Tim Russell and the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motorsports team made another trip to the west coast of Florida this past weekend. The track this time would be the Charlotte County Speedway in Punta Gorda. The race would be the Brian Davis Memorial 150 and it would be Tim's first time at this track. Saturday consisted of a day of practicing and qualifying for the 38 race cars that showed up for the race. Tim quickly adapted to the track and soon had the Thurstons Used Cars / Car-O-Van race car in the top practice speeds for the day. When qualifying time came, Tim put the number 36 in the 12th starting position. Said Tim about qualifying " They have a different way of qualifying at this track. You take four laps instead of our usual two. It was something we were not use to and we should have qualified a lot better". Sunday was race day. During the drivers meeting many drivers were talking about the new sealer that was on the track and the lack of grip it caused. Most drivers agreed that there would have to be a lot of give and take during the race. When the Green flag dropped Tim settled into the 12th position and started carefully working towards the front. By lap 30 Tim had worked into the 6th place and was getting more comfortable with the track. This is when the give and take turned into give. Tim was hit from behind and spun out. This required him to go to the rear of the field. Tim started the long march to the front and by lap 75 was up to the 9th position. Again the car behind us did the giving and we were spun out again and sent to the rear. With laps winding down Tim made a hard charge to the front and when the race ended Tim had made it up to the 10th position.
Tim - "This was a good run for us. I know we had a much better car, but the way some people were driving out there I guess were lucky to finish the race. To run as good as we did on a track I've never seen says a lot for this race team and the cars they prepare for me".
David - "I was proud of the way Tim kept his head and drove from the back to the front. It's unfortunate that he was spun out those two times, I have always tried to race clean and raised him to do the same, but on these flat tracks sometimes bumping and banging is going to happen. The end result of the weekend is that Tim was dealt a bad hand a few times and he kept his cool and raced back to the front. I'm proud of how the whole race team performed this weekend".
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On Saturday November 23, 2002 Tim Russell and the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motorsports team added another great run to their resume. The race was the last race of the year for the Goodyear Challenge Series and it took place at New Smyrna Speedway. Tim started the night with a good solid qualifying lap that placed him 5th in a field of 28 cars. At the start of the race Tim settled into 5th place and set his sights on the front. Tim worked himself into third place by lap 50 and was running down the leaders. On lap 65 Tim worked to the inside of the second place runner and started chasing the leader. Tim caught him with 20 laps to go, but every time he would get a run on the leader a caution would come out. On the final restart with eight laps to go, the transmission jumped out of gear and Tim was knocked sideways by the 3rd place car. Tim did an awesome job of keeping the car under control and getting it headed in the right direction. Tim managed to stay in second place, but the leader had a 10 car length lead on him. Tim raced hard to catch up and at the checkered flag he had the nose of his car up to the leaders left rear tire. A strong second place is where the 36 finished.
Tim's comments "The car was tight at first, but Cam told me to stay with it and it would come around. He was right. The car was a rocket the last half of the race. I wish it would not have jumped out of gear, I really think that was my one shot at the leader. I was wanting to win for Pete Orr who helped this team in so many ways".
David Russell / owner " I am really proud of the way Tim raced tonight. He used his head and ran a smart race. It's hard when the leader and the third place car are racing for the championship and you are sitting in second racing for a win. I wanted Tim to run them hard, but clean. We wanted them two to race for championship and us not be a factor. All we wanted was to win and let them two fight it out. We really wanted to win for Pete Orr and his family tonight. Pete help Russell Racing become the dominate team it is and we wanted to thank him for all his help with a win. But I'm sure that he would have been proud the way Tim raced tonight, smart and clean.
Cam Gibson / crew chief " I thought we had one tonight, Tim was really driving well tonight. A few more laps and we might have done it. The combination of a Hamke race car and Progressive motor worked great tonight. I was hoping we could pull it off for Pete Orr and his family, they all mean a lot to me and our thought and prayers are with them.
Once again the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motorsports team would like to thank all of our sponsors who make this possible; Thurstons Used Cars and Car-O-Van Collision Center.
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On November 9, 2002, Tim Russell and the Russell Racing Motorsports Team made their third trip to the Desoto Speedway for the Turner Tree & Landscape Late Model 100 Race.
Tim took his two qualifying laps and qualified himself second on the outside pole with a time of 15.04 seconds.
When the green flag fell Tim took command of the lead and lead the entire 100 laps winning the Turner Tree & Landscape Late Model 100. There were several cautions and even a red flag that bunched the cars up for restarts but Tim was able to control the race the whole night holding off a late race advance by the fast qualifier to win his first race at the Desoto Speedway in Bradenton in just his third start at that track.
"We had the fastest car on the track tonight and we are very happy that another step was made in moving the Russell Racing Team and Tim forward”, said David Russell.
Tim stated in his post race interview "Cam and the team did an awesome job making this car fast, I could run the car anywhere I wanted too".
He also thanked his sponsors, Thurstons Used Cars, Car-O-Van Collision Center, Progressive Racing Engines, Hamke Race Cars, Jeff Howell Motor Sports, Insurance Office of America, Valvoline, Clean Machine Mobile Detailing and the rest of the sponsors which without their continued support none of this would be possible.
Tim looks forward to the next race at the New Symrna Speedway in the Goodyear Late Model Challenge Series on Saturday, November 23, 2002.
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On Saturday, October 19, 2002 Tim Russell and the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motor sports team went to the USA International Speedway in Lakeland for 100 laps in the Goodyear Late Model Challenge Series.
With just five starts under his belt in the Goodyear Late Model Challenge series, Tim placed the number 36 on the pole for the first time in this series.
When the green flag fell Tim quickly pulled away from everyone with a 5-car length lead by lap four. By lap 18 Tim had more than an 8-car length advantage over the rest of the field. At lap 20 due to mechanical failure Tim had to retire from the event. While running, Tim's lap times were fast and consistent.
Team owner David Russell stated "we have a monkey on our back that we can't seem to shake but we are determined to see this through. This is the bad part of racing that we need to work through and we are confident that we will be able to soon Tim said "Cam and the entire Russell Racing team had this Hamke Race car dialed in again tonight, the car would run anywhere on the race track. I was not even pushing the car, it was like we were on cruise control.”
We wish to thank Rich Thurston of Thurstons Used Cars for coming out to the track and supporting the Team. Without their help and the help of Car-O-Van Collision Center and the rest of the sponsors none of this would be possible.
The next race for Tim will be Saturday, November 9, 2002 at the Desoto Speedway in Bradenton for another 100 laps.
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On Saturday, October 12, 2002 Tim Russell and the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motorsports team made another trip to the west coast at Desoto Speedway in the Turner Tree & Landscape Limited Late Model Race. Tim took his two qualifying laps and put himself in fifth place.
When the green flag fell Tim quickly pulled into fourth place then raced inside the third place car for four straight laps before taking over that position. He then set his sights on the second place car. At lap forty he was right behind the second place car and began passing him in the top grove where no one else would run. Lap fifty brought Tim even with the second place car and beginning to set his propects on the leader. Just then Tim felt the car lose power and at lap 56 he brought the car into the pits where a broken rocker arm was found. Despite this setback Tim still finished 10th.
"We had a fast car tonight", said Tim "I believe we would have won this race."
"We had the fastest car on the track tonight and really feel we would have challenged the leader for the top spot within the next few laps", said David Russell.
Tim stated in his post race interview "Cam and the team did an awesome job making this car fast".
This is a bumpy track, but I could put the car anywhere and it would stick. He also stated that without Thurstons Used Cars and Car-O-Van collision center none of this would be possible.
Tim looks forward to the next race at the Lakeland International Speedway in the Goodyear Challenge series on Saturday, October 19, 2002.
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On Saturday September 14, 2002 Tim Russell and the Russell Racing/Jeff Howell Motorsports team made a trip to the west coast for a 50 lap late model race at Desoto Speedway. Upon our arrival we encountered rain which took away much of our practice time. With this being Tim's first race at Desoto we hoped to get in as much practice as possible. The rain finally let up and we were allowed two short practice sessions, which consisted of a total of 10 laps. While sitting in line waiting to qualify Tim and David talked with Winston Cup veteran Rick Wilson a native of the area, who told them that there was at least 10 good cars that could win tonight. Tim took his two qualifying laps and put himself on the outside pole. When race time came the track announced that our race would be shortened to 35 laps because the rain had the show so far behind. They inverted the top two rows of cars and Tim started fourth. When the Green flag fell Tim raced them all in the top grove where no one else would run. Tim made it to 2nd by lap twelve, he did this by passing the 3rd and 4th place cars on the outside. Tim then set his sights on the leader who had a straight away led. Tim ran him down and by lap 35 he was half a car length behind him. Tim finished a strong second in his first try at this track.
"We sure would have liked to have had the whole 50 laps", said Tim "I believe we would have won this race."
"We are happy that another step was made in moving the team and Tim forward". Said David Russell.
" We showed up at a track with a driver who had never raced at this track, we had limited practice, only 10 laps and we made a very strong showing. I couldn't be happier for Tim and the team".
Tim stated in his post race interview "Cam and the team did an awesome job making this car fast.
This is a bumpy track, but I could put the car anywhere and it would stick. He also stated that without Thurstons Used Cars and Car-O-Van collision center none of this would be possible.
