Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

OLSON CLAIMS 53RD JAMES/O'CONNOR MEMORIAL

Salem, IN - August 11, 2012 - Brian Olson used a front row starting spot to claim the TRUFUEL Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series sanctioned 53rd Joe James/Pat O'Connor Memorial Saturday night at Salem Speedway. Olson won the event in dominating fashion.

Olson can now add his name to an impressive list of past champions of the event that includes the likes of: Pat O'Connor, Eddie Sachs, A.J.Foyt, Parnelli Jones, Mario Andretti, Rich Vogler, Tony Stewart, and Bob Sweikert among others. The win was Olson's second career MSRXSS victory.

In victory lane Olson indicated that this was perhaps the biggest win of his career and his Davey Hamilton Racing entry was flawless. " The car was really good and I was close to being flat the whole race " explained Olson. " There in the middle part of the race the car got a little loose. I pulled the wing back and it made it better. The crew got the car so good for me that it made my job easier. This win is right up there for sure. Winning at Salem with the history of this race, this is as big as it gets in pavement sprint cars " concluded Olson.

A nice crowd was treated to near perfect weather conditions for the event. Brain Gerster thrilled everyone on hand to an exciting round of qualifications as he lowered his own track record of 14.169 seconds set last August 6. Gerster became the first man in Salem Speedway history to break into the 13 second barrier when he ripped off a lap of 13.957 seconds.

Heat races were won by Jason Cox, Brain Gerster, and Jacob Wilson.

The only serious incident of the evening occurred on lap 26 of the feature when Jason Cox broke a right rear wheel entering turn four slamming him hard into the wall. Cox was ok. Tight close knit racing was the norm the entire feature as battles ensued for positions two through five nearly the entire race. Jason Blonde came home in second followed by Brain Gerster, Jo Jo Helberg, and Jimmy McCune rounding out the top five.

The MSRXSS will now look forward to a busy next weekend with two events in the Central Indiana area. The series will be at Anderson Speedway Saturday August 18 and Winchester Speedway the following afternoon. For more info log onto www.mustseeracing.com.

53RD JOE JAMES/PAT O'CONNOR MEMORIAL RESULTS

1. Brian Olson
2. Jason Blonde
3. Brian Gerster
4. Jo Jo Helberg
5. Jimmy McCune
6. Jacob Wilson
7. Aaron Pierce
8. Mike Larrison
9. AJ Russell
10. Todd Fayard
11. Jason Cox
12. Sondi Eden
13. Billy Wease
14. Jim Sheets
15. Jerry Caryer
16. Jeff Bloom
17. Jimmy Kite DNS

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

I used to attend this race religiously

Don't like winged sprint cars. And I won't add his name to the "list"

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

We won it in 1985 when it was ran at North Vernon on dirt... You won`t find that on the list either ...

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

looks like the fields are getting slimmer. south bend had 24 cars last nite. hope they can draw some at winchester.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

I'm not a fan of wings either, but these cars put on a spectacular show at Salem. I had a very enjoyable evening; the stock cars put on a very entertaining 50 lap race to open the evening, then the vintage cars took to the track for their parade laps before the sprint feature. Pleasant weather, a bigger crowd than last year, and the feature was over at around 9:00PM (CDT). Love my dirt tracks, but I always look forward to this race. Only wish we could have 40-50 USAC sprinters vying for a starting spot for this race as they used to do.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Hubie you won't add his name to the list??? So out of curiosity is Donny Schatz on your list of Knoxville Nationals winners? I have been a part of some big wins and last nights ranks right up there on my list. Why is it on this board that everybody has to piss in somebody elses bowl of Cheerios?

Dave Newman
Davey Hamilton Racing

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Tell that to Brian Olsen. To his face.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

When a "senior member" and message board "feature winner" does not add your name to his "list", well, it must not have happened!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Hubie , don't forget the non-wing club abandoned the race not the other way around. We would have loved to ran both cars in features last night.

We had a top 5 going for sure but debris from Jason's crash popped the right rear tire. We got it changed and we restarted on the tail with 4 laps to go. So rolling the car out of the place with a 6th place finish was pretty good. I hope Jason Cox heals up quickly that was a real hard crash and he was pretty shaken up.

Congrats to BO on the win and BG for killing the record with the warp drive in the 50m.

anyone who has the balls to drive one of them winged rocketships and wins sure enough deserves to have their name on that list.

I'll guarantee it's a lot faster than hubie racing his keyboard

Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Your race fan card has been REVOKED!!! Permanatly :43:: The ignorance of this post :21:

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

I may be old but I"m not set in my ways. Without wings that old track only has one grove. Purpose built non wing pavement sprint cars put themselves out of business. There weren't enough cars to put on a good race.

These guys don't know what a freight train is and nobody has told them that there is just one way around that race track. They are scary fast and put on one super show. WINGS is the best thing that has happened to pavement sprints in a long time..

If you don't go see them race you have "NO IDEA" what you are missing.

The best pavement sprint car racing out there period!

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

As I do work for the Must See Racing series, I find it almost unbearable to hold my tongue sometimes.

Then I come back and read what others have said and really appreciate both those who speak their minds, even if I don't agree with it, and those of whom share opinions similar to my own.

Jerry Coons jr won Belleville this year. And he will continue to have won it in 2012 until the end of time. It was not his decision who would sanction it or who would be there. He beat the field.

Brian Olson is one of the very quietest, soft spoken guys on our pit lane. He moved from a little town in Washington with a name I still can't say quite right to race here. He is the kind of kid you wish your kid would've grown up to be like. Meet him some time and decide for yourself. Then you can tell him what he has to do to be on the "list". And he can tell you he finished ahead of the fastest car ever to circle Salem Speedway, and the current points leaders, and he beat you, too.

To disparage ANYONE who competes in any competition at any level does nothing but tear down the people who make this sport happen, quite possibly including yourself.

Why would you do that?

Posted via Mobile Device

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

It is obvious that Hubie has never driven a race car. If someone wins any sprint car race at Salem then that is something special. I dont care if it is a heat race. Until you get behind the wheel and run a lap under 18 seconds then you should probably just keep your mouth shut.

On a better note, Congrats to my buddy Brian Gerster for breaking the track record with a lap time of 13.957. That is hauling :26: and completly nuts!!!:9::9::6:

Congrats to Brian Olson for the win, Enjoy it and do not listen to people that have no idea on what it takes to run a lap at Salem, YOU ARE THE MAN:6:

Michael Lewis

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Always a odd fly that like to slander or talk crap of other people. Brian Olson's name fit in perfect on any forum, as well as the racing world.
Brian Olson,,ALWAYS remember,,I'f u don't hear anything,,your not popular no more...Great job...

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

It was a great night of racing as always. If they would race there once a month I would be there because they are BAD FAST! Don't know how they do it but they can get around it in a hurry. Thanks for coming down to Salem and bring the Supers next time!!!!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Drive one "H E L L" The first time I watched a sprint car race at Big Salem was 1957 or so. These guys put a whole new thing to Sprints on Pavement. As long as I can remember about the only way any one could describe a sprint car race at Salem was "Big Old Freight Train". It has always been the case there that the only way to move up was for someone else in front to drop out. That ain't so with these guys.

My hat is off to them. Joe James and Pat O'connor would be proud of these guys.

Honest Dad himself:6::6:

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Congratulations to Brian, Davey, Danny and the rest of the boys on your win Saturday night.
I know I speak for all the race teams when I say ”thank you” to the fans who came to Salem and support our series.
Also thank you IOW posters for not allowing this thread to be hijacked into something negative.

Brian Gerster

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

I stated in my earlier post that I am not a fan of wings, but when they are applied to a pavement sprint car and that car is driven around a high-banked asphalt track, the product is spectacular. The Must See Extreme Sprint series is indeed a Must See! I hope this series continues to grow; they have excellent one hour television broadcasts that are carried on FOX regional sports channels.
Can't wait for their return to Salem, and, as Sawdust 101 said, next time, bring the supers too!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

And just who the hell are you to be making any type of list????? I saw these cars in person for the first time and was completly blown away at the speed and BALLS it took to throw these cars around this track!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gonna go again this weekend and as many as possible!!!!!! This series gained a new fan in a BIG way!!!!!!! Awesome!!!!!!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Hey Scott, just to be accurate, it was the RF hub on Jason's car that broke. The RR wheel was still attached, just beat up from the hit.
See ya at Auto City buddy!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Pavement sprint car racing has seen its share of problems over the past several years. However, I’m happy to report that the excitement was back at Salem Speedway on Saturday night. The weather was perfect, the racing awesome and the spectator count up. Thanks to the great race teams, drivers and officials from the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series and of course to the fans who make it all possible.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

The pretty young lady named Sondi Eden may wish to argue about a bit of your wording. :6: She is one fast woman--and I mean that in a good way.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Thank's for posting Brian. One great racecar driver come up for another. OLSON & GERSTER FAN...:22::32:

---------- Post added at 12:09 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:39 AM ----------

all the fast guys pilot a dell or a apple,,remember...:8:

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

This is true ...my bad... should have said a mixture of courage and insanity!!!!!!!!!!!!

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

Pavement sprint car racing has seen its share of problems over the past several years. However, I’m happy to report that the excitement was back at Salem Speedway on Saturday night. The weather was perfect, the racing awesome and the spectator count up. Thanks to the great race teams, drivers and officials from the Must See Racing Xtreme Sprint Series and of course to the fans who make it all possible.

Re: Olson claims 53rd james/o'connor memorial
 

that excitement is building all across the country and really lookin forward to their big race at oswego on classic wkend.