After spending three seasons in the Wissota Midwest Modified class, Alan Olafson of Blackduck is back in the class where he a lot of success – the Wissota Modifieds.
The 60-year-old, one of the top drivers to have raced at Bemidji Speedway over the past four decades, admitted he missed the power and competitiveness of the A mods.
“I always liked the A mods and the drivers racing them,” Olafson said from the pit area in Bemidji recently.
Bemidji Speedway just outside of Bemidji has been a familiar place for Olafson, going back to his early days of racing.
“I’ve got a lot of friends, and everybody knows everybody,” Olafson said.
So for 2023, he’s back driving in the class after buying a Lethal Chassis formerly driven by Landon Atkinson of Little Falls. This season, he has one win, two top fives and six top 10s in seven starts.
Olafson, who works as a logger, did well in the Midwest modifieds, winning six features from 2020-21. But he’s known for his success in the modifieds, particularly at Bemidji Speedway, his home track.
His interest in racing started watching his father.
“My dad raced ever since I remember as a little kid,” Olafson said.
Olafson started racing at age 20 in the street stocks. Aside from one year in the late models, he’s spent a majority of his career in the modifieds.
He’s compiled more than 180 feature wins and seven track championships during that time. He won the Dakota Classic Modified Tour in 1992, winning the Roughrider in Minot (worth $10,000) and a $5,000 special in Williston in what was a big season. Olafson also won one night of the Hibbing Labor Day Shootout in 2000.
His secret to his successful career?
“It’s working on it from the fall to have the best car I can have,” Olafson said. “And working on it every week. (I have) good people helping me on the car and sponsoring.”
The challenge for Olafson was trying to stay as a top-running car.
“The competition and learning how to adjust (the car). It’s competitive -- trying to win and being a top five car,” Olafson said. “It’s gotten even more competitive. For a while I did really good. It’s tough to stay there on top.”
He took some time away from racing, and it was an adjustment when he returned.
“I quit for a while, so it was like relearning a lot. It had changed so much,” Olafson said.
This year, he’s learning again, this time adjusting to the Lethal Chassis. He’s gotten help from Scott Atkinson, Landon's father on setup tips. And he’s been making progress, picking up his first feature win of the season on July 2.
“It keeps going better, it’s just learning how to adjust it,” Olafson said. “I would like to get smooth and consistent and try to get in the top five a lot.”
Driver Profile
Alan Olafson
Wissota Modified #77
Age: 60
Residence: Blackduck, Minn.
Sponsors: Polar Insulation and Floor Coating, J&N Logging, Rieger Logging, Michalek Sand and Gravel, Jeff Arnidson Trucking, Watne Bros. Trucking, Pour Willie’s Bar, Leno’s Pub, Scenic Auto Body, Nature Sky Tree Service, Ponsse Harvester Equipment, N and B Painting and Drywall, Rieger Logging, Sam’s Repair
Special thanks to Scott Atkinson and his girlfriend Pam.
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