UNSTOPPABLE OLSON: DOUBLE
WINS IN FIRST ROUND OF JHR SPRING 2003 SHIFTER KART CHAMPIONSHIP
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For Immediate Release
February 2, 2003
Ventura, CA – Today was the first round of the Jim Hall Karting Spring 2003 Championship in sunny Ventura Beach, California. It was also the shifter kart racing debut for the JHR Fall 2002 Sprint Kart Champion “Pete” Olson, a Maryland native who relocated to Southern California exactly two years ago to pursue his professional racing career. The past two years have brought a mixture of victory and pain for Olson, the racer who is now famous at JHR for practicing more intensely in two years than any other competitor in the history of Jim Hall Kart Racing.
After winning the 1st place trophy for the Fall 2002 Race Series, Olson decided to move up the ladder to the six-speed “shifter” karts, the fastest professional racing karts ever built. With 0-60 in under 5 seconds and a six-speed sequential Superbike transmission, an 80cc shifter kart will outrun a Porsche 993 to 90mph. Five-time Formula One World Champion Michael Shumacher owns several shifter karts that he practices with in the off-season near his home in Switzerland, in order to keep his reflexes sharp for the upcoming Formula One season.
Just a week ago, Olson made his international karting debut in the Republic of China [note: Olson lived in Taipei for a year and taught English in kindergartens in Yungho and Jungho]. Anyone who knows Pete Olson shouldn’t be surprised that after several early mornings of clubbing in Taipei celebrating his Championship victory, despite exhaustion Olson couldn’t pass up yet another chance to race.
Disappointed that the local race series had recently finished, Olson decided it would still be an exciting challenge to enter a race practice at the track in Nei-Hu, Taipei [www.gokarting.com.tw]. Despite having been placed in the slowest kart on the starting grid, every time Olson was passed on the straights he would come through corners at high speed, only to have to brake suddenly in order to avoid slamming into the kart that had recently passed.
“I admit it was a little confusing at first.” said Olson from his hotel in Taipei. “What I mean is that I didn’t understand what these guys were doing, cruising by me in the straights and then almost stopping in the corners…it was actually kind of dangerous. But then I realized that their level of experience was totally different. I mean, out in Southern California you are racing against guys who are looking to make it to Indy or F1, in the hottest kart racing in the States, and the competition is just so different, more professional and more difficult than Taiwan. I actually remember there were a couple of guys who purposely hit me while they passed, and I just laughed it off because I knew I was going to come around the corner and have to sit on their bumper. To tell you the truth, I did hit a couple of them back!” [Laughs] “But seriously, it was all for fun, and I am thinking about racing their series a season or two. Knowing the Chinese culture I think they would be pretty pissed off for a foreigner to show them how it’s done!”
Today, Olson was once again racing in Southern California. In only his fourth day ever driving a shifter kart, Olson took victory in two of the three “B Group” races of the day. Olson finished the first “heat” and the “main” more than fifty feet ahead of the second place driver in each race.
Olson seems to be a natural in the shifter karts, provoking violent power oversteer at times in order to close the gap on the driver in front.
In each of the races, Olson got off to the quickest start [Editor’s note: there is a Formula One style “standing start” in shifter kart racing]. Drivers in the shifters often have a difficult time with the start, as the slightest mistake with clutch release can bog down the motor as the other drivers accelerate away to victory.
“It’s a Superbike transmission.” said Olson from his home in Hollywood. “I think that’s why I have such a feel for it. I drove Superbikes for several years back East, at least 10,000 miles a year. Out West, that’s normal, but back East they thought I was crazy. I remember when I was flying down Commonwealth Ave in Boston one February on my Ninja and it started snowing. I had to park my bike and wait a week to come back and get it…and I had to watch out for ice patches on the way home!” [Laughs]
Although Olson won two of his three races of the day, he was disappointed not to place in the “A Group”.
“Those guys are at the highest level out here” said Olson. “I need to find another half second to be able to run with them. But I know that with a little more practice, I can do it. It’s just like when I started with the sprint karts. You need to just keep at it, and if you want it enough, eventually, God willing, you’ll get it.”
The surprise of Round One of the 2003 JHR Race Series was the absence of Richard Wood, who had come close to beating Olson for the Fall 2002 Sprint Championship.
“Everyone was saying that Richard was so pissed off about second place that he doesn’t want to race anymore. I came out here for three seasons, every other week, to practice in order to get that Championship trophy. Every time you are beaten, you learn something. And then you go on, and learn from your mistakes. Richard shouldn’t give up, he can really do it, if he will just put in the effort.” said Olson.
Three professional photographers were filming the races today, making a DVD of the famous Jim Hall Racing Series.
We wish Olson the best of luck in his next race day on March 2, 2003.
For more information on Pete
Olson, visit his website at: www.peteolson.com. And to follow the Jim Hall Kart Racing
Series, log on to: www.jhrkartracing.com.
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Charles Schepens
Schepens Promotions
29000 West Nine Mile Road
Farmington Hills, MI 48336
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