| Biography | - Randy Olson, born in Eureka, California is a former NASCAR driver. Randy began his racing career at the age of 17. Most of Olson's early races were at paved tracks south of his Northern California home at tracks such as Mesa Marin Raceway in Bakersfield, California, Bernal Memorial Raceway in Tracy, California, All-American Speedway in Roseville, California, Ukiah Speedway in Ukiah, California and Lakeport Speedway in Lakeport, California. In fact, Olson's captured his first track championship at Ukiah Speedway.
Olson made only a handful of starts in the Winston West between 1982 and 1984. Olson's best finish in the West series was a fourth place run in the 1984 Suncrest Motorhomes 200 at Mesa Marin Raceway. More noteably, Olson raced on and off in the Southwest Tour series from 1986 to 1995. Olson ran the entire 1987 Southwest Tour schedule finishing eight place in the final points tally with his best finish of the season being a third place effort at Saugus Speedway. Olson's best career finish in the Southwest Tour came in the 1990 Olympia 100 at his home track Redwood Acres Raceway where he set quick time and finished second after starting 10th. Olson also made a handful of starts in the Northwest Tour scoring a top five finish in the series' inaugural race.
thumb|Randy Olson races off of turn two at Phoenix International RacewayThough Olson ran in both of NASCAR's now defunct west coast series, he is better known for his racing in numerous open competition events throughout the west coast as well as other late model touring series. Olson won the Tri-Western 300 open competition championship several times, and was the Tri-State Series champion in 1999 and 2000. Olson is also a multi-time champion at Redwood Acres Raceway, winning the 1990 track championship in the super stock class, while doing it in 1991 and 1992 in the sportsman division. All the while, Olson amassed countless fast times and wins in trophy dashes, heat races and main events. Olson placed fourth in the 1992 NASCAR Pacific Coast standings, the highest of any driver racing at the raceway. Olson has competed at nearly every paved oval in the state of California, and has recorded a major victory at almost every track that he has raced at.
Currently Olson continues to race, although infrequently in the Thunder Roadster class mostly at Redwood Acres from 2006 to now; Redwood Acres is the track in the United States with the most in that class. Although Olson has not raced a late model tour car in competitive action since 2000, he is recognized and remembered as one of the best drivers in Northern California.
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