Meet the PEAK Squad: Steven Olsewski

From writing about drivers to becoming one himself, Steven Olsewski knows cars.

As a kid, Steven visited his grandfather’s General Motors factory, staring wide-eyed at the cars being built around him. Now, he’s building cars himself to compete in “The Greatest American Race,” and working closely with the PEAK Squad to create social media content with some of the top names in racing. 

We sat down with Steven fresh off his epic win at the Mint 400 to talk about his inspiring career path and his work with the PEAK Squad.

From Writing to Racing 

Between his talent for writing and boundless knowledge about the automotive world, Steven has managed to create quite a cool career. 

In 2015, he got his start in journalism writing freelance articles for an off-road magazine. Steven soon realized that he could speak the drivers’ language, which helped him get in-depth interviews, write strong articles, and rise in the ranks. Pretty soon, he was promoted to editor. 

“I could speak the lingo. When guys were explaining stuff on the truck, I understood and was able to transfer that into an article that wasn't too technical, so the average person could read it,” says Steven.

It wasn’t long before he got the itch to race himself. As a project for the off-road magazine, Steven began adding parts to his daily-driver truck. Before he knew it, he had a racing vehicle. In 2021, Steven stepped into the driver’s seat and launched his racing career. 

Mint 400: The Greatest American Race

Even before he was racing, Steven thought of the Mint 400 as, “that one race that everyone wanted to be at.”

The Mint 400 started in the 1970s as a promotional event for the Mint Hotel in Las Vegas, and is now one of the most renowned off-road races in America. The Mint’s legacy was solidified by the book (and later, film) Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which relays Hunter S. Thompson’s wild experience covering the 1971 race. 

The race also produced its own coveted memorabilia that collectors vie for at auctions. In the race’s early years, winners were sent home with a collectible bottle of Jim Beam — and Steven is the proud owner of a bottle from all six years they gave them away. 

Here’s how the grueling Mint 400 works. During the race, drivers take on four 73-mile laps in the open desert with just a few opportunities to meet up with their pit crew — all within a 12-hour time limit. Drivers push their cars to the limit to make a winning time (or just to finish). 

The challenge is equally difficult and thrilling, and Steven can still feel the rush of tearing through the bumpy terrain at 60 miles per hour, white-knuckling the wheel as he launched over bumps.

Bringing Home the Win

As well-versed in the history and prestige of the Mint 400 as he is, Steven cherishes his experiences as a participant — both the pitfalls and successes. He made his Mint debut in 2022, and unfortunately only made it 27 miles before breaking down too far from a pit. 

Going into this year’s race, Steven’s team raced under the BlueDEF banner, and he was determined to finish. After months of work, which included massive last-minute overhauls to the truck, the team only had time to run a 100-foot test on the desert before race day. 

Not surprisingly, the race wasn’t without its massive challenges. When the power steering pump went out just 20 miles into lap two, the team barely made it back to the pit, wrestling to manually control the wheel every mile of the way. When they finally arrived, it was all hands on deck to get back in the race.

“In off-road racing, you're going to get beat up,” says Steven. “If you have a flawless day, that usually puts you out front, but just because you have an issue in off-road racing, it doesn't mean your day's over.”

Steven’s team was well-prepared for bumps in the road, literally and figuratively, and their strategy allowed them to make adjustments and stay on schedule. The BlueDEF team got back on the road and went on to take home the Mint 400 win for their class (which, sadly, no longer comes with a bottle of Jim Beam). 

Back at PEAK corporate headquarters, everyone was glued to the race, tuned in to a livestream from the truck. Needless to say, there were quite a few cheers when the power steering was fixed — and when the BlueDEF team won their class.  

>>Watch the highlights from Steven’s Mint 400 win

Looking back on the day, Steven says, “Words can't express it. A month later, I’m still on cloud nine.”

Life on the PEAK Squad

Steven is a unique member of the PEAK Squad, contributing both as a driver and as a member of PEAK’s content team. As both a driver and a content creator, he has the insight to ask the right questions and come up with creative ways to showcase cars for the PEAK Squad. Along the way, he gets to hang with some of the biggest names in racing. 

“The automotive culture is huge. And when it comes down to it, it doesn't matter if you've got a truck, a sports car, an import, a drag car, anything. You're just having fun with your car. To be able to connect and show people in other segments how you have fun with your own car is pretty cool,” says Steven. 

Steven’s love for automobiles shines through when he talks about the PEAK Squad, and he lives to share his passion for the industry, whether it’s through journalism, social media, or just connecting with fellow car enthusiasts. 

Now that he’s conquered the Mint 400, Steven’s ready for a well-earned vacation. He and his family are full-time RVers, driving through the West — and beyond. Don’t be surprised to find him at a race, driving, tailgating, interviewing drivers or watching the action with a big smile on his face.