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Special Holiday Edition 2016

BlueRibbonNews.com

One would be hard-pressed to find a group of individuals 
in the community more involved in drag racing than the 
Russells. The local family absolutely, positively lives 
for the sport.

“Everything we do 
involves racing,” said 
Curtis Russell, father of 
two junior drag racers 
Carson (13) and Collin 
(8), and crew chief of 
the family racing team 
known as CMR Boys 
Racing sponsored by 
Viperizer Racing based 
in Pennsylvania.

Their love for the sport, 
however, goes beyond 
winning races and 
collecting trophies, as 
one can tell from the 
emblems found on both 
Carson’s and Collin’s 
dragsters. One such 
emblem remembers 
Henry Canales, a 
Houston police officer 

who was killed in the line of duty in 2009. Canales 
was a member of Beat The Heat, a national non-profit 
organization comprised of police officers and firefighters 
who conduct educational programs using marked 
emergency vehicle drag cars to gain the interest 
of the public. Curtis, a Garland police officer, and his 
family back the blue as members of Beat The Heat along 
with Canales’s son, Henry Canales, Jr., who is also a 
Jr. Dragster driver.

The boys also race for Brad Gordon, a member of the 
non-denominational ministry to the world of motorsports 
known as Racers for Christ, and for Roger “Pops” Tarvin, 
a beloved member of the Jr. Drag Racing community 
who passed away earlier this year.

“We race for him because we miss him,” Curtis said. 
“He was always there and treated all kids of the racing 
community like they were his grandkids.”

Carson began his racing career at age 8 in 2011. 
In just his fifth year racing, he has earned himself a vast 
collection of trophies as a junior drag racer including 
the NHRA’s (National Hot Rod Association) prestigious 
“Wally” trophy and the IHRA’s (International Hot Rod 
Association) “Ironman” trophy. Collin, in his second 
year, seems to be following in his brother’s footsteps 
with his own impressive assemblage of trophies and 
began his racing career in the 2015 season.

In early October, the boys were pitted against each other 
in the finals at the Paris Dragstrip. Collin came out on 
top over his big brother, running a 12.38 on a 12.37 dial. 
Carson broke out running a 9.02 on a 9.05 dial.

Carson’s fastest time on the track was 8.26 seconds in an 
eighth mile at 79 miles per hour; Collin’s was 52 miles 
per hour at around 12.20 seconds. The boys race the same 
model car – a Motivational Tubing Pinnacle Top Fuel 
Jr. Dragster. Curtis said the cars are completely 
safe, probably more so than a regular car.

“My stepdaughter rolled this car and was able to walk 
away from it going about 50 miles per hour. These cars are 
very safe because of the racing harness and the neck brace 
which keeps their heads from moving around. They’re a 
lot safer in here than they probably are in a regular car, 
because they’re designed to take about a 180 mile-
an-hour impact,” Curtis said.

For Carson, performance on the track comes second to 
the comradery which comes with being a part of the drag 
racing community. “It’s fun to get to go to the race track, 
meet new people and be with family,” Carson said.

Younger brother Collin agreed. “The best part about 
drag racing is getting to be with your friends.”

Curtis said while the competition remains fierce out 
on the track, it’s all about family and friendship once 
the race is over.

“It’s tough-fought on the track, and in the staging lanes 
you’re all competitors. But then when you get back to 
the pits, everybody’s family,” he said.

Check out photos and video of Carson’s and Collin’s 
accomplishments on the track at cmrboysracing.com/. 

Story and photos by Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News. 

Radiators • Transmissions • Tune-Ups 

Brakes • Heat • Air Conditioning • Axles

Check Engine Light Diagnostics • Shocks

Window Motors • Timing Belts • Struts

IT’S TIME TO WINTERIZE!

Let us check your brakes, battery, belts and hoses.

included

katcauto@yahoo.com

Carson (left) and Collin with their Jr. Dragsters. 

Curtis, Carson and Collin also partake in slot car racing with 

1:24 scale model cars, which they race on a track in Garland 

called Dallas Slot Cars. Pictured from the left are Curtis, 

Carson and Collin with their slot car collection and trophies 

earned in slot car racing competition. 

Racing is a win

-win

GOOD SPORTS