DOUBLE WINS AND POLE
POSITION FOR OLSON IN THIRD ROUND OF JHR FALL 2002 CHAMPIONSHIP
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For Immediate Release
November 3, 2002
Ventura, CA – Today, Maryland native Pete Olson once again gave the West Coast racers a run for their money – quite literally.
In an incredible race day, Olson took victory in two of the three “A” group races during Round Three of the Fall 2002 Jim Hall Kart Racing Championship. In addition, Olson took the coveted pole position by a solid margin in the morning’s qualifying sessions, his fourth pole of the last five race days at the famous Ventura Beach karting track. Olson received three bonus points for pole, as well as forty points for his finishes in the day’s races: 1st, 4th, and 1st. Olson now has a significant lead in the total season point standings.
The prize for 1st place in the Jim Hall Karting Fall 2002 Championship is no less than a three-day professional racing course at the Jim Russell Formula Mazda School at Sears Point Raceway, worth over $3000. It is former Indy team co-owner Jim Hall’s method of rewarding deserving drivers a shot at professional racing, in order to move up to the next step of the ladder from karting to 150mph open-wheel race cars.
“It’s not about the money, it’s about the Championship.” said Olson from his home in Hollywood. “It’s about being the best, having that trophy. I came out here to win, to show what I am capable of. I have already made plans to contest the Skip Barber Formula Dodge RT/2000 Race Series next year, but of course, I would be thrilled to go to Jim Russell - either way it is more experience in a fast open-wheel racecar. I am returning up north to Monterey in December for the Skip Barber Formula Dodge RT/2000 Advanced Race Course at Laguna Seca, but I also hope to be up at Sears Point in the spring as the result of winning the JHR karting series.”
Veteran racer Steven McClave returned for Round Three, but qualified mid-pack to the surprise of spectators and fellow racers. As a result, McClave was placed in the “B group” and diced with Bill Lord during the three exciting “B group” races of the day. McClave and Bill Lord swapped for 1st and 2nd many times throughout the races, McClave showing that he still is a serious contender despite not competing in the Fall 2002 Series.
Olson started his first “A group” race on pole and led the entire race as the rest of the field fell behind, fighting over second place.
“That’s what happens”, said Olson. “It’s great to be in the lead and come around a corner and look back to see that the rest of the guys are fighting each other- it only slows them down and gives you more of a lead.” By the end of the race Olson had a comfortable margin of victory, and again gave the spectators a wild display of kart control by completing the cool down lap at wide open throttle, while exiting turns virtually sideways.
Olson started the second race in the back as determined by the infamous “inverted grid”. During the race, Olson repeatedly caught up to the racers in front, but on the straights, Olson would fall behind. Upon arrival back at pit lane after the finish, Olson stormed off to the tent and threw his gloves and neck brace down while complaining about the performance of his kart, in an uncharacteristic display of bad temper.
“Every time we came onto the front or back straight, they just pulled away from me. The only way I could catch up was in the corners,” said Olson. “I had the fastest laps of the race, but that was because every time we’d get into the corners, I would catch up, and almost touch whoever was in front of me…but then we’d get on the straights, and they would just pull away.”
Olson later apologized to the mechanics and instructors for his behavior.
“I still think my kart had something wrong with it, but I shouldn’t have acted like that”, said Olson. “I won’t get sponsors that way, I’m sure. But I think any driver who is serious about competing and winning, will sometimes let those competitive feelings get the best of him. Sometimes on the track, it can cost you a good result, or other times you see it in the pits with drivers tempers.”
In Olson’s third, “main” race, he started on pole as the results of his finishes in the two “heat” races of the day. Again, Olson lead the entire race to finish 1st. The victory gave Olson his first double-win in the series.
“There have been a few days where I thought I could win two or even all three of my races”, said Olson. “But every time I thought I could do it, I couldn’t handle it. There is serious pressure when you are leading a race. You sometimes slow down or make a mistake when you are in front. I’ve led a lot of races before, and I can tell you the pressure is intense. But I’ve finally gotten used to it, and now if I’m in front I can just focus and drive at the level that I need to.”
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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