Darrell Russell (September 20, 1968 – June 27, 2004) was an NHRA drag racer. He was the 2001 NHRA Rookie Of The Year. At the time, he was only the third driver to win in his Professional debut.

2004-Won sixth career Top Fuel title at event in Columbus, Ohio; posted second career No. 1 qualifying spot in Madison, Ill.

2003-Posted career-best 4th place POWERade points finish; recorded career-best speed; advanced to three finals, including Mac Tools U.S. Nationals; earned third-straight POWERade Top 10 finish; kept qualifying streak alive at 70 races...never posting a DNQ in his career.

2002-Won three races, including back-to-back victories at Denver and Seattle; Earned first career No. 1 qualifying position.

2001-While driving for Joe Amato Racing, Russell became third driver in NHRA history to win in first professional start; Advanced to seven final rounds with two victories;won NHRA's 2001 Rookie of the Year.

Before becoming a driver in NHRA's Professional class of Top Fuel Dragster, he competed for several years in NHRA's Sportsman (amateur) class of Top Alcohol Dragster; a slower version of Top Fuel. In four seasons of competition in NHRA Top Fuel Dragsters, he compiled a record of 106 round wins versus 75 loses. He won six events and was runner-up at eleven others, out of eighty-one events entered.He earned the Division 4 Top Alcohol Dragster Championship 4 times (1994,1996,1998 & 1999) and was also a 3 time winner of the Divisin 4 Driver of the Year award.

Darrell Russell was fatally injured during eliminations at the Sears Craftsman Nationals in Madison, Illinois. He was competing in the second round of eliminations when his dragster went out of control and crashed just past the finish line. When the NHRA safety team got to Russell, he was unconscious, but breathing. Russell was extracted from his dragster by NHRA emergency services officials and transported by air to the St. Louis Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.His dragster broke up after he crossed the finish line. One of the rear Goodyear tires blew out, damaging the back part of the race car. Shrapnel caused by the exploding tire entered the drivers cockpit from the rear, fatally injuring Russell. It was flying debris from the explosion, not the crash, that killed Darrell Russell. The crash itself, in comparison to other crashes, was not all that bad. In fact, the car was never inverted as happened to Kenny Bernstein in 1993. And it did not heavily slam into the guardrail as Blaine Johnson's car did in 1996.He died of severe head injuries. Russell is the first racer to be killed at an NHRA national event since Blaine Johnson, in 1996. Gateway named one of its grandstands "The Darrell Russell Stand" in his memory.He was interred in the Klein Cemetery in Pinehurst, Texas in Montgomery County. Over 2,000 people attended his funeral. Many feel he died right as his career was starting to peak. Nearly everyone remembered Darrell with fond memories