American Racer Pete Olson to be First Westerner to Compete in 2012 China Formula Grand Prix

Nov. 7, 2011 - PRLog -- Shanghai International Circuit, Shanghai China -

National television coverage, a 24-car competitive grid, at internationally famous race tracks – it is the stuff that dreams are made of for race drivers like American Pete Olson, who will be the first foreigner to race in the China Formula Grand Prix F2000 race series in 2012.

CFGP, formerly known as AGF [Asia Geely Formula], is currently wrapping up its 5th year in China and features large competitive race grids at various international-grade circuits including the Shanghai International Formula One Circuit, Beijing International Circuit, and the new Ordos International Circuit, which recently hosted the Superleague Formula race series from Europe.

CFGP utilizes a semi-monocoque British Van Diemen chassis mated to a China-sourced Geely engine. Due to its favorable power to weight ratio, top speed on the straight at Shanghai International F1 Circuit is over 230kph with 0-100kph in less than 5 seconds. Featuring European suspension components, the car will exceed 2.5G’s in cornering. Internationally, the Van Diemen is raced in several professional race series as Formula 2000.

Olson, who is a test driver and instructor for Formula Renault in China, is confident of his performance in the upcoming 2012 series after winning the Bridgestone 2008 F2000 MTP series in Canada. In 2008 he raced F2000 cars using the same Van Diemen chassis as CFGP, but powered by Mazda 2.3L engines. “But by no means do I think it will be easy” said Olson from Zhuhai, China, where he resides next to the Zhuhai International Circuit. “After a motorcycle accident put me out of the season last year, it’s been a while since I’ve turned a wheel in anger. But this year I have been constantly on the track testing in Formula Renault, F2000, even Sundays at the local kart track, and in the best physical shape of my career.” This, from the man who would wake up at 6am every day during the 2007 Bridgestone season to go to the gym before spending his days wrenching on race cars to fund his first victorious formula car championship season. “Every time I am on the track, I treat it as if I am in a race weekend - I am all out, that’s the only way to go, to be the fastest, to be the best of the best. There can be only one.” said Olson.

As the first Westerner to compete in the CFGP F2000 race series in China, Olson is sure to garner significant media attention in what has up to now been a Chinese-dominated series. However, this media attention will reach far beyond Olson’s personal glory as he races for children with ChildFund International [formerly the Christian Children’s Fund; http://www.ChildFund.org]. In 2003, at the start of Olson’s formula car racing career, he started a campaign called Racing for Children, where he used the publicity generated by his racing exploits to help find sponsors for children being aided by the Christian Children’s Fund charity. A sponsor himself of several children since his business studies at Boston University, including a girl in Vietnam and a boy from the Dominican Republic, Olson has used Racing for Children to generate a large amount of free media for ChildFund International.

"I've been in talks with ChildFund for our renewed partnership, and I can happily say that we are mutually excited about the limitless possibilities for next year. I am sure that we will be significantly enhancing publicity for the organization. And whether it takes twenty or a hundred media articles to generate a single sponsor to change a single child's life, then in the end its all worth it" said Olson.

In addition, the American driver is inviting interested marketing partners to join for the 2012 season: “It’s the perfect opportunity for Western companies currently expanding in China to utilize a unique and extremely popular marketing venue, with the first Westerner to race in CFGP and with a serious shot at taking the Championship. Mass media, direct marketing and sales to significant fan attendance, VIP entertainment, charitable goodwill and other benefits, all to the ideal higher income and education demographic in China - there is a very large list of profitable opportunities that CFGP presents to marketing partners, at a surprisingly low cost” said Olson.

For more information on the China Formula Grand Prix F2000 series, visit http://www.CFGP.cc. For more information on American race car driver Pete Olson, visit http://www.peteolson.com.