In Part 1 of this three-part conversation, The Mechanicians – Racing Stories sits down with Bob Butte, the very first mechanic student of the legendary Jim Russell Racing School.

Bob shares how a love of racing—sparked by the film Grand Prix—led him from SCCA autocrossing in the Midwest to Mont-Tremblant, where he became part of the core group that helped build the Jim Russell program from the ground up. Along the way, he recounts early Formula Ford racing, working for drive time instead of a paycheck, and life alongside Jacques Couture during the school’s formative years.

This episode dives deep into the unsung mechanics, instructors, and builders who made professional racing schools possible—long before they became institutions. From hauling cars across borders to stories that became school legends, Bob offers a rare, first-hand look at how racing education really came together.

This is the beginning of Bob Butte’s story—covering the origins, the hustle, and the people who did the work behind the scenes.

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