Russell Dugger (born January 12, 1975) is an American professional stock car racing driver who has competed in both the NASCAR Truck Series and the ARCA Racing Series.

Racing career Dugger was a world-class R/C driver before he began competing in full size vehicles. He was sponsored by numerous nitro R/C manufacturers to compete in national and international events, specializing in both 1/8 scale on-road nitro pan car and 1/8 scale nitro off-road buggy classes.

Through an acquaintance with Mark Eldridge of Mobile Soundstage Engineering, Dugger has piloted a one-of-a-kind street legal 2006 Dodge Charger show car converted from a retired NASCAR chassis for private and charity ride-along events around Hallett Motor Racing Circuit.12voltnews.com - "Mark Eldridge Attends Popular Events with his JL Audio Sponsored NASCAR Charger Show Car"

Dugger has driven a wide variety of race vehicles, demonstrating an aptitude for car control and developing a reputation as a natural. He has competed or driven in dirt micro sprint cars, in TaG karts,Tulsa Kart Club - 2009 Points, TAG Class on road courses in GT1 and GTO cars, in SCCA auto-x events,NEOKLA SCCA Results 8-30-2009, 'F Prepared' Class on short-track paved ovals in NASCAR-style trucks,Tulsa World 10/20/07 - Owasso man wants keys to NASCAR: Race circuit driver and then in both the ARCA Racing Series and NASCAR Truck Series.

ARCA Dugger participated in the December 2007 ARCA test session at Daytona where he gained valuable superspeedway seat time, but he did not make the start in the race there the following February.

In February 2010, Dugger made his first ever ARCA start in the Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 at Daytona International SpeedwayARCAracing.com - 2010 Lucas Oil Slick Mist 200 Page, Results tab - the same event at which Danica Patrick made her stock car racing debut. He drove the No. 12 Accell Construction Chevrolet Monte Carlo for DGM Racing's Mario Gosselin, whom he met through an acquaintance in 2007 at Daytona.Tulsa World 2/5/10 - "NASCAR hopeful aims to break through Gosselin served as crew chief for Dugger's first race, and was impressed by his performance throughout the open test and race weekend. Despite being collected in a lap 7 wreck,Video - 2010 ARCA Slick Mist 200 Coverage Dugger claimed the race's fast lap with a time of 48.283 seconds at 186.401 mph.

In April 2010, Dugger made his second ARCA start in the Rattlesnake 150 at Texas Motor Speedway.ARCAracing.com - 2010 Rattlesnake 150 Page, Results tab He would again pilot the No. 12 Accell Construction Chevrolet, fielded by DGM Racing but with George Church as crew-chief. Due to rain during qualifying, he started in 31st position, but drove to a fourteenth-place result and finished on the lead lap.

Dugger's third ARCA start came in September 2010, in the Kansas Lottery 150 at Kansas Speedway. Racing with the DGM Racing team in the No. 12 Accell Construction Chevrolet, he was able to attend the open practice a week before the race event. The additional experience helped the team and driver become more familiar with the track, as evidenced by their performance in the race. With Gosselin as his crew-chief, Dugger qualified in the nineteenth position but drove to a twelfth-place result, again finishing on the lead lap.ARCAracing.com - 2010 Kansas Lottery 150 Page, Results tab The race was noteworthy because Dugger ran in the top-ten for much of the race, as high as ninth before the last late caution flag.

In 2015, Dugger went back to Daytona with DGM Racing and failed to make the race. He went on to Talladega that same year and accomplished his career best finish of fifth, and then went to Kansas Speedway and after running as high as fourth late in the race, finished eleventh.

Truck Series In 2008, Dugger made two appearancesNASCAR - Drivers - Russ Dugger (Martinsville,Tulsa World 10/3/2008 - Owasso driver gets chance PhoenixNASCAR.com - 2008 Official Race Results : Lucas Oil 150), and his debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series came at Phoenix where he retired with brake issues.

In 2012, Dugger announced that he would compete in six NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events with primary and secondary sponsorship from JPO Absorbents and Vacuworx Global.Catchfence.com - Russ Dugger Partnering With JPO Absorbents for Six NASCAR Events in 2012PRLog.org - Russ Dugger Adds Vacuworx Global as Secondary Sponsor for 2012 NASCAR Events Running in a limited schedule kept "Rookie of the Year" options open for 2013, according to an interview he gave with the Tulsa World newspaper.Tulsa World - Owasso Resident to run NASCAR Truck Series His published schedule included events at Kansas, Texas Motor Speedway, Bristol, Kentucky, Martinsville, and Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Personal life Dugger was a prodigal musician during his teenage years, with his interest in motorsports at that time one of many interests competing for time. Already an accomplished, classically trained trumpeter, he enrolled at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville after high school where he majored in music with designs on performing and teaching music professionally. During the course of his studies, he was invited to perform and awarded a chair with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

Upon graduating college, Dugger felt a calling to serve his country and promptly decided to join the United States Air Force - a decision which ultimately led to an opportunity to play trumpet in the United States Air Force Band, which he did for five years before deciding to pursue motorsports.ARCAracing.com - "Family sacrifices keep Dugger racing at full throttle" He currently lives in Owasso, Oklahoma.

Additionally, Dugger is involved with the Aaron Gillming Foundation,The Aaron Gillming Foundation Site - NASCAR RUSS DUGGER SPONSORS AGF an Oklahoma-based group providing services to families who have lost loved ones to drunk drivers.Tulsa World 8/26/10 - Rally to fight drunken-driving set Saturday in Owasso He has also represented Tulsa-based charity The Little Light House in his starts in the Truck Series.

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Camping World Truck Series NASCAR Camping World Truck Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 Pts Ref 2008 Lafferty Motorsports 89 Chevy DAY CAL ATL MAR KAN CLT MFD DOV TEX MCH MLW MEM KEN IRP NSH BRI GTW NHA LVS TAL MAR ATL TEX PHO HOM 103rd 67 2012 DGM Racing 12 Chevy DAY MAR CAR KAN CLT DOV TEX KEN IOW CHI POC MCH 53rd 44 Glenden Enterprises 84 Chevy BRI ATL IOW KEN LVS TAL MAR TEX PHO HOM

ARCA Racing Series (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. Small number denotes finishing position.) ARCA Racing Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Pts Ref 2010 DGM Racing 12 Chevy DAY PBE SLM TEX TAL TOL POC MCH IOW MFD POC BLN NJE ISF CHI DSF TOL SLM KAN CAR 62nd 370 2015 DGM Racing 80 Chevy DAY MOB NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH CHI WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF DSF SLM KEN KAN 56th 405 2016 DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL NJE POC MCH MAD WIN IOW IRP POC BLN ISF DSF SLM CHI KEN KAN N/A 0

References

External links

Russ Dugger Racing Advanced Driving Experience site The Aaron Gillming Foundation site Official RDR Facebook Fan Page