Budd Olsen Explained

Birth Name:	Purdy G. Olsen
Birth Date:	October 16, 1924
Birth Place:	Thorofare, New Jersey
Death Place:	Thorofare, New Jersey^[1]
Achievements:	1958 NASCAR Modified Champion^[2] 1951 National Auto Racers Sprint Car Champion^[3]
Total Cup Races:	2
Years In Cup:	2
Best Cup Pos:	51st (1949)
First Cup Race:	1949 Langhorne Speedway PA
Last Cup Race:	1961 Norwood Arena Speedway MA^[4]
Cup Wins:	0
Cup Top Tens:	0
Cup Poles:	0

Purdy “Budd” Olsen (October 16, 1924 – December 26, 1991) was an American national champion stock car and sprint car racing driver from the Thorofare section of West Deptford Township, New Jersey.

Racing career

Budd Olsen made two appearances in the NASCAR Grand National Series, the first of which was in 1949, the inaugural year of the series, where he finished 12th. He otherwise spent the majority of his career racing in the Modified division, and won the 1958 NASCAR Modified Championship.

Olsen competed at the renowned tracks of the northeast, including Wall Stadium NJ, Nazareth Speedway PA, Reading Fairgrounds Speedway PA, and Flemington Speedway NJ. Olsen was inducted into the Eastern Motorsports Press Association and the Northeast Dirt Modified Halls of Fame.^{[5] [6]}

Personal life

Budd Olsen was the brother-in-law of Jackie McLaughlin, who suffered a fatal racing accident in 1964. Olsen was a skilled fabricator and began building race chassis with his son Doug. Their chassis was a dominant player in the racing world for over two decades until Doug's 2019 death.^[7]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

(key) (

Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National Series results
Year	Team	No.	Make	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16	17	18	19	20	21	22	23	24	25	26	27	28	29	30	31	32	33	34	35	36	37	38	39	40	41	42	43	44	45	46	47	48	49	50	51	52		Pts	Ref
1949	Walt Frank	39	Mercury	CLT	DAB	HBO	LAN 12	HAM	MAR	HEI	NWS																																													51st	180	^[8]
1961	Budd Olsen	56	Chevy	CLT	JSP	DAY	DAY	DAY	PIF	AWS	HMS	ATL	GPS	HBO	BGS	MAR	NWS	CLB	HCY	RCH	MAR	DAR	CLT	CLT	RSD	ASP	CLT	PIF	BIR	GPS	BGS	NOR	HAS	STR	DAY	ATL	CLB	MBS	BRI	NSV	BGS	AWS	RCH	SBO	DAR	HCY	RCH	CSF	ATL	MAR	NWS	CLT	BRI	GPS	HBO		42	^[9]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Budd Olsen former race car driver. The Morning Call. 2022-04-27.
2. Web site: NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour Central. The Third Turn. 2022-04-27.
3. Web site: Budd Olsen, Former Race-Car Driver, Dies. AP News. 2022-04-27.
4. Web site: Budd Olsen-NASCAR Cup Series. Racing-Reference. April 29, 2023.
5. Web site: For DIRT racing legends, a long road to Hall of Fame. Syracuse Post Standard. 2022-04-27.
6. Web site: EMPA Hall of Fame – Budd Olsen. Eastern Motorsports Press Association. 2022-04-28.
7. News: Donnelly . Jim . A Modified Racing Dynasty. December 9, 2023 . Speed Sport. March 25, 2024.
8. Web site: Budd Olsen – 1949 NASCAR Strictly Stock Series Results. Racing-Reference. July 10, 2023.
9. Web site: Budd Olsen – 1961 NASCAR Grand National Series Results. Racing-Reference. July 10, 2023.