NHRA News: Over 2,000 mourners attend Russell's funeral (7/3/2004)

Over 2,000 mourners attend Russell's funeral

By Rob Geiger, NHRA.com
7/3/2004

Darrell Russell
1968-2004

TOMBALL, Texas – Over 2,000 fellow racers, friends, and family members mourned Top Fuel driver Darrell Russell's death Friday in this small country town on the outskirts of Houston.

Racer's For Christ Chaplain Larry Smiley presided over the funeral service at the First Baptist Church of Tomball and interment at the family's cemetery in Pinehurst, where Darrell's older brother Mickey was laid to rest in 1987.

Touching eulogies were delivered by Russell's neighbors and close friends Tim Travis and Bob Haygood, as well as his brother-in-law Paul Gullo, his brother Chris Russell, and NHRA.com Senior Editor Rob Geiger.

Travis and Haygood revealed Russell's quiet country-boy side, telling stories of his calf roping experiments, his role as the neighborhood fix-it man, and the resident expert on growing hay in southeast Texas. Gullo touched on the impact Russell had on everyone he ever met, echoing the thoughts of the mourners in attendance.

The most heart-wrenching speech came from Darrell's brother Chris, who accompanied his eulogy with funny tales from their youth and the fun times the Russell family had during their successful career racing a Top Alcohol Dragster.

"We send Darrell on his last pass today," Chris said. "I can't wait to meet him at the other end of the track."

Chris Russell and Geiger both mixed some humor into the ceremony. His brother talked about an experiment he and Darrell conducted as boys that involved seeing what would happen if they threw a match in a can of gasoline. "We were lucky we didn't get seriously hurt," Chris said. "That is until our parents came home and found out what we'd done."

Chris also showed a touching video of old family snapshots and TV interviews from Darrell's first few wins in the family dragster.

Geiger, Russell's on-the-road travel companion and roommate, picked up with Darrell's pro career, thanking several people on behalf of his best friend for the happiness they bestowed on Darrell.

"I want to thank you Julie," Geiger said to Russell's grieving widow, "for sharing Darrell with all of us. I want to thank Darrell's parents Burnell and Gwen for raising such a fine son. I want to thank Joe Amato for allowing Darrell to realize his dream for three and a half years. I also want to thank crew chief Wayne Dupuy and the Amato Racing crew for always making sure Darrell was as safe as he could be in that racecar."

Geiger told a story of Darrell's first day as a pro racer when a fan approached an excited and proud Russell with a pen and an autograph card, only to ask him if he could get Joe Amato's autograph instead. He closed with a quote from 12-time NHRA champion John Force, who was in attendance, where he had repeatedly kidded Geiger that "the only reason he hung around Darrell was because Darrell was so pretty, it made him look better." Geiger said, "You're right Force, he made us all look better."

Geiger also introduced a video of Russell's professional triumphs, produced by NHRA. The tribute video will be shown at all remaining NHRA events.

The funeral party was filled with drag racing champions like Force, Amato, Shirley Muldowney and Rahn Tobler, Don "the Snake" Prudhomme, Gary Scelzi, Larry Dixon, Tony Schumacher, Scott Kalitta, Del Worsham, Alan Johnson and family, Tim Wilkerson, Whit Bazemore, John Smith and Rhonda Hartman-Smith, Doug Kalitta, Don Schumacher, Dave Grubnic, Gary Densham, Don Lampus, Doug Herbert, Brady Kalivoda, Peter Lehman, Ashley Force, Mark Kinsella, David Nickens, Brian "Lump" Self, Shelly Howard, and Jeff Naiser.

NHRA president Tom Compton returned abruptly from a family vacation in Italy to head the list of dignitaries attending the funeral. He mentioned that "Russell's loss would leave a huge void in the NHRA community forever." Other NHRA officials in attendance included Senior Vice President of Racing Operations Graham Light, Vice President of Legal Affairs Cary Menard, Director of Racing Ray Alley, and Div. 4 Director Craig Hutchinson.

Coca-Cola's Ben Reiling and Chris Lopez, ESPN announcers Mike Dunn, Marty Reid, Parker Johnstone, and Alan Reinhart, Pontiac's Fred Simmonds, Mac Tools president John Aden, and Matco Tools representative John Torok also shared in the grieving process at the funeral.

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