Tim Steele, who is among the most successful drivers to ever compete in the ARCA Menards Series, passed away on Sunday, January 7th, at the age of 55.
His daughter, Kelsey Slade, posted an update to Facebook on Sunday morning, saying: “This morning, my dad peacefully took the checkered flag here on earth. His life was an exhilarating ride, always at full throttle, driven by a passion for racing and a wild spirit. While many knew him for his accomplishments on the racetrack, his role as a dad and grandpa was by far the greatest victory. God Speed Dad, I love you.”
A native of Coopersville, Michigan, Steele made 28 NASCAR National Series starts between 1992 and 1999, with a single top-five result in the NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 1997.
However, Steele primarily made a name for himself while competing in the ARCA Menards Series, where throughout his 15-year career he recorded a total of 41 victories, as well as three titles.
The legendary driver is also well-known among fans of the ARCA Menards Series for an incredible stretch of domination between 1996 and 1997, where Steele secured a record-breaking 23 victories, in a 47-race span.
In 1997, Steele suffered a brain injury in a racing accident during the ARCA Menards Series season, forcing him to miss the season-finale, though he still managed to secure the championship.
After 2001, when Steele ran a 17-race schedule in the ARCA Menards Series, the Michigan native would compete sporadically throughout the remainder of his career.
Announcing his retirement before the 2007 ARCA Menards Series season, Steele finished his storied career with a statline of 146 starts, 41 victories, 86 top-five results, and 101 finishes inside the top-10.
