Brandon Clarke
There’s a name you’ve probably never heard of, and if I’m being honest, that kind of makes it even better.
Hollan Russell—three-time AMA State Champ, nearly 20 Area Qualifier wins, four #1 plates from AMA Featured Events, and most recently, a full sweep at World Mini where he won Schoolboy 2, 250B, and 450B—is the quiet kid in the pits who lets his results do all the talking. He’s not loud, he’s not flashy, and he’s definitely not on anyone’s “factory radar.”
Yet.
He’s a silent assassin on the track… and an honor student in the classroom. Let that one sink in.
When I reached out for this interview, it wasn’t just about working around his moto schedule—it was his honors classes and prep school that had priority. The Russell family isn’t just raising a racer, they’re raising a man. And man, they’re doing a hell of a job.
Hollan’s dad, Eric, served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Air Force. His mom, Kimberly, is a Villanova grad and a licensed physical therapist (PT, MPT). Education, discipline, and humility run deep in this family’s DNA. The Russells have never treated motocross as a ticket out—it’s always been something earned. A privilege, not a pass.
And it started early.
At just two years old, Hollan was already terrorizing the neighborhood on a pedal bike without training wheels. Quickly his dad figured it was time to up the ante, and instead of grabbing the usual PW50, he opted for a Yamaha TT-R50 because, well, currently standing 6’3” tall, Hollan was just a big ol’ grom even back then. He learned to ride in Utah, raced his first moto at Starwest, and bounced around due to his dad’s military assignments. For a long time, racing was casual—just another kid on the gate, as Hollan puts it.
But things changed. Quietly. Steadily.
He started knocking on the door at Loretta’s. No viral moments. No highlight reels. Just work. In 2023, he ran top 10 in Schoolboy 2 and 16th in 250B. But what stood out most wasn’t the finish—it was the company he kept. Nearly the entire SMX Next roster was in those motos. Same gate. Same dirt. Hollan was right there with them.
So why isn’t he in SMX Futures?
Simple: education first. And also, the kid doesn’t even have supercross suspension. Let me put it another way: Hollan has one bike. Not one race bike and one practice bike. One. That he rides during the week and races on the weekends. That bike? It’s got well over 100 hours on it.
While some kids are flying private to camps or rolling with stacked rigs, Hollan’s loading into an old Chevy pickup with his parents and making the cross-country haul like it’s 1987. No facility. No program. No hype. Just heart, humility, and a KTM with a lot of hours.
You talk to Hollan and you’re almost thrown off by how chill he is. This is a kid who could win three classes at a national, walk off the podium, grab a taco, and finish his AP homework without blinking. He told me it’s important to “be able to carry on a good conversation.” Not something you hear a lot from teenagers—let alone elite racers.
And that’s where it all clicks.
The Russells have raised a respectful, intelligent, hard-working young man who happens to be really, really good at motocross. But the goal isn’t to be the next big thing—it’s to be the right thing. The kind of athlete that makes you believe there’s still room in this sport for well-rounded, well-grounded kids who are raised right.
If racing takes Hollan to the top, awesome. But if not? Trust me, this kid’s gonna be just fine. His IQ is high, his drive is real, and he has the kind of character this industry needs more of.
Sure, we could bench race all day about what Hollan might do with a big team, fresh bikes, or a Red Bull lid. But honestly? I kind of love that he’s not there yet. Because his success says more about who he is and how he was raised than anything you’ll ever see on race monitor.
So if you’re a parent reading this, thinking about what the secret sauce is—it’s not a facility. It’s not ten bikes in the trailer. It’s not a coach screaming lap times. It’s support. It’s accountability. Its values.
It’s what the Russell family has.
And that might be the most badass thing about Hollan Russell.
So refreshing! Love highlighting a home grown superstar! Not everyone resides at a training facility and there’s more than one way to train.
Congratulations to Mr. Russell and his family.
I admire the way the Russell’s seem to be navigating their son’s racing despite being surrounded by families spending insane amounts of money hoping their child is the “next”. Over the years, we’ve seen so many racers be absolutely lost after their career (amateur or pro) is a wrap. Sounds like Hollan won’t fall into that rabbit hole.