMER for the 2006 Rally, Gordon and Team HUMMER have proven a formidable Dakar challenger. In 2007, he finished first in the OP class and 8th overall. In 2008, Gordon’s elite off-road team entered two Robby Gordon Off-Road HUMMERS in the Central Europe Rally. Gordon won two stages and finished tenth overall while the second HUMMER piloted by BJ Baldwin went on to finish seventh overall. Gordon finished the 2009 Dakar Rally in third place overall, an impressive feat in the highly competitive rally race.

Gordon’s H3 consists of a custom HUMMER body paired with a specially developed chassis featuring a suspension designed by him and his Off-Road team. The H3 is a tube-chassis vehicle similar to Trophy Trucks raced in the famed Baja 1000, except that it has a fully enclosed air-conditioned cockpit, including windshield and side windows. It is powered by a production-based General Motors V8 engine.

Rod Hall Racing H3 Alpha

The Rod Hall Racing HUMMER H3 Alpha represents the ultimate HUMMER stock-class desert racing machine. Piloted by Chad Hall, the H3 Alpha prepares to enter the 2009 SCORE International Baja 1000 in the hyper-competitive full-size stock class. The H3 Alpha was the first stock class vehicle to finish in the 2007 and 2008 Baja 1000 and 2008 Baja 500.

In addition to entering the H3 Alpha in the 2009 Baja 1000, team founder and namesake, Rod Hall will enter his mid-size stock H3. Rod will partner with his eldest son and 2007 Baja 1000 mini-stock class winner Josh Hall.

Rod Hall Racing Team HUMMER competes in the stock class, which features production-based vehicles with stock frames, stock suspension designs and production-based engines. The Team HUMMER H3 Alpha and H3 were built by HUMMER engineers at the Desert Proving Grounds in Arizona. Engineering participation in racing has resulted in various improvements to production components, including suspension bushings, exhaust systems, and wiring harness routing and configuration

Team HUMMER won every stock class season championship in the Best in the Desert and SCORE International racing series in 2008.