Olsen to Race Limited ACT Schedule for RPM Motorsports

Two-time NASCAR Camping World Series East Champion Mike Olsen of North Haverhill, N.H. will compete on the American-Canadian Tour with Rick Paya's RPM Motorsports team out of Georgia, Vt. Olsen and Paya agreed today to field a car in the first three ACT Late Model Tour events of 2009, beginning on April 19 at Lee USA (N.H.) Speedway's Governor's Cup 150.

Olsen fills the seat of the #32 car vacated by seven-time ACT Champion Jean-Paul Cyr, and will compete as a teammate to returning five-time ACT title winner Brian Hoar, who will race the entire ACT schedule in Paya's new #37 car. Paya brought both of his car to Canaan Fair Speedway in New Hampshire for a pre-season shakedown last week, with both Olsen and Hoar taking laps.

"We've committed to the first three races, but we would like to do more," said Olsen. "We are working on securing a sponsorship package that would let us do as many as 10 or 12 races, which is something we really hope to do."

Should sponsorship come through, Olsen said he will compete in as many races as his Camping World schedule allows. "We'll be at Lee and Airborne and Thunder Road, but the fourth race (Oxford Plains) is a conflict with a race in Iowa," he said. "But we're looking at all the races, including the 250 (TD Banknorth 250 at Oxford)." Olsen spearheads the Fadden Racing operation out of his hometown on the Camping World Series East, with Drive for Diversity participant Jonathan Smith behind the wheel. That team's schedule opens at Greenville-Pickens Speedway in South Carolina on Saturday.

Paya is excited to have Olsen join the team.

"Mike was happy with the car (at Canaan) and he fit right in with our team," Paya said. "It didn't take him long to adapt back to these cars, he was up to speed within two or three laps. It's just great to have drivers like Mike and Brian in our cars."

Olsen previously raced in ACT-legal Late Models during the 2001-04 seasons, including a full-season run at Barre's Thunder Road in 2003, where he was a feature winner and finished fifth in points. He also netted a podium finish in the ACT Late Model Tour's Spring Green at Airborne in 2004 in his first start at the track.

"I have experience at most of the tracks on the schedule, except for maybe some of the ones in Canada," Olsen said. "I'm happy with the car, Rick's stuff is good equipment, and Brian was pretty quick in testing, too. I'm excited for Lee."