Steve York returns to his ‘sport of choice’ in full force as the new ARCA Menards Series West director

A glance at Steve York’s resume might lead one to believe the 73-year-old is not beholden to the racing industry. Born in Tifton, Georgia, he collected criminology and business degrees in college with an eye on a career in the FBI. He instead worked at UPS for 14 years, a job that took him to Idaho. He’s owned video rental stores and an embroidery shop. He loves watching ice hockey and playing poker.

Still, racing is York’s “sport of choice.”

Now living in Jerome, Idaho, across the canyon from Twin Falls, York is back with his favorite industry in a full-time capacity as the new ARCA Menards Series West series director.

The role is ideal for a man who spent decades cultivating relationships in racing, particularly on the West Coast. After all, he’s one of the figures who was instrumental in the westward expansion of the NASCAR brand.

In 1983, York left UPS to run the video stores with a business partner. Their home in the Twin Falls area had lost its local dirt track and, with it, the minimal racing culture that existed in the region. York grew up around racing, often visiting Atlanta Motor Speedway with his uncle in the 1960s. The meat company for which his dad worked sponsored Paul Goldsmith’s race car. York had a short-and-sweet driving career himself, but he was “smart enough to know (he) wasn’t any good at that.” Given his background, he couldn’t stand to live in a community void of a racing facility.

So he built his own.

“We had to do something different,” York said, referencing the closing of Twin Falls’ dirt track. “I had a connection to somebody with the city. Trying to get something zoned and built in a year was tough, but we did. It was kind of a crazy deal.

“We leased a piece of property from the city that was already zoned for race tracks. I believe the forefathers of the town thought it was going to be a horse track. But it didn’t say that — it said ‘race track.’ So the city approved it quickly. We broke ground March 1 and raced on May 17 the first year. So we built it very quickly — from desert to race track in fewer than 60 days.”

That track was and is Magic Valley Speedway, which continues to operate as a NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series facility. York opened the place as a dirt track but quickly converted to pavement once he realized the natural clay wasn’t conducive to racing.

Also in the track’s formative years, York “called a little outfit called NASCAR” to find out whether the sanctioning body was interested in expanding to his area. The initial answer was no, but York persisted and eventually struck a deal for Magic Valley to become NASCAR-sanctioned.

York’s racing connections expanded rapidly while he operated Magic Valley. He recalls river boating with Lesa France Kennedy and a then-8-year-old boy named Ben Kennedy. A part-time owner of the embroidery and printing business, he provided clothing for dozens of other race tracks.

Perhaps the most significant relationship as it relates to York’s new position is the kinship he developed with Bill McAnally, the current co-owner of McAnally-Hilgemann Racing. McAnally leaned on York when the former began promoting race tracks on the West Coast. York helped McAnally in the areas of sponsorship and hospitality.

These were the years when York learned the bulk of what he knows about racing operations.

“I found that whatever was good for the fans was probably good for the promotors,” he said. “And that’s also good for the car owners obviously for the drivers, too.”

York was named Promotor of the Year in 2005 as a result of his efforts at Magic Valley. But he sold the track the very next year. York received an offer, and for a guy who at the time was single with two kids, a break from the day-to-day grind that was race-track management felt like the right move.

His hiatus from the industry didn’t last long. In 2015, he was invited to join NASCAR’s appeals board as a panelist. He was still serving in that role when he was approached with the West Series director position.

“I’m honored to come back and help the racing industry in any way I can,” York said. “This opportunity will be fun for me, and I hope it’s beneficial for the series and the promotors on the West Coast, and all of the drivers and car owners.”

Driven by personal experience, York emphasizes those relationships with track promotors. He believes those particular connections, when successful, have a trickle-down impact on competitors and fans that leads to an enhanced overall experience.

That’s what ARCA Menards Series president Ron Drager sees in York, a leader who can keep all parties on the same page.

“Steve brings with him an abundance of experience, and a deep passion for motorsports,” Drager said. “We’re confident that under his leadership, the series will continue to grow and thrive, delivering the best possible racing to our fans across the region where he is based. We look forward to the energy and vision Steve will bring to this role as we continue building a strong future for the ARCA Menards Series West.”

York still owns the embroidery business, for which his son now works. But once again, York’s “sport of choice” is his primary focus. He’s never felt more energized and motivated to improve every aspect of the business he touches.

He’ll build more relationships. And of course, when there’s time, he’ll still enjoy watching hockey and playing poker.