CONTROVERSIAL DAY FOR OLSON
IN THIRD ROUND OF JHR SPRING 2003 CHAMPIONSHIP- COMPETITIVE SHIFTER KART RACERS
DISPLAY POOR SPORTSMANSHIP
____________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release
The first of many black flags of the day was pointed at racer Pete Olson, who qualified in the back of the pack in the morning and followed up by causing significant damage to Robert Whitley’s kart in the first “heat” race.
While making a pass on the inside of Whitley in turn one halfway through the race, Olson made contact both at the apex and the exit of the turn. The impact Olson made during the exit was extremely violent, enough to cause a blow-out in Whitley’s left rear tire. Olson continued the race, unaware that Whitley’s race was finished, his kart taken back to the pits for replacement of a shattered rim and torn tire.
The question of who was actually at fault was a subject of debate throughout the race day.
“I was right there alongside him in the entrance” said Olson in the afternoon. “I had the position, he saw me move in for the pass, there was no danger, so I took it. He turned into me in the middle of the apex, and tried to close the door on me. But as a racing driver, I know that if you are a half a length behind on entry, you have what is considered a fair pass. And anything less than half a length behind is not debatable, in that case you have the right to take the inside. As I remember, I was well up on him. I can’t back off any time someone tries to close the door on me. I know of several guys out here who are known for “closing the door” on the other driver as he makes an inside pass, and although no one should just give up and let another driver by on the inside, they have no right to just turn into you when you are in the middle of the apex. I will freely admit that after the initial contact, I applied too much throttle and tracked out into Whitley during the exit - that was my fault. But the contact that blew out his tire and ruined his race may well have been the initial contact, when he turned down on me. I’m not trying to place blame, I’m just saying that no one knows exactly what happened, and I find it hard to believe Whitley’s claim that he didn’t know I was there on the inside when he turned down on me. At 14,000 rpm, these karts make a lot of noise, as any racer will tell you. He should have known I was there.”
Olson started the second race on pole as the result of the “inverted grid” and drove a solid race, despite a 3rd place finish. Olson was passed by veteran shifter champions Charles McClave and Chad Weiss, after they had made their way through the field. Olson managed to hold back the other shifter kart racers and took back his position from Weiss. Later, however, Olson scrubbed off enough speed in a wild slide in turn one to enable Weiss to retake 2nd place. The second shifter “heat” race of the day finished without incident but turned out to be the calm before the storm before the final, “main” race of the day.
The last race ended in Olson’s first race spin in over a year, and major contact between Bill Lord and Robert Whitley on the last lap of the race – enough to cause wheel and side pod damage to the karts of both Bill Lord and Robert Whitley.
Olson started the race in 3rd as the result of his finishes in the first two “heat” races, and made a fantastic start – fast enough to stay behind pole leader Chad Weiss, and hold off Bill Lord on the outside going into the first turn.
Little did Olson know that he would end the race almost a full lap behind the other drivers.
Olson was eventually passed by Bill Lord in turn one, but
stayed directly behind immediately after.
Olson set up Bill Lord for a pass in infamous turn four, a turn where
Olson is famous for extremely late, “threshold” braking. Turn four is a 200 degree left-hander, in
which drivers have to brake down from 90 mph to less than 30 mph in order to
make it through the turn. Olson planned
on using the advantage in his entry speed to take Bill Lord on the apex and
exit of turn four.
Olson entered the turn at high speed behind Bill Lord, only
to realize that he didn’t have enough of an advantage to make the pass. Olson turned in tight on the apex in order to
give Bill Lord ample room to drive around Olson on the outside, only to spin as
he drove directly over the kerb, Formula One-style, and applied heavy throttle
in an effort to catch up to Bill Lord on the exit. Olson stalled out and came to a dead stop,
pounding his fists on the steering wheel as he watched Whitley drove by. Olson’s kart was restarted, but he despite
his best efforts to retake his position, Olson was too far behind to catch up with
a half-dozen laps remaining. However,
what Olson didn’t see up front was the repetitive contact between Whitley and
Bill Lord on the final lap, as they damaged each other’s karts repeatedly on
the final section of the course in order to gain a single position. Bill Lord and Robert Whitley have both been
blamed for the damage to each other’s karts.
Olson still remains competitive in the overall standings,
but the question is whether or not Olson will be able to pull through for the rest
of the season. Does Olson truly have what it takes to make it to the top? Or was the Championship win in January just a
large dose of luck in a sport where luck sometimes gives its blessing on a
proud few for a fleeting moment of greatness?
Many competitors and fans are now asking this very question.
“I know exactly what I need to work on now, it’s just
like in the sprint karts” said Olson from his home in
Three weeks from now Olson will again be in the Republic of China, giving a demonstration of serious racing, SoCal-style. But what will be the outcome of the JHR shifter kart season? Only the last few race weekends will decide the victor in the JHR Spring 2003 Championship.
We wish Olson the best of luck in his next race day on
For more
information on Pete Olson, visit his website at: http://www.peteolson.com/. And to follow the Jim Hall Kart Racing
Series, log on to: http://www.jhrracing.com/.
- - - -
Charles
Schepens
Schepens
Promotions
29000 West
Nine Mile Road
Farmington
Hills, MI 48336
________________________________________________________________________