Jim Russell Racing Driver School

Herbert James Russell (born 28 May 1920), better known as Jim Russell, is an English former racing driver, garage owner and founder of the Jim Russell Racing Driver School.

Russell was born at his parents fish and chip shop and lived most of his life in Downham Market, Norfolk. His first job was selling ice cream. After serving with the RAF during World War II, he became a garage owner.

By 1960, the garage, filling station and race schools were employing over 100 people. The car garage closed and was demolished in November 2007 with the land destined for new housing. In late 2013 the first units were marketed on an exclusive, gated development called Russell Gardens.

Russell's driving career began at the age of 32, when a friend invited him to go to his local Snetterton race circuit. Starting with a 500 cc Cooper with a J.A.P. engine, Russell quickly progressed to a Manx Norton engine fettled by established motorcycle tuner Steve Lancefield. He then moved up to Formula Three and Formula Two.

Between 1953 and 1959 he won 64 Formula Three races, 11 Formula Two races and 6 sports car races. He won the British Formula Three Championship for three successive years from 1955 to 1957 in the company of established drivers Les Leston and newcomer John Surtees. Russell's racing career ended after suffering injuries in a crash at Le Mans in 1959, meeting his future wife Jennifer who was a nurse at a Norwich hospital. He went on to run a stud farm from his house at Bardwell Manor, Suffolk.

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