Weston Olson got a taste of racing in the go-karts, and decided it was time to move up to a different class. The POWRi Minn-Kota Lighting Sprints proved to be the perfect fit.
The Olson family bought a car from Alan Truscinski, a racer from Greenbush.
“I started racing go-karts and wanted to move up and try something else,” Olson said. “We bought this car; t’s a heck of a car.”
The 14-year-old from Warren, who will be in eighth grade this fall, is in his second year in the lightning sprints. He is one of many teenager drivers getting their feet wet locally in the lightning sprints, who will make two appearances at River Cities Speedway this week.
He had a solid season in his rookie year in 2021, recording eight top five finishes, with a best finish of third three times.
This season, he’s finished in the top 10 four times. He nearly got his first feature win at River Cities Speedway on June 17 — he led the whole race and also had a decent lead until a caution came out with two to go. On the restart, he was passed by Kelsi Pederson, who has been a top runner in the class locally the past few seasons, and had to settle for a career-best second.
“It was pretty awesome,” Olson said. “I really didn’t want to see that (caution). I guess it’s racing. We’ll get it soon enough.”
He’s learned some things about the lightning sprint during the past year and a half.
“You’ve got to have throttle control,” Olson said. “It’s really fun.”
He also likes the drivers he races against.
“It’s like a big family here in this class,” Olson said.
Olson has some goals in mind for the rest of the season, and that is to “try and finish in the top five” in feature races.
He also has some long-range racing goals.
“I’d like to move up to a mod and go up from there,” Olson said. “That’s my goal in the future.”
Driver Profile
Weston Olson
POWRi Minn-Kota Lightning Sprint #27
Residence: Warren, Minn.
Age: 14
Sponsors: Olson Underground, Southline Farms, Johnson Family Farms, FM Pool and Spa
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