Scott Russell (motorcyclist)
Encyclopedia
Raymond Scott Russell aka Mr. Daytona, is an American
sportscar racer and former championship motorcycle
road racer
, born in East Point, Georgia
. He is a former World Superbike
and AMA Superbike
Champion, has won the Daytona 200
a record five times, and won the Suzuka 8 Hours
in 1993. Russell is the all-time leader in 750cc AMA
Supersport wins.
After racing motocross
as a child, Russell raced in WERA events before reaching AMA in 1987. In 1988 he was runner-up in the 750cc Supersport class and also had some successes in Superbike and 600cc Supersport. He was Superbike runner-up in 1989, before winning the 750cc Supersport title three years in a row from 1990 to 1992 and winning every race in 1991. In 1992, Russell claimed the AMA Superbike championship. In the 1995 Daytona 200 he crashed on the first lap, but got back on the bike and won, finishing ahead of Carl Fogarty
.
Having previously scored a handful of World Superbike podiums, he became the Superbike world champion riding for Muzzy
Kawasaki
in 1993
, and was runner-up in 1994
. He left the series after a poor start to 1995
, replacing the retired Kevin Schwantz
at Suzuki
in the 500cc Grand Prix
world championship. Staying with Suzuki in 1996
he finished sixth overall.
Russell returned to World Superbikes with Yamaha
in 1997
, coming sixth overall with a pole and two podiums. In 1998
, he came tenth overall but rarely ran near the front. His season is most remembered for the Laguna Seca
round, in which he made a blatant jump start and ignored the instruction to come in for a stop-go penalty, eventually falling off, almost causing team-mate Noriyuki Haga
to crash. Russell had an unsuccessful spell racing Harley-Davidson
bikes in the AMA Superbike championship during the following two years. His final year in AMA Superbike ended at the first race of 2001 at Daytona after a move to the HMC Ducati team. Ducati had high hopes that "Mr. Daytona" would help them achieve their first ever 200 win. However, during the start, Russell's bike stalled and was hit from behind after trying to move out of the way to the side of the track. Russell suffered severe injuries which ultimately ended his two-wheeled career.
In 2005, Russell was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
. Scott returned to the highbanks of Daytona in 2008 on a Jamie James prepared Yamaha R1. Russell began serving as lead motorcycle road racing analyst for SPEED TV in May 2009, replacing Freddie Spencer
whose European scheduling conflicts led to the change.
In 2008
, Russell made the switch professionally to four wheels, racing in the Grand American Road Racing Association
in both the Rolex Sports Car Series
and Koni Challenge (now Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge) series. In the 2010
season, he won Round 11 at Montreal
along with co-driver Paul Edwards.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
sportscar racer and former championship motorcycle
Motorcycle
A motorcycle is a single-track, two-wheeled motor vehicle. Motorcycles vary considerably depending on the task for which they are designed, such as long distance travel, navigating congested urban traffic, cruising, sport and racing, or off-road conditions.Motorcycles are one of the most...
road racer
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
, born in East Point, Georgia
East Point, Georgia
The city of East Point is southwest of the neighborhoods of Atlanta in Fulton County, Georgia, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 33,712...
. He is a former World Superbike
Superbike World Championship
Superbike World Championship is the worldwide Superbike racing Championship. The championship was founded in . The Superbike World Championship season consists of a series of rounds held on permanent racing facilities...
and AMA Superbike
AMA Superbike
AMA Pro Superbike is the premiere superbike racing series in the United States. It is part of the AMA Pro Racing series which was sold to and is managed by the Daytona Motorsports Group...
Champion, has won the Daytona 200
Daytona 200
The Daytona 200 is a 68-lap, motorcycle race held annually at the Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.-History:The race evolved from a beach racing venue in 1937 to the Daytona International Speedway course in 1961....
a record five times, and won the Suzuka 8 Hours
Suzuka 8 Hours
The is a motorcycle endurance race held at the Suzuka Circuit in Japan each year. As the name implies, the race runs for eight hours consecutively and teams are composed of two riders and one alternate.-History:...
in 1993. Russell is the all-time leader in 750cc AMA
American Motorcyclist Association
The American Motorcyclist Association is an American not-for-profit organization of more than 300,000 motorcyclists that organizes numerous motorcycling activities and campaigns for motorcyclists' legal rights...
Supersport wins.
After racing motocross
Motocross
Motocross is a form of motorcycle sport or all-terrain vehicle racing held on enclosed off road circuits. It evolved from trials, and was called scrambles, and later motocross, combining the French moto with cross-country...
as a child, Russell raced in WERA events before reaching AMA in 1987. In 1988 he was runner-up in the 750cc Supersport class and also had some successes in Superbike and 600cc Supersport. He was Superbike runner-up in 1989, before winning the 750cc Supersport title three years in a row from 1990 to 1992 and winning every race in 1991. In 1992, Russell claimed the AMA Superbike championship. In the 1995 Daytona 200 he crashed on the first lap, but got back on the bike and won, finishing ahead of Carl Fogarty
Carl Fogarty
Carl 'Foggy' Fogarty is the most successful World Superbike racer of all time in terms of the number of championships and number of race wins...
.
Having previously scored a handful of World Superbike podiums, he became the Superbike world champion riding for Muzzy
Rob Muzzy
Rob Muzzy is the USA's most successful motorcycle racing team manager. For 25 years he has run successful Kawasaki bikes in an assortment of circuit racing, road racing and motocross, winning 19 major titles in total....
Kawasaki
Kawasaki Heavy Industries
is an international corporation based in Japan. It has headquarters in both Chūō-ku, Kobe and Minato, Tokyo.The company is named after its founder Shōzō Kawasaki and has no connection with the city of Kawasaki, Kanagawa....
in 1993
1993 Superbike World Championship season
The 1993 Superbike World Championship season was the 6th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on April 9 at Brands Hatch, and finished on October 17 at Estoril after 13 rounds....
, and was runner-up in 1994
1994 Superbike World Championship season
The 1994 Superbike World Championship season was the 7th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on May 2 at Donington, and finished on October 30 at Phillip Island after 11 rounds....
. He left the series after a poor start to 1995
1995 Superbike World Championship season
The 1995 Superbike World Championship season was the 8th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on May 7 at Hockenheim, and finished on October 29 at Phillip Island after 12 rounds....
, replacing the retired Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz
Kevin Schwantz is an American former World Champion motorcycle road racer during the late 1980s and early 1990s.-Early life:...
at Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
in the 500cc Grand Prix
Grand Prix motorcycle racing
Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix is the premier championship of motorcycle road racing currently divided into three distinct classes: 125cc, Moto2 and MotoGP. The 125cc class uses a two-stroke engine while Moto2 and MotoGP use four-stroke engines. In 2010 the 250cc two-stroke was replaced...
world championship. Staying with Suzuki in 1996
1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season
The 1996 Grand Prix motorcycle racing season was the 48th F.I.M. Road Racing World Championship season.-Season summary:Honda's Mick Doohan continued his domination of the 500 class with 8 victories. His Repsol Honda team-mate, Àlex Crivillé beat him to the line twice in Austria and the Czech Republic...
he finished sixth overall.
Russell returned to World Superbikes with Yamaha
Yamaha Motor Company
, is a Japanese motorized vehicle-producing company. Yamaha Motor is part of Yamaha Corporation and its headquarter is located in Iwata, Shizuoka. Along with expanding Yamaha Corporation into the world's biggest piano maker, then Yamaha CEO Genichi Kawakami took Yamaha into the field of motorized...
in 1997
1997 Superbike World Championship season
The 1997 Superbike World Championship season was the 10th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 23 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 12 at Sentul after 12 rounds....
, coming sixth overall with a pole and two podiums. In 1998
1998 Superbike World Championship season
The 1998 Superbike World Championship season was the 11th F.I.M. Superbike World Championship season. The season started on March 22 at Phillip Island, and finished on October 4 at Sugo after 12 rounds....
, he came tenth overall but rarely ran near the front. His season is most remembered for the Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
round, in which he made a blatant jump start and ignored the instruction to come in for a stop-go penalty, eventually falling off, almost causing team-mate Noriyuki Haga
Noriyuki Haga
, is a Japanese professional motorcycle racer. Haga has been runner-up in the Superbike World Championship three times, and has finished 3rd in the series four times....
to crash. Russell had an unsuccessful spell racing Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson
Harley-Davidson , often abbreviated H-D or Harley, is an American motorcycle manufacturer. Founded in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the first decade of the 20th century, it was one of two major American motorcycle manufacturers to survive the Great Depression...
bikes in the AMA Superbike championship during the following two years. His final year in AMA Superbike ended at the first race of 2001 at Daytona after a move to the HMC Ducati team. Ducati had high hopes that "Mr. Daytona" would help them achieve their first ever 200 win. However, during the start, Russell's bike stalled and was hit from behind after trying to move out of the way to the side of the track. Russell suffered severe injuries which ultimately ended his two-wheeled career.
In 2005, Russell was inducted into the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame
Motorcycle Hall of Fame
The Motorcycle Hall of Fame Museum is an offshoot of the American Motorcyclist Association that recognizes individuals who have contributed to motorcycle sport, motorcycle construction and motorcycling in general. It displays motorcycles and riding gear and memoribilia. The museum is located in...
. Scott returned to the highbanks of Daytona in 2008 on a Jamie James prepared Yamaha R1. Russell began serving as lead motorcycle road racing analyst for SPEED TV in May 2009, replacing Freddie Spencer
Freddie Spencer
Freddie Spencer , known by the nickname Fast Freddie, is an American former World Champion motorcycle racer. Spencer is regarded as one of the greatest motorcycle racers of the early 1980s.-Biography:...
whose European scheduling conflicts led to the change.
In 2008
2008 Rolex Sports Car Series season
The 2008 Rolex Sports Car Series season is the ninth season of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. The 14-race championship for Daytona Prototypes and 13-race championship for Grand Touring cars began January 26, 2008 and will conclude on September 20, 2008...
, Russell made the switch professionally to four wheels, racing in the Grand American Road Racing Association
Grand American Road Racing Association
GRAND-AM Road Racing or GRAND-AM is an auto racing sanctioning body that was established in 1999 to organize road racing competitions in North America...
in both the Rolex Sports Car Series
Rolex Sports Car Series
The Rolex Sports Car Series is the premier series run by the Grand American Road Racing Association. It is a North American-based sports car series that was founded in 2000 under the name Grand American Road Racing Championship to replace the failed United States Road Racing Championship...
and Koni Challenge (now Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge) series. In the 2010
2010 Rolex Sports Car Series season
The 2010 Rolex Sports Car Series season was the 11th season of the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No. 16. It began on January 30 with the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona...
season, he won Round 11 at Montreal
Circuit Gilles Villeneuve
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is a motor racing circuit, venue for the Formula One Canadian Grand Prix, NASCAR Canadian Tire Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series....
along with co-driver Paul Edwards.