A man as tough as nails, Mr. Russell knew two things better than anyone:  bulldozers and motorcycles.  He spent 20 years as a heavy equipment operator with Ohio Operating Engineers and another 21 years with Columbia Gas, before turning his attention for the next 30 years to his beloved racetrack at Sunday Creek Raceway in Millfield, where he and his son Jeff Russell have promoted off-road motorcycle and ATV racing events for 34 years.  The premiere event hosted at the facility is the John Penton GNCC, a round of the Grand National Cross County Series, an AMA National Championship.  The John Penton GNCC is the oldest venue on the national circuit, attracting racers and their families from all over the world since 1990.

A life member of the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), Mr. Russell was an avid off-road racing enthusiast himself, competing in many local enduro races and earning a perfect score at the Alexander Motorcycle Club Enduro in Albany, Ohio, in the early 70’s.  (For those who race enduros, you can appreciate the accomplishment of a perfect score.)

When not organizing his own events, Mr. Russell travelled the GNCC Racing circuit, serving as Chief Trailblazer.  His duties included cleaning up the trails with his custom-made tiny dozer and pulling stranded riders from mud pits.  In fact, the most famous obstacle on the circuit, “Howard’s Hole” at the Snowshoe GNCC, is named after him.  He and GNCC founder Dave Coombs had matching dozers, and spent many a nights deep in the woods after dark grooming the trails for the next day’s competition.