Carl Olson is an American

Top Fuel Top Fuel is a type of drag racing whose dragsters are the quickest accelerating racing cars in the world and the fastest sanctioned category of drag racing, with the fastest competitors reaching speeds of and finishing the runs in 3.62 seconds ...

Dragster driver.

Career

1969

Olson entered the 1969 NHRA Winternationals at Auto Club Raceway in

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, but failed to qualify.

1970

At the 1970 Winternationals, Olson qualified #4, but was eliminated in round two by #12 qualifier JIm Davis.

1971

Olson qualified #30 at the 1971 Winternationals. He was eliminated in the quarter-final by

Don Garlits Donald Glenn Garlits (born January 14, 1932, Tampa, Florida) is an American race car driver and automotive engineer. Considered the father of drag racing, he is known as "Big Daddy" to drag racing fans around the world. A pioneer in the field o ...

. He also entered the 1971 AHRA Winter Nationals at

Beeline Dragway A bee line is an idiom for the shortest route or a straight line between two points (see "as the crow flies"): bee line, bee-line, or beeline may also refer to: Brands and enterprises * Beeline (brand), a telecommunications brand by VimpelCom Lt ...

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. He qualified #15, and lost in the semi-final to Chris "the Greek" Karamesines. The semi-final finish paid Olson US$400. He also entered the 1971 NHRA U.S. Nationals at Indianapolis Raceway Park in

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, where he was #3 qualifier, and lost in the sei-final to top qualifier Garlits in '' Swamp Rat 14''. His final 1972 Top Fuel event was the Supernats at

Ontario Motor Speedway Ontario Motor Speedway was a motorsport venue located in Ontario, California. It was the first and only automobile racing facility built to accommodate major races sanctioned by all of the four dominant racing sanctioning bodies: USAC (and now In ...

, in

Ontario, California Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, ...

; Olson qualified #13, and went out in round two to #21 qualifier

Tony Nancy Tony may refer to: People and fictional characters * Tony (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Gregory Tony (born 1978), American law enforcement officer * Motu Tony (born 1981), New Zealand international rugby leag ...

1972

Lions Drag Strip Lions Drag Strip was an American raceway in the Wilmington district of Los Angeles, California, adjacent to Long Beach that existed from 1955 to 1972. The track was named after its sponsors Lions Clubs International and featured many races that we ...

Wilmington, California Wilmington is a neighborhood in the Harbor region of Los Angeles, California, covering . Featuring a heavy concentration of industry and the third-largest oil field in the continental United States, this neighborhood has a high percentage of Lat ...

, in 1972, Olson qualified #9 for the NHRA Division 7 ''Le Grand Premiere'', and was eliminated in round one by #1 qualifier

Don Prudhomme Don Prudhomme (born April 6, 1941 in San Fernando, California), nicknamed "The Snake", is an American drag racer. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 1991. Racing career Prudhomme crewed for "TV Tommy" Ivo on Ivo's ...

. Olson was paid uS$150. Olson qualified #29 for the 1972 Winternats; he defeated Karamesines in round one,

in round two, Dwight Salisbury in round three, and Gary Cochran in the semi-final, on the way to a final round win over #2 qualifier Dennis Baca, and taking a US$11,075 purse. At the NHRA Division 7 All Pro Championship Series at Orange County International Raceway (OCIR), in

Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...

, on 13 February, Olson lost to Clayton Harris, taking a purse of US$750. At the 25 March Division 7 event at OCIR, he lost in the final to Prudhomme. At

Dallas International Motor Speedway The Dallas International Motor Speedway was a racetrack located in Lewisville, Texas. It operated from June 1969 to 1973. The racetrack served as the site for such events as the NHRA Spring Nationals and World Finals, and the Texas International P ...

in June, Olson reached the final in the 1972 IHRA Longhorn Nationals, losing in the final to top qualifier "TV Tommy" Ivo. Olson qualified #1 at the NHRA Springnats in

Hebron, Ohio Hebron is a village in Licking County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,336 at the 2010 census. Geography Hebron is located at (39.963125, -82.492235). According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of , a ...

, making it to the final before losing to #1 qualifier Chip Woodall (in the Gene Snow fueller). At the NHRA Summernats at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey, Olson qualified #3, and defeated #11 qualifier Arnie Behling in round one and #15 qualifier Larry Bucher in round two, before losing to #5 qualifier (and eventual winner) Jeb Allen in the quarter-final. 1972's ''Le Grandnational'' at Sanair in

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, saw Olson reach the semi-final, before being eliminated by eventual event winner Art Marshall. Olson qualified #6 for the 1972 U.S. Nats at Indianapolis, being eliminated in the semi-final by #3 qualifier

Jerry Ruth Jerry (The King) Ruth is a former professional drag racer who raced in the "golden age of drag racing" in the 1960s and 1970s. He was known as drag racing's "King of the Northwest". Racing career Ruth began his career at young age. He raced severa ...

. The 1972 INRA U.S. Open at

North Carolina Motor Speedway Rockingham Speedway, formerly North Carolina Motor Speedway and later North Carolina Speedway is a racetrack located near Rockingham, North Carolina. It is also known as The Rock and previously hosted NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series, ...

in Rockingham, North Carolina, was a success for Olson, defeating Flip Schofield in round three, Garlits in the semi, and Ivo in the final; the scheduled final was rained out, and had to be run the next day.

hosted the 1072 IHRA Nationals in

Lewisville, Texas Lewisville ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, predominantly within Denton County with a small part lying within Dallas County. As a suburban community within the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the 2020 census tabulated a population of 111 ...

. Olson defeated Schofield in the final. Olson returned to Ontario Motor Speedway for the 1972 Supernats, beating Randy Allison (in round one) and

Herman Petersen Herman Petersen (13 December 171313 August 1765) was a Swedish merchant. Biography Herman Petersen was born on 13 December 1713 to Abraham Petersen, a wholesaler in Gothenburg and his wife Christina Tham. He was elected to serve as director ...

, before being eliminated by eventual winner Don Moody in the semi-final. Olson took a US$1500 purse.

1973

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in 1973, Olson qualified #33. He was eliminated in the second round by #12 qualifier Dennis Baca. Olson qualified #1 for the Gatornats at Gainesville Raceway in

Gainesville, Florida Gainesville is the county seat of Alachua County, Florida, Alachua County, Florida, and the largest city in North Central Florida, with a population of 141,085 in 2020. It is the principal city of the Gainesville metropolitan area, Florida, Gaine ...

, but failed to run. Along with Peterson and Jim Bucher, Olson failed to make the field for the Springnats. Olson reached the final at the U.S. Nats, losing to

Gary Beck Gary Beck (born January 21, 1941) is a two-time World champion drag racing driver. Born in Seattle, Washington and raised in the United States, Beck married a Canadian and they made their home in her native Edmonton, Alberta. He competed in stock ...

. The 1973 NHRA World Finals at Amarillo Dragway in

Amarillo, Texas Amarillo ( ; Spanish for "yellow") is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the seat of Potter County. It is the 14th-most populous city in Texas and the largest city in the Texas Panhandle. A portion of the city extends into Randall County ...

were another disappointment; though qualifying #2, and beating #10 qualifier Bucher in round one, Olson lost to Phil Hobbs in the quarter-final round. At the final race of the 1973 season, the Supernats at Ontario, Olson qualified #9, only to be eliminated in round one by #1 qualifier (and eventual event winner) Garlits (in '' Swamp Rat 19'').

1974

Olson started his final Top Fuel season at the Gatornats. He qualified #8, and was eliminated by #16 qualifier Petersen in round one. He qualified #1 at the Springnats, defeating Bucher in the semi-final to meet #2 qualifier Beck in the final, which Olson lost. Olson attended the Summernats in Englishtown, but failed to qualify. At the U.S. Nats, Olson qualified #4, but lost in round one to #20 qualifier Grant Stoms. Olson's last TF/D start was the Supernats. He qualified #14, and lost in round one to #6 qualifier Sarge Arciero. Ultimateracinghistory
(retrieved 21 September 2018)

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olson, Carl (drag racer) American racing drivers Dragster drivers Year of birth missing (living people) Living people