Russell Racing Crew

🩷🏁 Elena's Summit Motorsports Park Recap – June 7, 2026 🏁🩷

Saturday night we made our way to Summit Motorsports Park for yesterdays points race, hoping to find a little more consistency with Elena's car.

Unfortunately, the struggle bus was still making regular stops.

For her time trial, Elena cut a .201 light and the car ran a 15.38. At Summit, the time trial and Round 1 are run round-robin style, so after making their time trial passes, we made a quick stop back at the pit to get both cars turned around before heading right back to the staging lanes.

With the car running a 15.38 in the time trial, we dialed a 15.36 for Round 1.

Elena posted a .281 reaction time and the car slowed down to a 15.49. Fortunately, her opponent provided one of those moments that reminds you just how unforgiving bracket racing can be. Dialed a 12.10, they cut a PERFECT .000 reaction time... only to run a 12.00 and break out, handing Elena the Round 1 win.

Round 2 brought Elena's best reaction time of the day.

With the previous 15.49 pass, we dialed a 15.43. When the tree dropped, Elena responded with a .086 light and ran a 15.55. Her opponent was dialed 12.11, cut a .235 light, and ran a 12.15. Elena's advantage on the starting line was enough to secure another win and send her to the semifinals.

And that's where our old friend, the dreaded slowdown, decided to make another appearance.

For the semifinals, we put a 15.49 dial on the car while her opponent dialed a 12.05. Elena cut a .129 light to her opponent's .115. Both drivers were relatively close on the tree, but once again the car slowed down, this time running a 15.66. Her opponent crossed the stripe with a 12.21, and the combination of their slight advantage on the tree and being a little closer to their dial was enough to end Elena's day.

Another race.
Another semifinal.

At this point, Elena is becoming the "Princess of the Semis"👸 or maybe the "Semi-Final Sweetheart" 💟 She keeps finding her way deep into race day, but that last step into the finals has been a tough hurdle lately.

To say she was upset would be an understatement.

Honestly, it's hard to blame her. Rorric and I are just as frustrated trying to find consistency with this motor. One run it's here, the next run it's there, and trying to predict what it's going to do can feel like throwing darts blindfolded.

We keep reminding Elena that next season, when she turns 8 and becomes eligible to run 11.90, she'll be able to move into a combination that typically offers a lot more consistency than what we're working with now. Unfortunately, for the time being, the rules are the rules and our hands are tied.

As parents, it breaks our hearts to see her so disappointed because we know how badly she wants it and see how much effort she is putting in.

The silver lining is that she's still going rounds. She's still learning. She's still putting herself in position to win. And if she keeps knocking on the door with semifinal appearances, eventually that door is going to swing wide open.

Until then, we'll keep working, keep learning, and keep doing everything we can to set her up for success.

One of these days soon, that pink junior dragster is going to be parked in the winner's circle. 🩷🏁

🏁 Memorial Day Weekend Visitor Spotlight 🏁

While Memorial Day weekend at US 131 Motorsports Park was all about racing, we were fortunate to have some very special visitors at the track with us as well.

On Monday, Mike and Heidi Raymond, owners of Affordable Towing & Auto Repair, along with their son Kayden, made the trip to watch Ethan and Elena race. As one of the kids' sponsors, their support means so much to our family, but what made this visit even more special is that they truly understand the commitment and chaos that comes with racing. Kayden races dirt track karts, so weekends at the racetrack are usually spoken for in their household too. Due to weather, their event was canceled, creating a rare opportunity for them to come spend the day at the dragstrip with us.

We are incredibly thankful for the time they took out of their holiday weekend to come cheer on the kids and for the continued support they provide both on and off the track. Sponsors like Affordable Towing & Auto Repair help make this racing journey possible, and we can't thank them enough.

We also want to recognize two of the kids' biggest supporters—their grandparents. My parents make the effort to attend as many races as they can throughout the season, always cheering on Ethan and Elena at the starting line for every round. Their support extends far beyond race day, as they also help sponsor the kids through my dad's business, Bob Slusher Floor & Tile. Whether it's celebrating the wins, helping us through the losses, or simply being there week after week, their love, encouragement, and dedication to the kids' racing journey never go unnoticed. We are incredibly grateful for everything they do and for the role they play in helping make this dream possible.

We were also excited to welcome some family we haven't seen in far too long. Rorric's brother, Michael, flew in from Alaska for a visit and, on his way to US 131, picked up our niece and the kids' cousin, Mackenzie. It had been several years since we'd seen either of them, making the day even more special. Watching them reconnect with Ethan and Elena, catch up on life, and spending time together at the racetrack created memories we'll cherish for years to come.

While none of our racers found their way to the winners circle that weekend, we still left feeling incredibly fortunate. Racing is about much more than win lights and trophies. Sometimes the biggest victories come from the people who invest their time, support, and love into your journey. From sponsors and family members to grandparents who rarely miss a race, we are surrounded by people who make this adventure possible, and for that we are incredibly grateful. 💚🩷🏁