RAIN MEISTER!
Olson takes pole position and first Taiwan victory in December downpour
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2005
Long Tan Circuit, Taiwan–
Some race drivers cringe at the thought of high speed rain racing. Others relish the challenge. American racer Peter
[“Pete”] Olson is definitely one of the latter.
Olson took his first victory in the Taiwan Rotax Max Challenge today in the chilling downpour of a December storm,
seizing the coveted pole position and placing 1st, 2nd, and 2nd in his three race events.
“I think racing in the rain is a lot of fun, a totally different challenge” said Olson. “Find a good line, drop the hammer and
go flat out all the time, without completely losing control” [laughs]
Olson seems to be a natural in the rain, lapping ‘backmarkers’ in all of his races yesterday and at times passing three or
four competitors in a single lap. Olson also got off to fast starts in all of his races, able to enter the first corner a half
dozen car lengths ahead of the competition. However, a couple of excessive slides in some of the slicker corners and
an increasingly misfiring engine slowed his otherwise consistent driving during the second and third races.
Olson was thrilled to spray champagne from the podium for the first time in Taiwan, especially in light of mixed results at
Kaohsiung Circuit in October, which he blamed on set-up problems.
After endless delays with the shipment of his kart from Italy this past spring, Olson was unable to make much of the
Taiwan Rotax season, though he did gave a strong showing in Formula 2000 in the United States. The racer seems to
be making up for lost time, in the aggressive rain-racing style of his hero Ayrton Senna.
“My first time in a race car in the rain years ago was really difficult, like learning to drive all over again. But from then on,
I practiced and tested and learned to improve, and now, I can drive quickly in the rain and feel totally confident.
Actually, I love it. I think if you dedicate yourself to something, really put your passion into it, many things become
possible and you can surprise yourself at what you can achieve.”
We wish the dedicated American driver the best of luck in the next races of the series.
xxx
For more information on Peter Olson/Racing for Children contact:
Christian Children’s Fund
Media Relations Contact Agent for Pete Olson:
Jennifer Harter
JHarter@CCFUSA.ORG
Communications Associate
Christian Children’s Fund
2821 Emerywood Parkway
Richmond, VA 23294
(804)756-8994
Peter Olson
Olson Motorsports, LLC
Taipei, Taiwan R.O.C.
Tel: + 886 9 3567 8609
Email: Pete@PeteOlson.com