TALLADEGA, AL — October 11, 1997: Tim Steele in victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway after winning the Winn Dixie 500K ARCA Series race. (Photo by ISC Images & Archives via Getty Images)
(Photo: ISC Images Archives via Getty Images)

Remembering three-time ARCA Menards Series champion Tim Steele

www.arcaracing.com January 9, 2024

Tim Steele, the 1993, 1996 and 1997 ARCA Menards Series champion and the third-winningest driver in the Series’ 70-year history, died Sunday, January 7, 2024. He was 55. Steele had been ill and recently entered hospice care in his home state of Michigan.

Steele, retired from driving since 2006, achieved records no ARCA driver before or since has matched. He won over 25% of the ARCA Menards Series races he entered (41 wins in 147 starts) and led over 30% of the laps he ran (5,453 of 17,244), the highest percentages on record. He is also the all-time ARCA leader in superspeedway wins with 24 and pole qualifying awards with 18. Tim Steele is the all-time winningest driver in any division at Pocono Raceway with 9 victories. He is one of only four drivers in ARCA history to have won 5 consecutive races, the only to do so since 1973. Steele won his first ARCA race in 1993 at Talladega with his final win at Berlin in 2001, also winning at Atlanta, Charlotte, Flat Rock, Kil-Kare, Kentucky Speedway, the Illinois State Fairgrounds, Michigan International, Pocono, Pike’s Peak, Salem, Shady Bowl and Winchester.

Steele’s unparalleled ARCA success came in distinctive bright red #16 cars fielded from the team’s shop in Coopersville Michigan. The team’s crew members, led by long-time crew chief Tom Sokoloski, were all local racers. The family race team, including his wife Dawn Steele, was owned by his parents Harold and Marcia Steele, who founded, owned and operated the highly successful HS Die & Engineering company.

Tim Steele was introduced to motorsports at a young age by his grandfather and father, first working on then driving go-karts, mini-champs, motorcycles and jet-skis. He was the NAMRA Champ Car champion in 1984 at age 16 and by 1992 had won in ASA National Tour and NASCAR All-Pro Late Model Series competition. Based on his success in ARCA, he had embarked on a successful NASCAR career driving in the Cup, Xfinity and Truck Series before a practice accident injury and its residual effects proved detrimental to, and eventually ended, his driving career. His final participation in motorsports was dedicated to helping his daughter Kelsey become a winning racecar driver, and supporting the efforts of his grandson, race driver Alex Slade.

Tim is preceded in death by his father Harold Steele; son Joshua Steele; grandparents Robert and Marguarite Steele and Edward and Francis Reda; uncles and aunts Leon (Patricia) Steele and Gary (Barbara) Thorne. He is survived by his mother Marcia Steele; daughters Kelsey (Josh) Slade and Taylor Steele; grandchildren Alex, Chase and Hunter Slade; sister Tammy (Dale) Hermiller; nieces Ashley (Garrison) Jewett and Natalie (Jordan) Sullivan; nephew Brandon (Jordyn) Hermiller; many great nieces and nephews and the mothers to his children Dawn Steele and Brenda Steele.

Mass of Christian Burial Saturday January 13 at 11am at Holy Spirit Church where he will repose one hour prior to the Mass. Entombment Rosedale Mausoleum. The family will receive visitors Friday January 12 from 12-2 and 6-8pm at the Arsulowicz Brothers Remembrance Mortuary, 3525 Remembrance Rd NW, Grand Rapids Michigan.