You’ve probably never heard of Horatio Alger. He was a very prolific author who, over the course of 30 years during the mid to late 1800s, wrote 135 books. Alger’s specialty was writing “rags to riches” narratives. You know the kind. “Local hood makes good.” “Poor, hardworking boy rises to middle-class comfort.”

If Alger had been born about a century later, he’d probably have written a book about Scott Russell.

Raymond Scott Russell was born in East Point, Georgia, on October 28, 1964. His parents divorced when he was in high school, and he had to drop out of the 11th grade “to take care of things on my own somehow,” as Russell put it.

So, at age 17, he went to work in a plastic-bag factory not far from his home. When he was a youngster, he did some motocross racing, so he already had riding skills and a love for motorcycles. Then, as a young adult trying to make ends meet, he traded in his Volkswagen for a Kawasaki Ninja 750 and rode it (quite fast, no doubt) on all the twisty north Georgia mountain roads.

All that hooliganism got Russell interested in road racing. By the mid 1980s, he started competing in WERA and became one of the best novice racers in the country. Russell honed his skills in the next few years racing WERA National Endurance and Suzuki Cup road races, and his raw talent was undeniable.

He began racing in AMA national events in 1987, and just one year later, he notched his first professional win, in AMA 750 Supersport, at his home track of Road Atlanta.

He finished the 1988 season as runner-up in the 750 Supersport Championship and was in the top 10 in both AMA Superbike and 600 Supersport. Russell was also named 1988 AMA Superbike Rookie of the Year.

In 1989, he won his very first AMA Superbike race, once again at his home track of Road Atlanta.

“That one was special not just because it was my first, but because it was in front of the home fans,” Russell said.

He went on to finish a close second to his Yoshimura Suzuki teammate Jamie James in the 1989 AMA Superbike Championship.

In 1990, Russell signed with Muzzy Kawasaki and won three consecutive 750 Supersport Championships.

He won the 1992 AMA Superbike Championship and, the following year, he won the 1993 Superbike World Championship.

Over the next few years, he won five Daytona 200s, which earned him the nickname of “Mr. Daytona.”

As we celebrate “50 Years Of Superbike Racing” and kick off the 2026 MotoAmerica Superbike Championship next weekend at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, it is only fitting for us to honor Scott Russell as our first Superbike Grand Marshal at the very track where his rags to riches story began.

Congratulations, Chief. And thank you for thrilling us all throughout your legendary racing career.

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