Seniors and Junior's: Featured Rider Russell Sharpe Jr.

Back in ’05 when I went ‘digital’ and took a camera to Kahuku on race day rather than my bike I met this guy running the starting gate. Big guy, an imposing figure with a serious tattoo covering his right arm, a goatee and black shades. I snapped off a shot of him inside the starters box and to this day it’s one of my favorite portraits.

I’m sure most people know who I’m talking about and since ’05 he’s gone on to bigger and better things in the club. For those reading this blog not from Hawaii I’m talking about Russell Sharpe Sr. (see photo).
While I could fill a whole story about the elder Russell and his wife who (along with others) are part of the steadfast backbone of HMA, this story, the Featured Rider for May is about their son Russell Sharpe Jr. who I’ve been watching since I met his father and he quietly but proudly asked me “hey Scott can you get a couple of pictures of my boy”.

I cornered Russell Jr. today at the track early and asked if him about doing the interview. He agreed and we set it up for the lunch break. I thought Russell Jr. would be a good choice for this because he’s actually living out the dream that many people do when they look up to the best of the best and want to be like them and then BAM! there they are competing against them…for real. So here’s the interview with Russell Sharpe Jr. Action808’s featured rider for May 2009.

Russell Sharpe Jr has been riding since he was 7 years old and is now a Honda rider with number 18 on his white plate with black numbers which means he rides the CRF 450 and competes at the top level…250 Expert Class. He lives up in Waianae with his mom, Darlene and his dad, Russell Sr. and he’s not in school anymore having graduated from Waianae High (Go Sea Riders!). Actually I kind of knew that he wasn’t in school anymore because recently I went over to Ko Olina, Lagoon # 4 for a lunch break and there was Russell at the Security hut. He really likes working at the resort and has plans to work toward advancement in the organization.

Even though he’s out of school now and working I wanted to know a little bit about the school days so he gave me a little glimpse saying that his best subject was English and his not so best subject was mathematics. Wow, same as me and just for kicks I asked him what month he was born in and again Wow, same as me September except he’s a Virgo. He’s a big reader too although I missed the opportunity to ask what was the last book he read as we got pulled apart because of a team meeting he had to attend for his sponsor.

Yes I said “sponsor”. Russell is sponsored by the “No Fear” brand which has fielded a team of riders that get supported on a local level. I remember when the “No Fear” brand came out years ago hitting the scene with the coolest gear designs. It gave all the existing designers a wake up call that’s for sure and now look at their success and market share. Up at the track the team can be found under their awnings offering the No Fear Energy Drinks and maybe a hot dog or two.

While he’s currently riding red, he’s been on all 4 brands since 2005. The Honda he’s riding now is bone stock but set up for him and he’s quite comfortable with its power and really says that it has all he needs. That’s a nice thing to hear seeing as how the money saved instead of buying aftermarket goodies can be spent on other worthwhile things like the girl he met at a party about 6 months ago and is now his girlfriend. Her name is Maile, attends Castle and when he mentioned her name he was grinning ear to ear.

Russell has had his share low points on the track though. Within the last year he had a terrible accident that broke his shoulder blades, punctured a lung and cracked some ribs but he’s come back. Overall though he’s on a high note that only a few get to reach.

In 2005 he was a novice 125 rider taking his lickings on the track riding an under powered Yamaha 125 and looking up to the top Experts wondering what it would be like to be able to ride like them. So he worked at it competing regularly and with his family support he moved up to Amateur and won the Amateur Championship in 2006. Next thing he new he was on the line as a rookie in the expert class side by side with the very Expert riders he had looked up to. He summed up that first race as an expert with a single 4 letter word. “F-E-A-R”. Nowadays he lines up as one of the best of the best on the track and enjoys the high level competition and skill necessary to compete at that level.

Winding up our talk I found out he’s a fan of Chad Reed and would rather rider SX than MX and if he could he’d love to ride the SX at Anaheim.

He’s come along way in a short time and believes that his involvement in the sport has “kept me out of trouble and brought my family closer together”. His advice to other young riders who find themselves wondering if they will ever be able to ride like an expert? “Don’t give up and try your hardest”. Well said Russell!


See everyone in 2 weeks.

-scott