Tim Steele, a three-time ARCA Menards Series champion, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024.
His daughter posted on her Facebook account, “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!! ❤️”
Steele won the 1993, 1996 and 1997 ARCA titles. He accrued 41 wins, 86 top fives, 101 top 10s and led 5,453 laps in his 147-race ARCA career.
The Coopersville, Mich. native competed in all three NASCAR national series, logging five NASCAR Cup Series starts, 10 NASCAR Xfinity Series starts and 13 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series starts.
Steele suffered injuries while testing at Atlanta Motor Speedway in a Cup car late in 1997. As a result, he missed the ARCA season finale at Atlanta though still captured the championship. The injury forced him out of his intended Cup Rookie of the Year run in 1998.
In June 1998, Steele came back to ARCA to win at Pocono Raceway. In his six-race return to the series, he won four times, including back-to-back wins at Pikes Peak International Raceway and the second Pocono event.
After winning four times in 2001 en route to a ninth-place finish in the points, Steele ran sporadically for the rest of his career.
Steele ranks second all time in ARCA championships, trailing only Frank Kimmel, and third all time with 41 victories.
Mark Kristl joined Frontstretch at the beginning of the 2019 NASCAR season. He is the site's ARCA Menards Series editor. Kristl is also an Eagle Scout and a proud University of Dayton alum.