What happens when a casual encounter at a bar ignites a lifelong passion for land speed racing and The Bonneville Salt Flats? Meet our legendary guest, Pam Curtis Olson, who transformed from a racing novice to accomplished racer on the Bonneville salt flats. Pam's journey is a tale of bold spirit and unyielding determination, seasoned with humor and the camaraderie of the racing community. Her daring request to race Terry Nish's streamliner lead Pam on the journey of a lifetime! Not only did she earn entrance into the Bonneville 200 MPH Club she discovered the joy and friendships found in land speed racing.
Join us as we recount Pam's thrilling pursuit of driving in both a roadster and streamliner. Experience the rookie mistakes, the adrenaline rushes, and the triumphant moments of nailing that perfect run. With anecdotes of close-knit racer camaraderie and the unique challenges of different racing vehicles, Pam's tale is filled with humor, resilience, and the thrill of risk-taking. Relive her record-breaking runs and discover the transformative power of community and shared passion on the salt. This is a celebration of racing legends, unexpected beginnings, and the relentless pursuit of speed and excellence.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Intro (00:01):
Welcome to Landspeed Legends, a podcast talking to
the men, the women, the legendsthat make land speed racing
great.
Discover the stories of theseordinary people whose passion
for land speed racing has madethem legendary.
And now here's your host theBonneville Belle, the High Boy,
(00:23):
honey, the salt princess, alisonVolk-Dean.
Pam Curtis Olson (00:34):
Yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (00:35):
Okay so the legendary Pam Curtis, now Olsen,
is here with us and she is Icall her a high red hat.
It's a faster red.
But yeah, go ahead.
And just why don't you startwith how you kind of got into
(00:56):
Bonneville racing or racing ingeneral?
Pam Curtis Olson (00:59):
Okay so, mine is a very kind of unique story
because I was.
I've never raised anything inmy life ever and you know most
of my stories start out with Iwas in a bar.
Allison Volk Dean (01:14):
So this one will start.
That We'll start this way.
Pam Curtis Olson (01:17):
We'll start.
We'll start it in the trutharea.
I was in a bar and there was auh engineer drawing of the Terry
Nish um Nish 998, 998streamliner sitting there.
And I was sitting there and hehappened to come in and my um
(01:38):
first husband uh knew Terry.
So Terry came and actually satat the table with us and he got
up for a minute and I said to myhusband I'm going to ask him if
I can sit in his car and hesays don't embarrass me, I'm
like what We've met.
Okay, of course I'm gonnaembarrass you know who I am
right.
(01:58):
And so Terry came back to thetable and I said, hey, can I sit
in your car?
And he said so Terry came backto the table and I said, hey,
can I sit in your car?
And he said yeah.
I said can I start it?
And he said you can drive it ifyou want.
And I went OK, you know.
So basically we were just kindof playing uncle, yeah.
You know who's going to say itfirst oh cool, but neither one
(02:20):
of us did.
Allison Volk Dean (02:21):
Here we are.
Game of chicken that ended upwell, Well, yeah, so well yeah,
it did.
It ended up.
Pam Curtis Olson (02:27):
Really great for me, yeah, because I didn't
know that I could love somethingas much as I love going to
Bonneville.
It's just like everything to me, yeah.
And so this new and improvedhusband he actually knows what
he's doing and he can mechanicand stuff and he thinks it's fun
and I'm like, oh, thankgoodness because right now I
(02:49):
don't have to scrape salt, Idon't have to just sit there
like the princess I was meant tobe.
Allison Volk Dean (02:54):
You make food and drink food and yeah, yeah,
yeah I'm going recon missionswith your son?
Yes, that's right you've beenhaving fun with him out here.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:03):
Oh my gosh, he's so much fun.
He is a cutie, he is so cute.
Allison Volk Dean (03:07):
Okay, so we're at the bar.
Terry says, let's, you candrive it.
So what?
What goes from there?
How do you?
What month is this Like?
Or what year is this?
Oh, it was 1998.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:19):
1998.
Okay, we started and I believeit was a Friday, so I had to go
to the shop on Wednesday.
Now, you know me, I'm mostpeople think that I'm really
outgoing and I'm not afraid ofanything and I'm fine.
Well, I had to go to the shop,okay, and I'm like am I going to
(03:41):
make a total?
Allison Volk Dean (03:45):
Ass yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:46):
You can say it this is a racing podcast.
Myself if I go down there?
And what if he was just kidding?
And what if he's just like ew,you know I was drunk.
I can't help you, lady, youneed to move on.
So I get there.
And he actually put me in thecar and it was full on um.
(04:11):
What was it?
God fire suit, full on fire,suit, full on um helmet
everything that's a tight fit.
Allison Volk Dean (04:20):
I'm a big girl, yeah, okay, so he gets me
in there and I'm, and this is inthe.
Is this in the Royal purplestreamliner?
Yes, ma'am, Okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (04:27):
And it's you know, I've never, not, I've
never.
So I get in this thing and ittells me to pull myself.
Clear up there.
Well, I'm starting to have ananxiety attack gonna be bad.
I'm like you need to get me outof here.
(04:49):
And I sweat normally.
Just you know, I could justwalk down the street in a
snowstorm and I'll sweat.
So it's just pouring off of me.
He gets an air hose, literallygets an air hose and start
spraying it at my face.
Literally gets an air hose andstarts spraying it at my face
and I'm like, okay, well, Iguess that's how we're going to
(05:11):
start.
So finally I'm like really youneed to get me out of here.
So he pulled me out by thehelmet and I start take, I start
stripping stuff.
You know I had clothesunderneath, so calm down.
I start stripping stuff.
You know I had clothesunderneath, so calm down, anyway
.
So he goes well, I guess you'redone.
And I said no, I'm not done,we're going to start with one
(05:31):
piece at a time, like Johnny Cat.
Intro (05:34):
You know.
Pam Curtis Olson (05:35):
So one fire suit, pant on and in, and then
just piece by piece and it wasawesome and I was like OK, like
okay, see, told you.
So I would just hang out withhim literally at his shop almost
every day, just like cease, wasthere people that know, cease,
(05:56):
like he's not a real talker,okay, and he's busy working on a
car and a business, and youknow, and terry says you don't
have to make, you don't have tomake, you don't have to convince
me.
You got to convince him and therest of them, and I'm like that
was a part of the deal.
No one said anything aboutbeing nice.
Allison Volk Dean (06:15):
Yeah, that's right.
Pam Curtis Olson (06:17):
Gosh.
So anyway, yeah, and Cecil saidyou don't need to be nice to me
If my dog likes you.
That was Peanut.
Peanut hated everybody so Iwould bring the damn dog treats
and stuff and she hated metalker.
But I guess I am so, luckilyfor me.
Allison Volk Dean (06:35):
I was blessed to have Jeff Nish and Larry.
Pam Curtis Olson (06:36):
Vogue, who owned Roadsters, so that you
(06:57):
know, terry didn't have to putsome weird strange woman in his
car and go down at, you know, 75miles an hour.
Yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (07:01):
It's a hard car to go slow in.
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (07:04):
Yeah, so anyway, I was fortunate enough
to be able to license in thoseroadsters and it it didn't
happen like overnight.
Okay, like it.
I believe it was almost God,was it 98?
Yeah, so 98, 99, 2000, 2001,2002, 2001 to 2003.
Intro (07:28):
So that's five years of me sucking up okay literally I
got the dog, yeah definitely tothe dog yeah, she still hated me
though, but anyway, moving on.
Pam Curtis Olson (07:44):
So, um, yeah, did some licensing runs because
of the Jeff Nish team and LarryVogt's family.
It was pretty funny because you, my friend, were doing
licensing runs yourself.
And so the best part is all thehoodlums, we call them, they
(08:09):
all wanted to strap sexy littleAllison into the car.
Jeff is the one that has tostrap me into the car, and he
didn't want me to miss out onthat by saying oh, you realize,
pam, that the boys are strappingAllison in, and there's like a
whole team of them and I have todo you?
Allison Volk Dean (08:30):
You got a man to strap you in.
You got a man to strap you in.
I just had boys, that's right.
Pam Curtis Olson (08:37):
It was great, though and it was, it was fun,
yeah, so I'd never driven a racecar.
I've never done anything likethat.
Allison Volk Dean (08:44):
So the Roadster was the first time.
First time, ok.
Pam Curtis Olson (08:46):
First time ever, Wow.
And I would come with full hairand makeup, you know, not glam,
but like I'd have my hair done.
It's like Terry would look atme like what the hell, what are
you doing?
I got to look pretty going in itRight and then you know, as you
get out you're just a big sweatbomb.
Oh yeah, and remember that oneyear at band camp, Just kidding.
(09:10):
So we went, we went to oh, itwas you and Megan was just
little Uh-huh, and she was inthe truck with us and I screwed
up on the first run in your car,Mm-hmm, and so we had to go get
back in line and it was one ofthose years where there was one
(09:31):
track, 4 million cars waiting togo.
And it was hotter than.
Allison Volk Dean (09:37):
Hades Almost as hot as it is now.
Pam Curtis Olson (09:39):
Yeah pretty much, and I'm sitting in the car
because I feel like a tard andI don't know you guys that well.
You know you're in the airconditioning, anyway.
So, yeah, yeah, we get thatdone and but back up to the part
where I screwed up and your dadhad was pushing me back and so
(10:03):
I had my helmet off and I'msitting in the car in that roll
cage and your dad had come upand bumped me and my head would
go back oh, oh, as you're takingoff.
Allison Volk Dean (10:12):
No but we're coming back.
Oh, I got you.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:15):
And he's like bumping the car and my head's
hitting the road.
Allison Volk Dean (10:20):
Like this isn't fun.
I'm like okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:23):
I understand that's my punishment.
Thank you, sir.
May I have another so?
Allison Volk Dean (10:27):
you did, though you licensed up in that
roadster.
You did.
So you did, though you licensedup in that roadster.
You did, I did and you did good.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:33):
Well, I mean that first time maybe not a
rough, not the first time, notthe second time, because the
second time I pulled into, theysaid okay, we're going to start
you in third because that was atight fit.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
And like, my legs were a littlelonger than most.
So all they said was and whenyou get to this, all you do is
(10:55):
pull back into fourth gear.
So I'm a dumb, I'm an amateurrookie, yes, and I pulled into
second gear and then there was alot of metal in the oil pan
after that and I didn't knowwhat that meant.
Allison Volk Dean (11:06):
The engine didn't like that.
Pam Curtis Olson (11:07):
Yeah, and so that's why I got bumped all the
way back to the pit.
Yes, oh, there you go.
Allison Volk Dean (11:14):
That's when that happened.
Oh, that makes more sense.
So, yeah, that's it.
Trust me, you're not the firstdriver to do that.
I'm sure a lot of guys andgirls are like yep, yep, yep,
done that before.
So Larry's like I've never donethat Because I'm perfect.
So yeah, no it's.
I think it's very common.
(11:34):
I think it's happened multipletimes on that roadster.
So it's not just me, no, it'snot just you.
Thank you, oh my God, I hope Idon't have to pay for that.
Well, you got, you got to comeback and did you license up in
that one.
Did you come back another, meetand race that?
Pam Curtis Olson (11:51):
Okay, it was like three years we did
licensing and stuff.
Allison Volk Dean (11:56):
And then, yeah, because we were kind of
back and forth, I think I wouldtake we had another roadster I
was licensing up in and then wekind of back and forth.
I think I did a run and thenyou came in and did a run.
I can't Seems like that.
Pam Curtis Olson (12:08):
I don't remember that, but I mean
remember how it all happened.
Yeah, I do know that we weredoing it at the same time.
Yeah, and we got in the get upto in the Roadster, an A or up
to A is over 200.
Allison Volk Dean (12:36):
Or did you do your A license?
Pam Curtis Olson (12:37):
I did my A license in this In the
Streamliner?
Allison Volk Dean (12:40):
Okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (12:42):
And he's, you know, we're farting around doing
whatever, and he just, Terry,looks at me and he goes get in
and I'm like oh my God, it'sreal, it's go time.
Now, what are you going to?
Allison Volk Dean (12:58):
do big mouth Stupid bars, Stupid bars.
So you get in and you go getyour A license.
What was it like writing thatstreamliner the first time?
Pam Curtis Olson (13:11):
Oh, my goodness, okay, like everything
he said was going to happen orto do.
I mean, all I could hear wasthat in my head boom, boom, hit
your shifts, do this, do that,and I think the craziest thing
well, oh well, it's not thecraziest, but funniest thing,
(13:31):
then we'll go to the craziestthing.
So you know you practice gettingin, getting out.
You got to do your bailouts,all that happy stuff.
So Cease is going to push meoff and I feel like all of a
sudden I'm a cow stuck somewhereand I kept like moving around
and moving around.
Terry goes.
You need to get her some air sothat she can just calm down.
Allison Volk Dean (13:55):
Get that hose on you, that air hose.
Pam Curtis Olson (13:59):
So here comes Dr Air into the helmet and you
know, the minute they put thelid on that thing, like
everything else went away.
Yeah, it was like peace, yep,love and harmony.
Yeah, it just kind of clears upand, um, cease, pushes me off.
And I hear in the radio, go, go, go.
(14:21):
And I'm like, oh crap, here wego.
It just hooked up the way itwas supposed to.
It did exactly what they saidit was going to do.
I hit my marks.
I did go a little fast on mylicensing run.
So Mr Nish called into Glenn andsaid sorry about that, and the
(14:42):
beautiful thing was he couldstill hear Glenn's voice.
I can anyway, saying that was abeautiful run.
I'll license that.
Allison Volk Dean (14:50):
I was like, yes, that's awesome, that's
great.
Oh, I love that you have thatmemory just to can still hear it
.
So what was like the differencebetween the Roadster and the
Streamliner going from those two?
Pam Curtis Olson (15:02):
Oh my gosh, you know, I've never driven a
Streamliner I don't know.
Allison Volk Dean (15:07):
I know what a Roadster's like.
Pam Curtis Olson (15:09):
That's hell.
Okay, that is bumpy, it's wild,it's unpredictable really, and
it's like oh my gosh, peoplethat drive roadsters are my
heroes because those things arebumpy.
Allison Volk Dean (15:24):
Oh yeah, and they like to dance with you.
Pam Curtis Olson (15:26):
Yes, they do, and I'm not, like, really a
dancer, not even in real life.
Yeah, so there I am, I graduateto this and it was like a
(15:59):
Cadillac.
It was yeah, it was just sosmooth and it was so perfect and
the the rush was crazy.
It was crazy, yeah, and Istopped.
You know chris and ed sheer,they're right there and, um,
when the, when the shoots hit,that was like whoa, whoa, yeah,
oh my gosh you were born forthis.
Allison Volk Dean (16:11):
You loved it.
Pam Curtis Olson (16:12):
I loved it.
I was addicted.
Yeah, and Chris and Ed Sheershow up with a bottle of water
and they're taking the lid offand stuff like that.
I did a perfect turnout, by theway, may I say Excellent,
perfect.
Right on the return road justwaiting for the pickup truck, I
was like, yeah, nailed it,governor, that does feel good it
(16:33):
does feel good because youdon't ever want to get yelled at
I mean not really yelled at butyou get that stink eye, shame
yeah.
That eye that you're like thanksYep Makes me feel worse.
Allison Volk Dean (16:46):
I know Well, you did a good run, you got off
the track Excellent, good job onthat one.
So that was your A license.
Pam Curtis Olson (16:53):
It sounds like yeah, so I'm going Wait.
A license is unlimited, right?
Oh no, that's double A Okay, sothat was.
Allison Volk Dean (17:03):
A.
Pam Curtis Olson (17:05):
That's over $250.
Place and I'm driving Terry'svan thinking.
I'm all that in a bag ofCheetos you know, and they're
working on the car.
So I think that we're fine andit's.
You know, I've got all day tostand there and just talk myself
up because I'm so cool at thatpoint and all of a sudden
somebody comes up and goesyou're going to miss your ride.
(17:26):
And I'm like what they did somefreaking NASCAR turnaround
thing and put me back in line.
Allison Volk Dean (17:34):
Oh, my God.
Pam Curtis Olson (17:35):
Which was probably a genius move, because
if I wouldn't have the night tothink about it, I'd be like
that's enough.
Yeah, that's enough, yeah, yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (17:45):
That's good.
So you got right back in line.
Got right back in line For yourunlimited To qualify.
Oh, your unlimited and yourqualification.
Yeah, okay, and what was therecord on that?
Do you remember what class itwas?
It was an E-Fuel Streamliner.
What was the record that youremember?
(18:05):
215.
215?
Pam Curtis Olson (18:08):
215 or 250?
Allison Volk Dean (18:09):
I think probably 250.
250.
You're probably 250.
250.
You're probably right.
Well, unless you guys blew therecord out of the water if it
was 215.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:17):
Okay, you're right, I'm a tard.
Allison Volk Dean (18:19):
I could have, you could have.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:20):
No, no, you're right and I should you know.
If you would have asked me thisstuff 10 years ago, I could
have nailed it, I know.
Allison Volk Dean (18:28):
You know Well , I asked you on the fly to do
this interview too.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:36):
So you're, you didn't have time to think about
it.
So anyway, get back in line,qualify and then go to impound.
Allison Volk Dean (18:44):
So you got your unlimited license and
qualified on the same run.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:48):
Yeah, okay, crazy, huh.
Yeah, I did the same yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (18:52):
I'll say, sister, I knew it.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:56):
So it was great.
It was great.
So we go to impound and thenthat night, you know, usually
I'm drinking, but I didn'tbecause I oh no, can't do that
Well.
I'll tell you what Getting outof the car.
Let me tell you what we get outof the car.
When I, chris and Ed came toget me out and, like I was, I
(19:17):
couldn't breathe.
At the end of the qualifyingpass, we qualified.
Allison Volk Dean (19:21):
I was like Okay, so is this on the record
run then?
When is this?
Okay, so you had the night youdidn't drink.
Pam Curtis Olson (19:37):
And then you go back and you do your pass to
for the record.
Is that what you're talkingabout?
I'm talking about my first time.
So, yeah, okay, he's gone.
So, like I couldn't breathe andEd about died, he's like, hey,
I'm like calm down, give me aminute.
I'll breathe first that airhose, when you need one, you
know.
But now and then, um, Icouldn't get out of the car
because I was like noodles.
Allison Volk Dean (19:55):
Does everybody feel that?
I think it's an adrenaline dumpthat you're having and I think
it depends, you know, everybodykind of experiences it a little
different.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:03):
But yeah, I was spaghetti.
Allison Volk Dean (20:05):
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:05):
And I'm like oh, oh, oh, just stop, I was
Gumby, I was gummy, I'm like oneof those things at the car
dealerships.
Allison Volk Dean (20:16):
Somebody help me, so you got out though.
Yeah, I got out.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:21):
And it was the most fabulous thing in the
whole wide world to get a hugfrom the man that all I never
wanted to do was disappoint him.
Oh yeah, I never wanted todisappoint and it was a big
stinking deal to me andeverybody was excited and it was
just, it was everything.
Allison Volk Dean (20:38):
Yes, it's everything.
You got the record.
Yeah, and that was, and you gotwhat's your record at.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:44):
Two eighty seven, point eight to six.
Allison Volk Dean (20:46):
And you still .
Even if the record was 250,that's still blowing it out.
It was big yeah, we, we reallysmashed you.
Still, even if the record was250, that's still blowing it out
of the water.
It was big.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:53):
Yeah, we smashed it 215 would have really
smashed it Right and they wouldhave been like really, Is that
the class?
Let's go back to class it'ssomebody cheating?
Allison Volk Dean (20:59):
Yeah no, you guys did good and you got the
record, and you again.
That's why I call you a highred.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:20):
Because call you a high red, because you're
close, you're getting, you'repushing up there on that 300.
Yeah, now, how long did youhold that record for?
Well, fabio came from Italy,you know, and they just spoke
very little English, and Ibelieve I got that in 2003.
So, fabio, I, we held it for along time.
I should know I really shouldLike.
Allison Volk Dean (21:36):
I said I asked him to fly, so it's like
yeah, but so you held it for awhile, though, and then Fabio he
was.
He came Okay, so he had his ownstreamliner from Italy.
I remember when they came, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:46):
Yeah, they spoke very little English.
They were so cute, so every dayI'd go that I didn't get it.
Intro (21:54):
Calm down, calm down.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:56):
So the one day I decided to come late.
Allison Volk Dean (22:00):
Guess who got my record you should have.
Should have gotten there early,I know.
Pam Curtis Olson (22:05):
They said, you better go down and see somebody
.
And I went, oh, really Good forthem.
And I walked down there and I,I believe I had a NIST shirt on.
I didn't even have a two clubshirt on, I had a NIST shirt and
I walked down to their pits andthey come running at me these
all these Italian men so excited, and they're so excited.
(22:26):
We're jumping up and down andhugging and I'm like, yay, they
can't talk to me.
Allison Volk Dean (22:33):
I can't talk to them, so it was fabulous,
that's Lansmead right there,that's Bonneville.
That's good, right, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (22:41):
Everybody is just so kind and everybody wants
to help everybody.
That's the best part about it.
It's such a big family thingand you know, especially like
your family, they just keepgoing, and going, and going and
it's so much fun.
And now Andy's doing it, and sohe's keeping up the niche side
(23:02):
and I just feel like I'm asister.
So I'm going to be here all thetime.
Allison Volk Dean (23:07):
You've been here for a while now You've
earned your keep.
Pam Curtis Olson (23:10):
You don't have to keep feeding us to make us
happy, but you do, but you could.
That way I don't have to dothat feeding us to make us happy
, but you do but you could.
Allison Volk Dean (23:17):
That way I don't have to do that.
Yeah, that's right, that'sexactly right.
Um, so you but you fell in lovewith this sport and, um, you
kept coming out even afterwardsand what?
Um?
Kind of what did you do whenyou were out here before, like,
what do you currently do outhere?
What have you done since then?
Pam Curtis Olson (23:35):
Basically, I just hang out in the pit and I
will be a crew member, I'll do,I'll pull Paris, I mean, get
parachutes picked up.
And then you know there's kindof a process to get that car on
the trailer Right.
So you've got to kind of knowthe process and get it done.
And then back in the day beforewe decided that, oh, I don't
(23:58):
know, maybe a power washer wouldbe good.
I'm just saying we had toscrape salt like everywhere all
the way, and the wheels on thecar had little like round
circles on them, they werechrome and they were so pretty
and all that crap and it's likeokay, and we couldn't let it go
(24:19):
out when it was ugly, you knowhow to clean it, and that's
still kind of what I was doing.
Allison Volk Dean (24:25):
I was cleaning things and you know
cause I I'm not a wrencher, yeah, so you do you pick up where in
other places?
Pam Curtis Olson (24:36):
which is great .
I mean I sweep yeah, you knowstuff like that Whatever needs
to be done, yeah, and so it'sjust been a miracle, it's been a
blessing.
It's changed my entire life.
Yeah, that little conversationin a bar changed my life.
Allison Volk Dean (24:49):
I love that story.
It's such a good story.
It's so crazy and you justbecame a huge fan of the sport
and you still come out from 2003.
I think you're always out here.
It seems like.
I mean, it's not like I don'tthink you've really stopped ever
coming out.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:04):
I did Since then.
We were going for it In 2004,.
I was going for a three record.
Oh, I think I remember that,yeah, and so I would have been
like it would have made me thefastest woman in the world and
it would have made me thefastest person on gas at that
time.
Allison Volk Dean (25:24):
Well, what happened with that?
What didn't ever pan out.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:29):
Well, I was in the car.
So I was actually in the car todo it.
Yeah, and I was just.
You know, you get that feeling.
Yeah, women's intuition thing.
Yeah, yeah, and I was just.
You know, you get that feeling.
Yeah, women's intuition thing.
Allison Volk Dean (25:38):
Yeah, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:38):
And I'm like something's wrong and Terry's
like shut up, and I'm like no,something's wrong.
Allison Volk Dean (25:43):
It's like yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:45):
I'm like I don't think I wanted to beg Mike
to do a shakedown, you know,because I could just feel it in
my bones, yeah, but I didn'tdare because I didn't know that
and I should have, but anywho.
So like getting on the line andeverything, like I was in the
blue room more than I wasanywhere waiting.
(26:07):
So terry tells cease, put herin the car real slow, because
she's really bumpy today,because she's really bumpy today
, really bumpy, and I was.
I was like yeah, so anyway weget there.
The last thing that Mike says tome is don't short shift or you
won't make it.
And I'm like, ok, so firstthing I do.
(26:31):
Second shift I short shifted.
Well, this engine is biggerthan my little E1.
Okay, and it it was screamingat me and I'm like I'm going to
blow this sucker up.
Oh my gosh, what am I going todo?
And it's just screaming andscreaming.
So I shifted because I don't.
I used to drive a stick, so Ithought that would be the right
(26:53):
thing to do, but maybe youshould listen to people when
they know what they're talkingabout.
Allison Volk Dean (26:57):
I don't know People that work on the car and
the engine.
Pam Curtis Olson (26:59):
You know, maybe you've got a little bit of
knowledge.
So it shook, the car shook andit was talking to me, but I
thought it was because Ishort-shifted, because I just I
didn't have the kind ofexperience that I needed, you
know, really, and I just stuckmy foot in it and it lifted and
(27:21):
it went straight up in the airand it came down, went back up
in the air, came down and did acouple rolls and the next thing
I know Larry Lawson is stickinghis face in my face and I'm on
my side and he's like uh, pammy,you okay, hey, pammy, I'm like
(27:41):
this is going to kill me and hegoes.
Allison Volk Dean (27:46):
No, he's not.
That's so funny.
You wake up and he's rightthere.
Pam Curtis Olson (27:51):
So you know, you got everybody there and
they're all and the fire's thereand the paramedics and it was.
It was a doozy of a crash.
I mean honestly.
Allison Volk Dean (27:59):
I remember.
It's funny because like I'dforgotten about it until you
started telling me.
I'm like I totally remember itwas a doozy of a crash, it was.
Pam Curtis Olson (28:08):
And, like Bert Dahls, crashed at the same mile
as I did in a streamliner doingabout the same time, I mean
same speed, oh yeah, and theyend out and it was bad, it was
bad, it was really bad.
And then I think I crashedbefore him.
Obviously, yeah, and the cardidn't look that bad, it really
(28:31):
didn't yeah, and the canopy hadflown off way before.
And I'm sitting there on theside trying to find the canopy
thingy to release it, it'salready gone, dummy.
Okay, larry's got his head inhere.
There's a reason you can't findit.
Allison Volk Dean (28:47):
What was it like to crash at that?
Like what were you thinking?
When did you lose your horizon?
Pam Curtis Olson (28:58):
I'm like what.
Intro (28:59):
He's like oh my.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:00):
God Never mind , but I do remember going by the
three at the timing stand,where Julie Berkdahl usually is,
and I was like holy crap, Ihope I don't hit him.
I remember thinking that.
Intro (29:20):
That's when my mind went.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:21):
It was like it was over and paramedics,
everybody shows up and I getthey got a little fire in the
back.
So the fireman says to meyou've got a little fire.
And I'm like fat girl, smallspot and I bail.
Intro (29:39):
I don't even move the steering wheel.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:41):
Okay, that thing is solid steel and I don't
even freaking move it.
I just push it out of the wayand bet the fire extinguisher
pulls with my knee and I'm out.
I'm out.
Allison Volk Dean (29:52):
I'm not going out this way.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:56):
And the you know, the safety people here are
amazing, amazing and theofficials are just everything.
So the paramedics want me toget in the truck.
I'm like, listen, pal, ain'tnothing, a couple Budweiser's
won't fix okay.
I need to go back to the bar,I'm fine, so you didn't go back.
(30:20):
I did not get in the truck no.
So were you bruised?
My knees were bruised, but thatwas from hitting the fire
extinguisher pole.
Okay, I'm serious.
The worst injury I had, veryworst was it was really really
windy one day day and I got hitby the blue room door in my leg
and that's the worst.
That's the worst injury I'vehad.
(30:42):
That week.
Allison Volk Dean (30:44):
Oh, that's so funny.
Well, that's, I love thestories about Terry and Mike
that you're telling and likewhat, what was it like?
I mean, how is it like out herewithout them now?
Like after, after, like you cango with one or the other, but
or what it was like with them,and then you know how it is now.
Pam Curtis Olson (31:08):
Well, you know , we still got a big, fast car
and but now we don't have 20guys right working on it, you
know.
And then you don't have becauseI'm sorry, that's okay, it's
hard not to have them here,because that's that's my love.
(31:33):
Yeah, you, you know it's bothand I miss him a lot.
Yeah, and with Terry not beinghere, you kind of have to follow
the rules a little bit better,because you know you have to be
a little more, not so cocky.
Intro (31:52):
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (31:52):
Because you don't have anybody to stand up
for you really, and I'm justkind of out here as a crew
member.
Allison Volk Dean (31:57):
So it's like you know, oh so, so sweet,
though you really had a love forthem.
I love those, ben.
Pam Curtis Olson (32:04):
Yeah, and I love every single one of the
people that come here.
Yeah, and I want Andy tosucceed and I want to watch your
kids, you know, do their thingwhen it's time, and I just
there's camaraderie out here,yes, between everyone, you know,
(32:24):
even if you're going to taketheir record.
Yep, it's just, it's everything, it's just such a, it's such a
good feeling.
And people say well, how muchdo you?
Allison Volk Dean (32:39):
get paid to do that and I'm like what are
you talking about?
Okay, I pay stuff to go there.
I lost money on this.
I lost a lot of money on this.
No, I didn't.
Pam Curtis Olson (32:47):
But it was.
I get my name in a book, I getto wear a cool red hat and a
cool shirt, and other than thatnot it, yeah, no, yeah, it's for
the glory.
Allison Volk Dean (33:00):
You get the glory, yeah, yeah that's what
it's about.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:03):
Yep, and every year you know when the rule
book comes, you check again tomake sure that, okay, fabio
still owns yeah, maybe somebodyneeds to go take that back, pam
I mean, you know, somebody askedme that would you get back in.
Allison Volk Dean (33:19):
I said no, I'm too old and fat now no, no
and I'm not nice enough to suckup yeah you know I'm over that,
yeah, but you're still out hereenjoying the sport and loving
your people.
You got a great crew.
I have a fabulous crew.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:38):
Well, it's not my crew, it's Andy's crew.
Allison Volk Dean (33:40):
Well, but you're part of it, You're part
of the crew and you're the crew.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:44):
It's fun.
Allison Volk Dean (33:45):
It's so much fun, you're one of the few women
over here, so somebody's got tolook after these guys.
Pam Curtis Olson (34:00):
Back in the day day I was like the only
woman, yeah, the only one, yeah,and you know, cecil did all the
cooking.
Oh, he did, I didn't know that.
Yeah, so he's racing cars,fixing cars, fixing engines,
doing this, doing that andcooking dinner all at the same
time and I'm like I can't evenshut corn for you, dude because
you scare me and so does yourdog.
Allison Volk Dean (34:15):
So does your dog.
That's so funny.
Well, that was an awesome story.
I got me teary-eyed talkingabout the past and the future of
this, and I think that's a good.
That's a good reason to kind offocus on saving the salt and
just for what's ahead for ohyeah these guys to keep them,
keep it going yeah, yeah, it'sgot to keep going because it's
(34:37):
so much fun.
Pam Curtis Olson (34:38):
And you think to yourself, oh my gosh, people
in Salt Lake have no idea.
You're an hour and a half awayfrom a wonder of the world and
people come from all over theworld.
I mean, the Kiwis are just nextdoor.
Yeah, they're a kick.
Yeah, they are, they're a lotof fun.
(34:59):
So it's like we have peoplethat you know cliff's been
coming out forever.
He comes from washington, justa crew to get yelled at, beat up
, sat home sat home with dirtylaundry yes, so it's great and I
got to meet you and your familyand I.
I'm blessed beyond because ofthis place, because of this
(35:21):
place and because of people likeyou.
Allison Volk Dean (35:24):
Ah, that's beautiful, Pam.
Thanks, allison, greatinterview.
Thank you so much.
Intro (35:30):
Thanks for listening to Land Speed Legends.
Make sure you subscribe so youdon't miss any future episodes.
In the meantime, keep up withthe show on Facebook and
Instagram under Land SpeedLegends.
Until next time.
Welcome to Landspeed Legends, a podcast talking to
the men, the women, the legendsthat make land speed racing
great.
Discover the stories of theseordinary people whose passion
for land speed racing has madethem legendary.
And now here's your host theBonneville Belle, the High Boy,
(00:23):
honey, the salt princess, alisonVolk-Dean.
Pam Curtis Olson (00:34):
Yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (00:35):
Okay so the legendary Pam Curtis, now Olsen,
is here with us and she is Icall her a high red hat.
It's a faster red.
But yeah, go ahead.
And just why don't you startwith how you kind of got into
(00:56):
Bonneville racing or racing ingeneral?
Pam Curtis Olson (00:59):
Okay so, mine is a very kind of unique story
because I was.
I've never raised anything inmy life ever and you know most
of my stories start out with Iwas in a bar.
Allison Volk Dean (01:14):
So this one will start.
That We'll start this way.
Pam Curtis Olson (01:17):
We'll start.
We'll start it in the trutharea.
I was in a bar and there was auh engineer drawing of the Terry
Nish um Nish 998, 998streamliner sitting there.
And I was sitting there and hehappened to come in and my um
(01:38):
first husband uh knew Terry.
So Terry came and actually satat the table with us and he got
up for a minute and I said to myhusband I'm going to ask him if
I can sit in his car and hesays don't embarrass me, I'm
like what We've met.
Okay, of course I'm gonnaembarrass you know who I am
right.
(01:58):
And so Terry came back to thetable and I said, hey, can I sit
in your car?
And he said so Terry came backto the table and I said, hey,
can I sit in your car?
And he said yeah.
I said can I start it?
And he said you can drive it ifyou want.
And I went OK, you know.
So basically we were just kindof playing uncle, yeah.
You know who's going to say itfirst oh cool, but neither one
(02:20):
of us did.
Allison Volk Dean (02:21):
Here we are.
Game of chicken that ended upwell, Well, yeah, so well yeah,
it did.
It ended up.
Pam Curtis Olson (02:27):
Really great for me, yeah, because I didn't
know that I could love somethingas much as I love going to
Bonneville.
It's just like everything to me, yeah.
And so this new and improvedhusband he actually knows what
he's doing and he can mechanicand stuff and he thinks it's fun
and I'm like, oh, thankgoodness because right now I
(02:49):
don't have to scrape salt, Idon't have to just sit there
like the princess I was meant tobe.
Allison Volk Dean (02:54):
You make food and drink food and yeah, yeah,
yeah I'm going recon missionswith your son?
Yes, that's right you've beenhaving fun with him out here.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:03):
Oh my gosh, he's so much fun.
He is a cutie, he is so cute.
Allison Volk Dean (03:07):
Okay, so we're at the bar.
Terry says, let's, you candrive it.
So what?
What goes from there?
How do you?
What month is this Like?
Or what year is this?
Oh, it was 1998.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:19):
1998.
Okay, we started and I believeit was a Friday, so I had to go
to the shop on Wednesday.
Now, you know me, I'm mostpeople think that I'm really
outgoing and I'm not afraid ofanything and I'm fine.
Well, I had to go to the shop,okay, and I'm like am I going to
(03:41):
make a total?
Allison Volk Dean (03:45):
Ass yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (03:46):
You can say it this is a racing podcast.
Myself if I go down there?
And what if he was just kidding?
And what if he's just like ew,you know I was drunk.
I can't help you, lady, youneed to move on.
So I get there.
And he actually put me in thecar and it was full on um.
(04:11):
What was it?
God fire suit, full on fire,suit, full on um helmet
everything that's a tight fit.
Allison Volk Dean (04:20):
I'm a big girl, yeah, okay, so he gets me
in there and I'm, and this is inthe.
Is this in the Royal purplestreamliner?
Yes, ma'am, Okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (04:27):
And it's you know, I've never, not, I've
never.
So I get in this thing and ittells me to pull myself.
Clear up there.
Well, I'm starting to have ananxiety attack gonna be bad.
I'm like you need to get me outof here.
(04:49):
And I sweat normally.
Just you know, I could justwalk down the street in a
snowstorm and I'll sweat.
So it's just pouring off of me.
He gets an air hose, literallygets an air hose and start
spraying it at my face.
Literally gets an air hose andstarts spraying it at my face
and I'm like, okay, well, Iguess that's how we're going to
(05:11):
start.
So finally I'm like really youneed to get me out of here.
So he pulled me out by thehelmet and I start take, I start
stripping stuff.
You know I had clothesunderneath, so calm down.
I start stripping stuff.
You know I had clothesunderneath, so calm down, anyway
.
So he goes well, I guess you'redone.
And I said no, I'm not done,we're going to start with one
(05:31):
piece at a time, like Johnny Cat.
Intro (05:34):
You know.
Pam Curtis Olson (05:35):
So one fire suit, pant on and in, and then
just piece by piece and it wasawesome and I was like OK, like
okay, see, told you.
So I would just hang out withhim literally at his shop almost
every day, just like cease, wasthere people that know, cease,
(05:56):
like he's not a real talker,okay, and he's busy working on a
car and a business, and youknow, and terry says you don't
have to make, you don't have tomake, you don't have to convince
me.
You got to convince him and therest of them, and I'm like that
was a part of the deal.
No one said anything aboutbeing nice.
Allison Volk Dean (06:15):
Yeah, that's right.
Pam Curtis Olson (06:17):
Gosh.
So anyway, yeah, and Cecil saidyou don't need to be nice to me
If my dog likes you.
That was Peanut.
Peanut hated everybody so Iwould bring the damn dog treats
and stuff and she hated metalker.
But I guess I am so, luckilyfor me.
Allison Volk Dean (06:35):
I was blessed to have Jeff Nish and Larry.
Pam Curtis Olson (06:36):
Vogue, who owned Roadsters, so that you
(06:57):
know, terry didn't have to putsome weird strange woman in his
car and go down at, you know, 75miles an hour.
Yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (07:01):
It's a hard car to go slow in.
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (07:04):
Yeah, so anyway, I was fortunate enough
to be able to license in thoseroadsters and it it didn't
happen like overnight.
Okay, like it.
I believe it was almost God,was it 98?
Yeah, so 98, 99, 2000, 2001,2002, 2001 to 2003.
Intro (07:28):
So that's five years of me sucking up okay literally I
got the dog, yeah definitely tothe dog yeah, she still hated me
though, but anyway, moving on.
Pam Curtis Olson (07:44):
So, um, yeah, did some licensing runs because
of the Jeff Nish team and LarryVogt's family.
It was pretty funny because you, my friend, were doing
licensing runs yourself.
And so the best part is all thehoodlums, we call them, they
(08:09):
all wanted to strap sexy littleAllison into the car.
Jeff is the one that has tostrap me into the car, and he
didn't want me to miss out onthat by saying oh, you realize,
pam, that the boys are strappingAllison in, and there's like a
whole team of them and I have todo you?
Allison Volk Dean (08:30):
You got a man to strap you in.
You got a man to strap you in.
I just had boys, that's right.
Pam Curtis Olson (08:37):
It was great, though and it was, it was fun,
yeah, so I'd never driven a racecar.
I've never done anything likethat.
Allison Volk Dean (08:44):
So the Roadster was the first time.
First time, ok.
Pam Curtis Olson (08:46):
First time ever, Wow.
And I would come with full hairand makeup, you know, not glam,
but like I'd have my hair done.
It's like Terry would look atme like what the hell, what are
you doing?
I got to look pretty going in itRight and then you know, as you
get out you're just a big sweatbomb.
Oh yeah, and remember that oneyear at band camp, Just kidding.
(09:10):
So we went, we went to oh, itwas you and Megan was just
little Uh-huh, and she was inthe truck with us and I screwed
up on the first run in your car,Mm-hmm, and so we had to go get
back in line and it was one ofthose years where there was one
(09:31):
track, 4 million cars waiting togo.
And it was hotter than.
Allison Volk Dean (09:37):
Hades Almost as hot as it is now.
Pam Curtis Olson (09:39):
Yeah pretty much, and I'm sitting in the car
because I feel like a tard andI don't know you guys that well.
You know you're in the airconditioning, anyway.
So, yeah, yeah, we get thatdone and but back up to the part
where I screwed up and your dadhad was pushing me back and so
(10:03):
I had my helmet off and I'msitting in the car in that roll
cage and your dad had come upand bumped me and my head would
go back oh, oh, as you're takingoff.
Allison Volk Dean (10:12):
No but we're coming back.
Oh, I got you.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:15):
And he's like bumping the car and my head's
hitting the road.
Allison Volk Dean (10:20):
Like this isn't fun.
I'm like okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:23):
I understand that's my punishment.
Thank you, sir.
May I have another so?
Allison Volk Dean (10:27):
you did, though you licensed up in that
roadster.
You did.
So you did, though you licensedup in that roadster.
You did, I did and you did good.
Pam Curtis Olson (10:33):
Well, I mean that first time maybe not a
rough, not the first time, notthe second time, because the
second time I pulled into, theysaid okay, we're going to start
you in third because that was atight fit.
Yeah, okay, yeah.
And like, my legs were a littlelonger than most.
So all they said was and whenyou get to this, all you do is
(10:55):
pull back into fourth gear.
So I'm a dumb, I'm an amateurrookie, yes, and I pulled into
second gear and then there was alot of metal in the oil pan
after that and I didn't knowwhat that meant.
Allison Volk Dean (11:06):
The engine didn't like that.
Pam Curtis Olson (11:07):
Yeah, and so that's why I got bumped all the
way back to the pit.
Yes, oh, there you go.
Allison Volk Dean (11:14):
That's when that happened.
Oh, that makes more sense.
So, yeah, that's it.
Trust me, you're not the firstdriver to do that.
I'm sure a lot of guys andgirls are like yep, yep, yep,
done that before.
So Larry's like I've never donethat Because I'm perfect.
So yeah, no it's.
I think it's very common.
(11:34):
I think it's happened multipletimes on that roadster.
So it's not just me, no, it'snot just you.
Thank you, oh my God, I hope Idon't have to pay for that.
Well, you got, you got to comeback and did you license up in
that one.
Did you come back another, meetand race that?
Pam Curtis Olson (11:51):
Okay, it was like three years we did
licensing and stuff.
Allison Volk Dean (11:56):
And then, yeah, because we were kind of
back and forth, I think I wouldtake we had another roadster I
was licensing up in and then wekind of back and forth.
I think I did a run and thenyou came in and did a run.
I can't Seems like that.
Pam Curtis Olson (12:08):
I don't remember that, but I mean
remember how it all happened.
Yeah, I do know that we weredoing it at the same time.
Yeah, and we got in the get upto in the Roadster, an A or up
to A is over 200.
Allison Volk Dean (12:36):
Or did you do your A license?
Pam Curtis Olson (12:37):
I did my A license in this In the
Streamliner?
Allison Volk Dean (12:40):
Okay.
Pam Curtis Olson (12:42):
And he's, you know, we're farting around doing
whatever, and he just, Terry,looks at me and he goes get in
and I'm like oh my God, it'sreal, it's go time.
Now, what are you going to?
Allison Volk Dean (12:58):
do big mouth Stupid bars, Stupid bars.
So you get in and you go getyour A license.
What was it like writing thatstreamliner the first time?
Pam Curtis Olson (13:11):
Oh, my goodness, okay, like everything
he said was going to happen orto do.
I mean, all I could hear wasthat in my head boom, boom, hit
your shifts, do this, do that,and I think the craziest thing
well, oh well, it's not thecraziest, but funniest thing,
(13:31):
then we'll go to the craziestthing.
So you know you practice gettingin, getting out.
You got to do your bailouts,all that happy stuff.
So Cease is going to push meoff and I feel like all of a
sudden I'm a cow stuck somewhereand I kept like moving around
and moving around.
Terry goes.
You need to get her some air sothat she can just calm down.
Allison Volk Dean (13:55):
Get that hose on you, that air hose.
Pam Curtis Olson (13:59):
So here comes Dr Air into the helmet and you
know, the minute they put thelid on that thing, like
everything else went away.
Yeah, it was like peace, yep,love and harmony.
Yeah, it just kind of clears upand, um, cease, pushes me off.
And I hear in the radio, go, go, go.
(14:21):
And I'm like, oh crap, here wego.
It just hooked up the way itwas supposed to.
It did exactly what they saidit was going to do.
I hit my marks.
I did go a little fast on mylicensing run.
So Mr Nish called into Glenn andsaid sorry about that, and the
(14:42):
beautiful thing was he couldstill hear Glenn's voice.
I can anyway, saying that was abeautiful run.
I'll license that.
Allison Volk Dean (14:50):
I was like, yes, that's awesome, that's
great.
Oh, I love that you have thatmemory just to can still hear it
.
So what was like the differencebetween the Roadster and the
Streamliner going from those two?
Pam Curtis Olson (15:02):
Oh my gosh, you know, I've never driven a
Streamliner I don't know.
Allison Volk Dean (15:07):
I know what a Roadster's like.
Pam Curtis Olson (15:09):
That's hell.
Okay, that is bumpy, it's wild,it's unpredictable really, and
it's like oh my gosh, peoplethat drive roadsters are my
heroes because those things arebumpy.
Allison Volk Dean (15:24):
Oh yeah, and they like to dance with you.
Pam Curtis Olson (15:26):
Yes, they do, and I'm not, like, really a
dancer, not even in real life.
Yeah, so there I am, I graduateto this and it was like a
(15:59):
Cadillac.
It was yeah, it was just sosmooth and it was so perfect and
the the rush was crazy.
It was crazy, yeah, and Istopped.
You know chris and ed sheer,they're right there and, um,
when the, when the shoots hit,that was like whoa, whoa, yeah,
oh my gosh you were born forthis.
Allison Volk Dean (16:11):
You loved it.
Pam Curtis Olson (16:12):
I loved it.
I was addicted.
Yeah, and Chris and Ed Sheershow up with a bottle of water
and they're taking the lid offand stuff like that.
I did a perfect turnout, by theway, may I say Excellent,
perfect.
Right on the return road justwaiting for the pickup truck, I
was like, yeah, nailed it,governor, that does feel good it
(16:33):
does feel good because youdon't ever want to get yelled at
I mean not really yelled at butyou get that stink eye, shame
yeah.
That eye that you're like thanksYep Makes me feel worse.
Allison Volk Dean (16:46):
I know Well, you did a good run, you got off
the track Excellent, good job onthat one.
So that was your A license.
Pam Curtis Olson (16:53):
It sounds like yeah, so I'm going Wait.
A license is unlimited, right?
Oh no, that's double A Okay, sothat was.
Allison Volk Dean (17:03):
A.
Pam Curtis Olson (17:05):
That's over $250.
Place and I'm driving Terry'svan thinking.
I'm all that in a bag ofCheetos you know, and they're
working on the car.
So I think that we're fine andit's.
You know, I've got all day tostand there and just talk myself
up because I'm so cool at thatpoint and all of a sudden
somebody comes up and goesyou're going to miss your ride.
(17:26):
And I'm like what they did somefreaking NASCAR turnaround
thing and put me back in line.
Allison Volk Dean (17:34):
Oh, my God.
Pam Curtis Olson (17:35):
Which was probably a genius move, because
if I wouldn't have the night tothink about it, I'd be like
that's enough.
Yeah, that's enough, yeah, yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (17:45):
That's good.
So you got right back in line.
Got right back in line For yourunlimited To qualify.
Oh, your unlimited and yourqualification.
Yeah, okay, and what was therecord on that?
Do you remember what class itwas?
It was an E-Fuel Streamliner.
What was the record that youremember?
(18:05):
215.
215?
Pam Curtis Olson (18:08):
215 or 250?
Allison Volk Dean (18:09):
I think probably 250.
250.
You're probably 250.
250.
You're probably right.
Well, unless you guys blew therecord out of the water if it
was 215.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:17):
Okay, you're right, I'm a tard.
Allison Volk Dean (18:19):
I could have, you could have.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:20):
No, no, you're right and I should you know.
If you would have asked me thisstuff 10 years ago, I could
have nailed it, I know.
Allison Volk Dean (18:28):
You know Well , I asked you on the fly to do
this interview too.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:36):
So you're, you didn't have time to think about
it.
So anyway, get back in line,qualify and then go to impound.
Allison Volk Dean (18:44):
So you got your unlimited license and
qualified on the same run.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:48):
Yeah, okay, crazy, huh.
Yeah, I did the same yeah.
Allison Volk Dean (18:52):
I'll say, sister, I knew it.
Pam Curtis Olson (18:56):
So it was great.
It was great.
So we go to impound and thenthat night, you know, usually
I'm drinking, but I didn'tbecause I oh no, can't do that
Well.
I'll tell you what Getting outof the car.
Let me tell you what we get outof the car.
When I, chris and Ed came toget me out and, like I was, I
(19:17):
couldn't breathe.
At the end of the qualifyingpass, we qualified.
Allison Volk Dean (19:21):
I was like Okay, so is this on the record
run then?
When is this?
Okay, so you had the night youdidn't drink.
Pam Curtis Olson (19:37):
And then you go back and you do your pass to
for the record.
Is that what you're talkingabout?
I'm talking about my first time.
So, yeah, okay, he's gone.
So, like I couldn't breathe andEd about died, he's like, hey,
I'm like calm down, give me aminute.
I'll breathe first that airhose, when you need one, you
know.
But now and then, um, Icouldn't get out of the car
because I was like noodles.
Allison Volk Dean (19:55):
Does everybody feel that?
I think it's an adrenaline dumpthat you're having and I think
it depends, you know, everybodykind of experiences it a little
different.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:03):
But yeah, I was spaghetti.
Allison Volk Dean (20:05):
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:05):
And I'm like oh, oh, oh, just stop, I was
Gumby, I was gummy, I'm like oneof those things at the car
dealerships.
Allison Volk Dean (20:16):
Somebody help me, so you got out though.
Yeah, I got out.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:21):
And it was the most fabulous thing in the
whole wide world to get a hugfrom the man that all I never
wanted to do was disappoint him.
Oh yeah, I never wanted todisappoint and it was a big
stinking deal to me andeverybody was excited and it was
just, it was everything.
Allison Volk Dean (20:38):
Yes, it's everything.
You got the record.
Yeah, and that was, and you gotwhat's your record at.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:44):
Two eighty seven, point eight to six.
Allison Volk Dean (20:46):
And you still .
Even if the record was 250,that's still blowing it out.
It was big yeah, we, we reallysmashed you.
Still, even if the record was250, that's still blowing it out
of the water.
It was big.
Pam Curtis Olson (20:53):
Yeah, we smashed it 215 would have really
smashed it Right and they wouldhave been like really, Is that
the class?
Let's go back to class it'ssomebody cheating?
Allison Volk Dean (20:59):
Yeah no, you guys did good and you got the
record, and you again.
That's why I call you a highred.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:20):
Because call you a high red, because you're
close, you're getting, you'repushing up there on that 300.
Yeah, now, how long did youhold that record for?
Well, fabio came from Italy,you know, and they just spoke
very little English, and Ibelieve I got that in 2003.
So, fabio, I, we held it for along time.
I should know I really shouldLike.
Allison Volk Dean (21:36):
I said I asked him to fly, so it's like
yeah, but so you held it for awhile, though, and then Fabio he
was.
He came Okay, so he had his ownstreamliner from Italy.
I remember when they came, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:46):
Yeah, they spoke very little English.
They were so cute, so every dayI'd go that I didn't get it.
Intro (21:54):
Calm down, calm down.
Pam Curtis Olson (21:56):
So the one day I decided to come late.
Allison Volk Dean (22:00):
Guess who got my record you should have.
Should have gotten there early,I know.
Pam Curtis Olson (22:05):
They said, you better go down and see somebody
.
And I went, oh, really Good forthem.
And I walked down there and I,I believe I had a NIST shirt on.
I didn't even have a two clubshirt on, I had a NIST shirt and
I walked down to their pits andthey come running at me these
all these Italian men so excited, and they're so excited.
(22:26):
We're jumping up and down andhugging and I'm like, yay, they
can't talk to me.
Allison Volk Dean (22:33):
I can't talk to them, so it was fabulous,
that's Lansmead right there,that's Bonneville.
That's good, right, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (22:41):
Everybody is just so kind and everybody wants
to help everybody.
That's the best part about it.
It's such a big family thingand you know, especially like
your family, they just keepgoing, and going, and going and
it's so much fun.
And now Andy's doing it, and sohe's keeping up the niche side
(23:02):
and I just feel like I'm asister.
So I'm going to be here all thetime.
Allison Volk Dean (23:07):
You've been here for a while now You've
earned your keep.
Pam Curtis Olson (23:10):
You don't have to keep feeding us to make us
happy, but you do, but you could.
That way I don't have to dothat feeding us to make us happy
, but you do but you could.
Allison Volk Dean (23:17):
That way I don't have to do that.
Yeah, that's right, that'sexactly right.
Um, so you but you fell in lovewith this sport and, um, you
kept coming out even afterwardsand what?
Um?
Kind of what did you do whenyou were out here before, like,
what do you currently do outhere?
What have you done since then?
Pam Curtis Olson (23:35):
Basically, I just hang out in the pit and I
will be a crew member, I'll do,I'll pull Paris, I mean, get
parachutes picked up.
And then you know there's kindof a process to get that car on
the trailer Right.
So you've got to kind of knowthe process and get it done.
And then back in the day beforewe decided that, oh, I don't
(23:58):
know, maybe a power washer wouldbe good.
I'm just saying we had toscrape salt like everywhere all
the way, and the wheels on thecar had little like round
circles on them, they werechrome and they were so pretty
and all that crap and it's likeokay, and we couldn't let it go
(24:19):
out when it was ugly, you knowhow to clean it, and that's
still kind of what I was doing.
Allison Volk Dean (24:25):
I was cleaning things and you know
cause I I'm not a wrencher, yeah, so you do you pick up where in
other places?
Pam Curtis Olson (24:36):
which is great .
I mean I sweep yeah, you knowstuff like that Whatever needs
to be done, yeah, and so it'sjust been a miracle, it's been a
blessing.
It's changed my entire life.
Yeah, that little conversationin a bar changed my life.
Allison Volk Dean (24:49):
I love that story.
It's such a good story.
It's so crazy and you justbecame a huge fan of the sport
and you still come out from 2003.
I think you're always out here.
It seems like.
I mean, it's not like I don'tthink you've really stopped ever
coming out.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:04):
I did Since then.
We were going for it In 2004,.
I was going for a three record.
Oh, I think I remember that,yeah, and so I would have been
like it would have made me thefastest woman in the world and
it would have made me thefastest person on gas at that
time.
Allison Volk Dean (25:24):
Well, what happened with that?
What didn't ever pan out.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:29):
Well, I was in the car.
So I was actually in the car todo it.
Yeah, and I was just.
You know, you get that feeling.
Yeah, women's intuition thing.
Yeah, yeah, and I was just.
You know, you get that feeling.
Yeah, women's intuition thing.
Allison Volk Dean (25:38):
Yeah, yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:38):
And I'm like something's wrong and Terry's
like shut up, and I'm like no,something's wrong.
Allison Volk Dean (25:43):
It's like yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (25:45):
I'm like I don't think I wanted to beg Mike
to do a shakedown, you know,because I could just feel it in
my bones, yeah, but I didn'tdare because I didn't know that
and I should have, but anywho.
So like getting on the line andeverything, like I was in the
blue room more than I wasanywhere waiting.
(26:07):
So terry tells cease, put herin the car real slow, because
she's really bumpy today,because she's really bumpy today
, really bumpy, and I was.
I was like yeah, so anyway weget there.
The last thing that Mike says tome is don't short shift or you
won't make it.
And I'm like, ok, so firstthing I do.
(26:31):
Second shift I short shifted.
Well, this engine is biggerthan my little E1.
Okay, and it it was screamingat me and I'm like I'm going to
blow this sucker up.
Oh my gosh, what am I going todo?
And it's just screaming andscreaming.
So I shifted because I don't.
I used to drive a stick, so Ithought that would be the right
(26:53):
thing to do, but maybe youshould listen to people when
they know what they're talkingabout.
Allison Volk Dean (26:57):
I don't know People that work on the car and
the engine.
Pam Curtis Olson (26:59):
You know, maybe you've got a little bit of
knowledge.
So it shook, the car shook andit was talking to me, but I
thought it was because Ishort-shifted, because I just I
didn't have the kind ofexperience that I needed, you
know, really, and I just stuckmy foot in it and it lifted and
(27:21):
it went straight up in the airand it came down, went back up
in the air, came down and did acouple rolls and the next thing
I know Larry Lawson is stickinghis face in my face and I'm on
my side and he's like uh, pammy,you okay, hey, pammy, I'm like
(27:41):
this is going to kill me and hegoes.
Allison Volk Dean (27:46):
No, he's not.
That's so funny.
You wake up and he's rightthere.
Pam Curtis Olson (27:51):
So you know, you got everybody there and
they're all and the fire's thereand the paramedics and it was.
It was a doozy of a crash.
I mean honestly.
Allison Volk Dean (27:59):
I remember.
It's funny because like I'dforgotten about it until you
started telling me.
I'm like I totally remember itwas a doozy of a crash, it was.
Pam Curtis Olson (28:08):
And, like Bert Dahls, crashed at the same mile
as I did in a streamliner doingabout the same time, I mean
same speed, oh yeah, and theyend out and it was bad, it was
bad, it was really bad.
And then I think I crashedbefore him.
Obviously, yeah, and the cardidn't look that bad, it really
(28:31):
didn't yeah, and the canopy hadflown off way before.
And I'm sitting there on theside trying to find the canopy
thingy to release it, it'salready gone, dummy.
Okay, larry's got his head inhere.
There's a reason you can't findit.
Allison Volk Dean (28:47):
What was it like to crash at that?
Like what were you thinking?
When did you lose your horizon?
Pam Curtis Olson (28:58):
I'm like what.
Intro (28:59):
He's like oh my.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:00):
God Never mind , but I do remember going by the
three at the timing stand,where Julie Berkdahl usually is,
and I was like holy crap, Ihope I don't hit him.
I remember thinking that.
Intro (29:20):
That's when my mind went.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:21):
It was like it was over and paramedics,
everybody shows up and I getthey got a little fire in the
back.
So the fireman says to meyou've got a little fire.
And I'm like fat girl, smallspot and I bail.
Intro (29:39):
I don't even move the steering wheel.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:41):
Okay, that thing is solid steel and I don't
even freaking move it.
I just push it out of the wayand bet the fire extinguisher
pulls with my knee and I'm out.
I'm out.
Allison Volk Dean (29:52):
I'm not going out this way.
Pam Curtis Olson (29:56):
And the you know, the safety people here are
amazing, amazing and theofficials are just everything.
So the paramedics want me toget in the truck.
I'm like, listen, pal, ain'tnothing, a couple Budweiser's
won't fix okay.
I need to go back to the bar,I'm fine, so you didn't go back.
(30:20):
I did not get in the truck no.
So were you bruised?
My knees were bruised, but thatwas from hitting the fire
extinguisher pole.
Okay, I'm serious.
The worst injury I had, veryworst was it was really really
windy one day day and I got hitby the blue room door in my leg
and that's the worst.
That's the worst injury I'vehad.
(30:42):
That week.
Allison Volk Dean (30:44):
Oh, that's so funny.
Well, that's, I love thestories about Terry and Mike
that you're telling and likewhat, what was it like?
I mean, how is it like out herewithout them now?
Like after, after, like you cango with one or the other, but
or what it was like with them,and then you know how it is now.
Pam Curtis Olson (31:08):
Well, you know , we still got a big, fast car
and but now we don't have 20guys right working on it, you
know.
And then you don't have becauseI'm sorry, that's okay, it's
hard not to have them here,because that's that's my love.
(31:33):
Yeah, you, you know it's bothand I miss him a lot.
Yeah, and with Terry not beinghere, you kind of have to follow
the rules a little bit better,because you know you have to be
a little more, not so cocky.
Intro (31:52):
Yeah.
Pam Curtis Olson (31:52):
Because you don't have anybody to stand up
for you really, and I'm justkind of out here as a crew
member.
Allison Volk Dean (31:57):
So it's like you know, oh so, so sweet,
though you really had a love forthem.
I love those, ben.
Pam Curtis Olson (32:04):
Yeah, and I love every single one of the
people that come here.
Yeah, and I want Andy tosucceed and I want to watch your
kids, you know, do their thingwhen it's time, and I just
there's camaraderie out here,yes, between everyone, you know,
(32:24):
even if you're going to taketheir record.
Yep, it's just, it's everything, it's just such a, it's such a
good feeling.
And people say well, how muchdo you?
Allison Volk Dean (32:39):
get paid to do that and I'm like what are
you talking about?
Okay, I pay stuff to go there.
I lost money on this.
I lost a lot of money on this.
No, I didn't.
Pam Curtis Olson (32:47):
But it was.
I get my name in a book, I getto wear a cool red hat and a
cool shirt, and other than thatnot it, yeah, no, yeah, it's for
the glory.
Allison Volk Dean (33:00):
You get the glory, yeah, yeah that's what
it's about.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:03):
Yep, and every year you know when the rule
book comes, you check again tomake sure that, okay, fabio
still owns yeah, maybe somebodyneeds to go take that back, pam
I mean, you know, somebody askedme that would you get back in.
Allison Volk Dean (33:19):
I said no, I'm too old and fat now no, no
and I'm not nice enough to suckup yeah you know I'm over that,
yeah, but you're still out hereenjoying the sport and loving
your people.
You got a great crew.
I have a fabulous crew.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:38):
Well, it's not my crew, it's Andy's crew.
Allison Volk Dean (33:40):
Well, but you're part of it, You're part
of the crew and you're the crew.
Pam Curtis Olson (33:44):
It's fun.
Allison Volk Dean (33:45):
It's so much fun, you're one of the few women
over here, so somebody's got tolook after these guys.
Pam Curtis Olson (34:00):
Back in the day day I was like the only
woman, yeah, the only one, yeah,and you know, cecil did all the
cooking.
Oh, he did, I didn't know that.
Yeah, so he's racing cars,fixing cars, fixing engines,
doing this, doing that andcooking dinner all at the same
time and I'm like I can't evenshut corn for you, dude because
you scare me and so does yourdog.
Allison Volk Dean (34:15):
So does your dog.
That's so funny.
Well, that was an awesome story.
I got me teary-eyed talkingabout the past and the future of
this, and I think that's a good.
That's a good reason to kind offocus on saving the salt and
just for what's ahead for ohyeah these guys to keep them,
keep it going yeah, yeah, it'sgot to keep going because it's
(34:37):
so much fun.
Pam Curtis Olson (34:38):
And you think to yourself, oh my gosh, people
in Salt Lake have no idea.
You're an hour and a half awayfrom a wonder of the world and
people come from all over theworld.
I mean, the Kiwis are just nextdoor.
Yeah, they're a kick.
Yeah, they are, they're a lotof fun.
(34:59):
So it's like we have peoplethat you know cliff's been
coming out forever.
He comes from washington, justa crew to get yelled at, beat up
, sat home sat home with dirtylaundry yes, so it's great and I
got to meet you and your familyand I.
I'm blessed beyond because ofthis place, because of this
(35:21):
place and because of people likeyou.
Allison Volk Dean (35:24):
Ah, that's beautiful, Pam.
Thanks, allison, greatinterview.
Thank you so much.
Intro (35:30):
Thanks for listening to Land Speed Legends.
Make sure you subscribe so youdon't miss any future episodes.
In the meantime, keep up withthe show on Facebook and
Instagram under Land SpeedLegends.
Until next time.
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