Marj Russell:  

Me, I wasn't the up front in the class kind of person, or the out spoken one. I didn't feel like I fit in at school, I was comfortable driving all over Alaska. When school was over I was out to jump into a nice loud, fast, ride that I built., first one, '63 Chevy Impala. I also had a pink Pinto which I always wondered why I drove something so bright..I got a '65 Buick Special that in the first 20 yrs. I built it all new each night after work from GM Proving Grounds was working on it till bedtime, then race at night going to 'n from work. When I was on the drag strip the rush I got was nothing I could get doing anything else, and I built the motor, and got to see the look on guys faces when they would give money to a girl. What a feeling, after feeling like nothing for so many years I found what made my heart race and my smile wouldn't come off my face. Having my girls was the only thing that topped that feeling. I raced Rupp 440 sno machines in the early '70's #1 in the women's class which was the boys and other good women racers. Those were the times I got recognition for doing good agaisnt men who always gave me grief cuz I was a woman wrenching on my car and racing it. I remember when the Principal always chased me from the cafeteria all the way to parking lot and I jumped into the window of my yellow '68 Dodge Charger RT and burn it out of there. That was his daily exercise. I remember when Bear, Ritchi, Kat 'n I rode on the hood of Dave Nutall's car from the Fleetwood Mac concert, from Nenana to Fbks. 'cuz my'.63 Buick broke at Mt. McKinley, we sat there for four hrs. waiting for a car to come by just to put our thumb out for a ride, I'm not so much of a trouble maker, just a fun seeker with a sense of humor. I grew up on College Rd. with everyone from University Ave. and Pioneer Rd. where I lived for 14 yrs. to town.Last Reunion in 1990's.I ran into Celeste Burnett who was my girl growing up from K-Main Jr. High. Lost track of her and...Expand for more