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JIM RUSSELL GRADS WIN 3 OF 5

SKUSA SUPERNATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES

 

SONOMA, Calif. (December 3, 2003) – Graduates of the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School dominated this year’s SKUSA SuperNationals, clinching championship titles in three of the five Pro Class karting competitions.  The three champs all hail from northern California.  The 2003 SuperNationals were held at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas November 12-16. 

Wes Boswell, from San Leandro, Calif., won the top-of-the-class SuperPro ICC race.  Making this accomplishment even more significant is the fact that this was the 19-year-old’s first SuperPro ICC race. 

Boswell proved there’s more than first-timer’s luck behind his win.  The 2003 title follows his 2002 first place finish in the SKUSA Formula S1 Pro division.   He kicked off his winning streak with the 125 Moto Championship title in the 2002 Jim Russell Karting Championship Series.  Boswell trained at Jim Russell by completing the school’s Techniques of Racing Course.  He will compete in the Jim Russell Graduate Runoffs December 3-7, with hopes of winning free racing in the 2004 SCCA Formula Russell Championship Series. 

Ron White, 24, of San Jose, Calif., took top honors in the SKUSA SuperPro 125 Moto division.  White’s win follows a championship finish in the Moto SP ProMoto race earlier at the SuperNats.  Ron also was the 2002 runner up in the Pro ICC class in the Jim Russell Stars of Tomorrow regional series. 

Alex Speed, of Manteca, Calif., was one of the youngest SKUSA champions in 2003, at just 16 years of age.  Speed’s youthful exuberance and aggressive driving helped him grab the SKUSA Pro ICC National Championship title.  Speed also was runner up in the ICC Pro class in the 2003 Jim Russell Championship Karting Series.  Speed trained at Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, having completed the school’s 3-day Advanced Racing Course. 

“The Jim Russell legacy of turning talent into championship titles couldn’t be more apparent than in this grand-slam of wins that our graduates pulled of at the 2003 SKUSA SuperNats,” said Kjell Kallman, vice president and general manager, Jim Russell.  “Our curriculum emphasizes personalized coaching on the most challenging tracks in the country – this is the key to helping drivers reach their personal best.”

Jim Russell International Karting opened in March 2002 as part of a $50 million modernization plan at Infineon Raceway, offering professional-grade instruction on the longest and most advanced track on the West Coast.  Jim Russell offers programs for complete beginners starting at age eight to international champions.  The facility also hosts numerous competitive events, from the Jim Russell Arrive and Drive Series to the Jim Russell Karting Championships. 

About Jim Russell Racing Drivers School

For more than four decades, the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School has been dedicated to teaching true racing techniques to professional drivers and people looking for the experience of a lifetime.  The school offers professional auto racing instruction, more seat time and the most powerful, well-maintained race cars of any driving school.  The school, based in Sonoma, Calif., is located at Infineon Raceway (formerly Sears Point Raceway), known as the best teaching track in the country.