OLSON MOVES UP 7
POSITIONS IN RACE TWO BUT MIXED RESULTS FOR AMERICAN RACER
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
American racer Peter [“Pete”] Olson spent Sunday
morning at the Kaohsiung Circuit preparing for the afternoon’s Rotax races and
giving an extensive interview for FTV [Formosa Television], one of Taiwan’s
largest national TV channels, as well as meeting with the mayor of Kaohsiung
[South Taiwan’s largest city]. It seems that Olson’s status as the only
non-Taiwanese currently competing in Taiwan Rotax has put him in the spotlight.
However, while Olson has continued to excel in Formula auto racing,
surprisingly his South Taiwan Rotax karting debut today was full of mixed
results.
Sunday’s competition was held at the newly-opened
“Pier 17”, a large entertainment area on
Olson began the race weekend by being one of the
first drivers to arrive at the track for testing Saturday, only to have
continued problems with an ill-fitting fiberglass seat. Once again, the order
of the day was rib cartilage separation as the race seat that he had ordered
from
“What am I supposed to do, not race?” said Olson.
“That just isn’t an option I can consider.”
Quite a statement from the
highly-competitive American driver. But Olson’s injuries grew with every impact
on the uneven pavement in turns one and two, which sent his and many of the
faster competitor’s karts up on two wheels at around 80mph. Olson got a good
start in the first “heat race” only to lose control halfway through the race
and slide off into a berm, pushing his kart beyond the limit after losing focus
as his injuries grew.
However, in the second heat race Olson came back
with renewed determination in true Kimi Raikkonen style, reminiscent of his
infamous Formula Renault Shanghai come-back last year. His
Olson started the Kaohsiung race in 12th
as a result of a DNF [Did Not Finish] in the first race, but blasted through
the pack to finish 5th after losing a contact lens during one of the
first few laps. Incredibly, despite
vision problems Olson took half a dozen positions in race two. But little did
Olson know that a controversial impact would end his final, ‘main’ race after
an accident with a competitor.
Olson started the final race by going for his
now-characteristic ‘first turn takes all’ style, passing at least three
competitors in the middle of the first high-speed turn, only to receive a hard
impact from a competitor which forced him into the tire wall. He hit the wall
almost head-on at high speed, and the rear of his kart was launched several
feet in the air. Olson was thrown forward out of his seat into the steering
wheel and sat stunned for several moments after having the wind knocked out of
him, before getting out of his kart and attempting to get back on the track. Is
his instinctive driving getting in the way of traditionally outstanding
results?
“I don’t know whether that was a cheap shot or a
mistake, but the point is, my race was finished” said Olson. “I only hope that
incidents like these don’t happen again. I am here to win
We wish the dedicated American driver the best of
luck in the next races of the series.
XXX
For more information contact:
Christian Children’s Fund
Media Relations Contact Agent for
Pete Olson:
Jennifer Harter
Communications Associate
Christian Children’s Fund
(804)756-8994
Peter Olson
Olson
Motorsports, LLC
Tel: +
886 9 3567 8609
Email: Pete@PeteOlson.com
Website: www.peteolson.com