Robby Gordon had a tough day in Wednesday's stage ten of the 2012 Dakar Rally after the NASCAR star collided with a rock seriously damaging his No. 303 Hummer.

Event organizers disqualified Gordon from the rally due to his inability to meet technical regulations as a result of the accident. Gordon appealed the organizers decision and plans to continue until the appeal is heard.

Gordon traded the top position with overall leader Stéphane Peterhansel in a heated duel during the stage from Iquique to Arica before the wreck occurred. 

“I hit a rock with both right-side tires, and we've got some broken parts,” Gordon told Dakar.com. "I was passing him (Peterhansel), he didn't move over and I clobbered a rock and got two flat tires at the same time. There's a lot of damage from what I can see."

Gordon started stage ten 5 minutes, 58 seconds behind Peterhansel and dropped to third, 19 minutes, 51 seconds behind the leader.

“Today it was a big fight with Gordon,” said Peterhansel. "I was sure that he rolled, but when I saw again through the dust, he was on his wheels.”

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