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Tim Steele, three-time ARCA Menards Series champion, dead at 55

JHby: Jonathan Howard01/07/24Jondean25
nascar cup series
Brady Klain/The Republic, Arizona Republic via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Sad news in the ARCA and NASCAR world. Tim Steele, three-time ARCA champion, has died at the age of 55. Steele was a figure in the racing world throughout the 1990s and early 2000s. He was one of the last great ARCA champions.

Tim Steele’s daughter, Kelsey Slade, confirmed the news of her father’s death. He will be missed dearly by his family and friends, as well as the fans who cheered him on over the years.

“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!”

Of course, Steele was most well-known for his ARCA career. However, he was able to make a total of 28 starts in the three NASCAR national series. Steele won a pole award at Nashville Fairgrounds in during the 1999 Truck Series season. He raced to a P9 finish for his own Steele Racing team.

Tim Steele would finish his NASCAR career with a single top-5 finish. That came at Las Vegas in the Xfinity Series, then called the Busch Series. However, it was those ARCA seasons that really made Steele the driver many remember him as today.

Tim Steele, three-time ARCA champion

Tim Steele came into the ARCA Menards Series back in 1993. As a rookie, he went out and won three races, driving Ford and Oldsmobile cars. His first win in the series came at Talladega and it was that first season when he earned his first-ever championship.

Building his team up for full-time seasons in 1996 and 1997, Steele went on to win a ridiculous number of races within the two year span. On top of claiming his second and third championships in those seasons, Steele picked up 23 wins in just 47 total races. That is a record to this day.

Steele would be inducted into the Michigan Motor Sports Hall of Fame in 2009. He finished his ARCA career with 41 total wins and 31 poles in 146 starts.