The Chevy Chase native will be the first foreigner to race in the China Formula Grand Prix F2000 race series held in April. A former financial broker, Olson made the leap from hobbyist to pro after winning a Bridgestone sponsorship in 2008. He moved to China in 2009 where he test-drives, races and is also an instructor for Champ Motorsport. How does someone from Chevy Chase wind up racing cars in China?

I started doing it as a hobby. It costs about $50,000 to run a whole season in Formula cars, so I only did races here and there from 2003 to 2007. But then in 2007 I read about this program called Bridgestone Racing Academy in Toronto. You work as a mechanic in exchange for a race season. … I won the [Bridgestone] series, and if you win the series you win a sponsorship for the whole season. After [the] 2008 [season] … I worked my contacts and wound up with a deal in Zhuhai, China, to be an instructor.