Meet the Co-Drivers: David Russell, JDR 7

He’s driven with both Kelly brothers over the past three years and David Russell feels he and the team have unfinished business at The Mountain.

While the race with Todd in 2011 is the one that got away, last year with Rick wasn’t without drama either.

But Russell and Todd will be behind the wheel of a Nissan Altima for the endurance races this year, hopefully to improve on their disappointing 24th place – and so far, Russell, 31, has found himself quite comfortable in the new make.

“The Nissan was fantastic,” he said.

While many teams have had the opportunity to run co-drivers at a test day, Russell has only been behind the wheel in the short half-hour Practice Zero at the Sucrogen Townsville 400.

“I’m very impressed with how the team has presented the new car and how it drove.

“The refinements they’ve made to the car and how it handled – especially kerb riding and under brakes – the car is very stable.

“I felt confident in the car and commented to the guys if I’d had to race an enduro the next day, I would have been confident enough to after that stint.”

The tyre quality was inconsistent across the field so it was difficult to compare co-drivers times, but Russell was very happy with his comparisons to Todd’s laps.

“I think the only way for us is up the grid,” Russell said.

A second-generation racer, Russell’s father Geoff drove (and finished sixth at the Bathurst 1000 in 1984), and Russell started in go karts at the age of 10. He progressed to sports sedans – which is where his background differs from many who went into Formula Ford.

After being crowned Champion twice in the Australian Production Car Championship, Russell moved forward to the Porsche Carrera Cup, competing for three years and finishing third in 2008 in the Championship as well as taking several race wins.

Moving on the Dunlop Series, he won multiple races and rounds, came third overall and won the privateers Championship in 2009.

Not only has he raced in a V8 Supercar at Bathurst, but in the 12 and 24-Hour races.

“The only Bathurst I haven’t won is the 1000 because I’d won my class in the 12-Hour and 24-Hour races,” he said. “And I’ve done endurance racing overseas in Porsches.”

Russell also had a short stint in the #51 Commodore last year when Greg Murphy was sidelined.

As a full-time professional driver handling driver training and defensive courses with manufacturers and businesses, he literally is driving every day.

Funnily enough though, it was out of the car where Russell earned his nickname – affectionately called ‘Coighty’, Russell headed out with the Kelly  brothers on a fitness training camp, near Mount Buller.

“It was bloody cold… I got the fires all going and I turned into the master bushman – I grew up in a country town and am used to being in the outdoors. So Rick decided, because of my surname, David Russell and Russell Coight, which turned into Coighty!”

What’s it like working with the brothers? Both have a different style in terms of approaching a race weekend, Russell said. “Rick is happy to have a joke around, but when it’s business, it’s business straight away. Flick the switch, the helmet’s on and he’s ready to go.

“Both are very methodical – they’re obvious brothers and in motorsport they share the same traits.

“I enjoy working with both.”

Russell’s best result at the Bathurst 1000 was 15th with Rick last year (he couldn’t remember the exact number, because anything after 10th is all the same!) though he achieved sixth with Jonathon Webb at the Phillip Island 500 endurance race in 2010 in a Dick Johnson Racing Ford Falcon FG.

“Todd commented about the Bathurst result that got away and mentioned the 2011 race – he believes we could’ve got a good result,” Russell said.

“A mechanical issue forced us to go two laps down.

“It’s disappointing but our aim is to turn that around.”