Herbert James Russell (28 May 1920 – 30 March 2019), better known as Jim Russell, was an English

racing driver Auto racing (also known as car racing, motor racing, or automobile racing) is a motorsport involving the racing of automobiles for competition. In North America, the term is commonly used to describe all forms of automobile sport including non ...

, garage owner and founder of the Jim Russell Racing Driver School. He died on 30 March 2019, shortly after undergoing an operation for a hip replacement.

Early life and garage

Russell was born at his parents'

fish and chip shop A fish and chip shop, sometimes referred to as a chip shop or chippy, is a restaurant that specialises in selling fish and chips. Usually, fish and chip shops provide takeaway service, although some have seating facilities. Fish and chip shop ...

and lived most of his life in

Downham Market Downham Market, sometimes simply referred to as Downham, is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in Norfolk, England. It lies on the edge of the Fens, on the River Great Ouse, approximately 11 miles south of King's Lynn, 39 ...

Norfolk Norfolk ( ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in England, located in East Anglia and officially part of the East of England region. It borders Lincolnshire and The Wash to the north-west, the North Sea to the north and eas ...

. His first job was selling ice cream.
Jim Russell Garage from Eastern Daily Press. Retrieved 2014-01-10 After serving with the Royal Air Force, RAF during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, he became a garage owner. By 1960, the garage,

filling station A filling station (also known as a gas station [] or petrol station []) is a facility that sells fuel and engine lubricants for motor vehicles. The most common fuels sold are gasoline (or petrol) and diesel fuel. Fuel dispensers are used to ...

and race schools were employing over 100 people. The car garage closed and was demolished in November 2007 with the land destined for new housing. In late 2013 the first units were marketed on an exclusive, gated development called ''Russell Gardens''.

Racing career

Russell's driving career began at the age of 32, when a friend invited him to go to his local

Snetterton Snetterton is a village and civil parish in Norfolk, England. The village is about east-northeast of Thetford and southwest of Norwich. The civil parish has an area of . The United Kingdom Census 2011, 2011 Census recorded a parish population ...

race circuit. Jim Russell Profile at The 500 Owners Association. Retrieved 2014-01-10 Starting with a 500 cc Cooper with a J.A.P. engine, Russell quickly progressed to a

Manx Norton The Norton Manx or Manx Norton is a British racing motorcycle that was made from 1947 to 1962 by Norton Motorcycle Company, Norton Motors Ltd. Norton had contested every Isle of Man TT race from the inaugural 1907 event through into the 1970s, ...

engine fettled by established motorcycle tuner Steve Lancefield. He then moved up to

Formula Three Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. History Formula Three (adop ...

and

Formula Two Formula Two (F2) is a type of Open-wheel car, open-wheel formula racing category first codified in 1948. It was replaced in 1985 by Formula 3000, but revived by the FIA from 2009 FIA Formula Two Championship season, 2009 to 2012 FIA Formula Two C ...

. Between 1953 and 1959 he won 64 Formula Three races, 11 Formula Two races and 6

sports car A sports car is a type of automobile that is designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as Automobile handling, handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving, and Auto racing, racing capability. Sports cars originated in ...

races. He won the British Formula Three Championship for three successive years from 1955 to 1957 in the company of established drivers Les Leston and newcomer

John Surtees John Norman Surtees (11 February 1934 – 10 March 2017) was a British racing driver and motorcycle road racer, who competed in Grand Prix motorcycle racing from to , and Formula One from to . Surtees was a seven-time Grand Prix motorcycl ...

. Russell's racing career ended after suffering injuries in a crash at

Le Mans Le Mans (; ) is a Communes of France, city in Northwestern France on the Sarthe (river), Sarthe River where it meets the Huisne. Traditionally the capital of the Provinces of France, province of Maine (province), Maine, it is now the capital of ...

in 1959, meeting his future wife Jennifer who was a nurse at a Norwich hospital. He went on to run a stud farm from his house at Bardwell Manor,

Suffolk Suffolk ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Norfolk to the north, the North Sea to the east, Essex to the south, and Cambridgeshire to the west. Ipswich is the largest settlement and the county ...

Racing driver school

1969 F3 Guards Trophy Brands Hatch Emerson Fittipaldi Lotus 59

In 1956, Russell set up the first motor racing school at Snetterton. It was very successful and Jim Russell Racing Driver Schools have played a role in the development of many young drivers. In British Formula Three,

Emerson Fittipaldi Emerson Fittipaldi (; born 12 December 1946) is a Brazilian former racing driver and motorsport executive, who competed in Formula One from to . Fittipaldi won two Formula One World Drivers' Championship titles, which he won in and with Team ...

won the 1969 British Formula 3 Championship and Carlos Pace won the 1970 Forward Trust Championship with the school. Other notable drivers include Derek Bell, Danny Sullivan,

Tiff Needell Timothy Richard "Tiff" Needell (born 29 October 1951) is a British racing driver and television presenter. He is a presenter of '' Lovecars'', and formerly served as co-presenter of '' Top Gear'' and '' Fifth Gear''. Biography Needell attende ...

, Teddy Pilette, Nando Parrado, and

Jacques Villeneuve Jacques Joseph Charles Villeneuve (; born 9 April 1971) is a Canadian former racing driver, who competed in IndyCar from 1994 PPG Indy Car World Series, 1994 to 1995 PPG Indy Car World Series, 1995, and Formula One from to . Villeneuve won t ...

. In 1966, Russell trained actors

Yves Montand Ivo Livi (; 13 October 1921 – 9 November 1991), better known as Yves Montand (), was an Italian-born French actor and singer. He is said to be one of France's greatest 20th-century artists. Early life Montand was born Ivo Livi in Stignano, a ...

, Brian Bedford, and Antonio Sabàto Sr. for their roles as race car drivers in

John Frankenheimer John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 – July 6, 2002) was an American film and television director known for social dramas and action/suspense films. Among his credits are ''Birdman of Alcatraz (film), Birdman of Alcatraz'', ''The Manc ...

's film, '' Grand Prix''. Lead actor

James Garner James Scott Garner (né Bumgarner; April 7, 1928 – July 19, 2014) was an American actor. He played leading roles in more than 50 theatrical films, which included ''The Great Escape (film), The Great Escape'' (1963) with Steve McQueen; Paddy Ch ...

had the most natural ability, so Bob Bondurant was assigned to work with him at Willow Springs so he could learn how to handle a race car for his starring role. The name brand 'Jim Russell' continues with franchised race driving schools.

Racing team

With the success of the driver school, Russell entered promising drivers in

Formula 3 Formula Three (F3) is a third-tier class of open-wheel formula racing. The various championships held in Europe, Australia, South America and Asia form an important step for many prospective Formula One drivers. History Formula Three (adop ...

races in a Jim Russell Racing Driver School sponsored car. This included

in a Lotus 59 who won nine F3 races in the MCD Lombard Championship to become the 1969 champion.

References

External links

Jim Russell Profile at The 500 Owners Association
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Jim English racing drivers 1920 births 2019 deaths Royal Air Force personnel of World War II People from Downham Market Motorsport team owners 20th-century English sportsmen