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Dave Steele

{{Short description|American racing driver}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2020}}

{{about|the racecar driver|other people named David Steele|David Steele (disambiguation)}}

{{infobox person

| name = David Steele

| image = Dave Steele (19706542).jpg

| caption = Steele in 2003

| birth_date = {{birth date|1974|5|7}}

| birth_place = Tampa, Florida

| occupation = Racecar driver, Business Owner

| death_date = {{death date and age|2017|3|25|1974|5|7}}

| death_place = Bradenton, Florida

| death_cause = Racecar crash

| awards = USAC Silver Crown Champion, 2004 and 2005
National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, 2018
United States Auto Club Hall of Fame, 2019

}}

David MacFarland Steele (May 7, 1974 – March 25, 2017){{Cite web |title=Motorsport Memorial - Dave Steele |url=http://www.motorsportmemorial.org/focus.php?db=ct&n=12075 |access-date=31 March 2023 |website=Motorsport Memorial}} was an American professional racing driver who won numerous sprint car racing championships and also competed in IndyCar and NASCAR races. Steele last drove a winged sprint car in the Southern Sprintcar Shootout Series, where he won the first 5 races in series history. Steele was killed in a crash at Desoto Speedway on March 25, 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/other-sprint-cars/david-steele-killed-sprint-car-crash|title=David Steele Killed In Sprint Car Crash|date=March 25, 2017|work=Speed Sport|access-date=March 26, 2017|archive-date=April 23, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423181247/https://speedsport.com/sprints-midgets/other-sprint-cars/david-steele-killed-sprint-car-crash/|url-status=dead}}

He was posthumously inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame on the first eligible ballot in 2018.

Racing career

=Sprint Cars, Midgets, and Silver Crown=

==Championships==

Steele won three Tampa Bay Area Racing Association (TBARA) championships.{{Cite episode |title=2020 Carb Classic |series=USAC Silver Crown |network=FloRacing |date=August 21, 2020 |time=20:46:44 }}

He claimed 60 wins in USAC sprint car (26), midget (18), and Silver Crown (16) races between 1996 and 2007.[http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=23719&FS=USAC-SC Dave Steele Ready for Orlando] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607192547/http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=23719&FS=USAC-SC |date=June 7, 2011 }}, Motorsport.com, January 18, 1999, Retrieved December 30, 2011

He claimed the USAC Silver Crown Series championship in 2004 and 2005, putting him in the company of drivers such as Mario Andretti, A. J. Foyt, Al Unser, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart.[http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=240351&FS= Hoffman Racing names Steele, Coons for 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607192739/http://www.motorsport.com/news/article.asp?ID=240351&FS= |date=June 7, 2011 }}, Motorsport.com, December 19, 2007, Retrieved December 30, 2011

==Race Wins==

He won the 2001 and 2003 Turkey Night Grand Prix midget car race.Solorzano, Tony. [https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/91439592.html?dids=91439592:91439592&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+23%2C+2001&author=TONY+SOLORZANO&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Steele+Puts+a+Stop+to+Kahne%27s+Plan%3B+Auto+racing%3A+Upset+victory+in+Turkey+Night+Grand+Prix+prevents+last+year%27srunner-up+from+following+in+Stewart%27s+footsteps+at+Irwindale+Speedway.&pqatl=google Steele Puts a Stop to Kahne's Plan; Auto racing: Upset victory in Turkey Night Grand Prix prevents last year's runner-up from following in Stewart's footsteps at Irwindale Speedway.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180309183141/https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/latimes/access/91439592.html?dids=91439592:91439592&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Nov+23%2C+2001&author=TONY+SOLORZANO&pub=Los+Angeles+Times&desc=Steele+Puts+a+Stop+to+Kahne%27s+Plan%3B+Auto+racing%3A+Upset+victory+in+Turkey+Night+Grand+Prix+prevents+last+year%27srunner-up+from+following+in+Stewart%27s+footsteps+at+Irwindale+Speedway.&pqatl=google |date=March 9, 2018 }}, Los Angeles Times, November 23, 2001, Retrieved December 30, 2011Paternie, Patrick C. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-111109260.html FAST CAT IN THE HAT; Dave Steele wins the 2003 Turkey Night Midget Grand Prix, AutoWeek, December 8, 2003, Retrieved 2011-12-30]{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} Other notable Turkey Night winners include A. J. Foyt, Tony Stewart, and Billy Boat.

He was also a two-time winner of the Little 500, held annually at Anderson Speedway. Throughout his sixteen starts in that race, he was a five-time pole-sitter and finished in the top 5 ten times.

Steele won the Copper Classic at Phoenix International Raceway eight times. He won the Silver Crown portion 5 times and Midget race 3 times. In 1998, he won the Night Before the 500 race.

=IndyCar and NASCAR=

Steele attempted to make his Indy Racing League IndyCar Series debut in 1996 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway for ABF Motorsports but failed to qualify. He made his first start in 1998 at Phoenix International Raceway, the second race of the season, driving for RSM Marko, then drove in the final two races of the year for Panther Racing. He failed to finish all three races. He was entered in a Panther car for the 1999 Indianapolis 500 but crashed in practice.[http://www.champcarstats.com/drivers/SteeleDavid.htm David Steele], Champ Car Stats, Retrieved December 30, 2011

Steele drove in the first two races of the 2000 NASCAR Busch Series for Felix Sabates. After finishes of 23rd and 34th he failed to qualify for the next three races and Steele and the team parted ways.[http://racing-reference.info/drivdet/steelda01/2000/B Dave Steele], Racing Reference, Retrieved December 30, 2011

Steele also competed in four ARCA Racing Series races in 1999 and 2000 and two Infiniti Pro Series races (one each in 2002 and 2003). In 2002, Steele raced for Bowes Seal Fast Racing at Michigan finishing eighth in the Infiniti Pro Series.

= Death =

Steele was killed in a racing accident during a Southern Sprintcar Shootout Series race at Desoto Speedway in Bradenton, Florida, on March 25, 2017. His car's front wheel struck and overrode the rear wheel of another car during the event, sending him into the wall; he was pronounced dead at the scene.{{cite web|url=http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2017/03/26/former-indystar-nascar-driver-davie-steele-killed-sprint-car-crash/99663008/|title=Sprint car driver David Steele killed in Florida speedway crash|last=Ayello|first=Jim|date=March 26, 2017|work=Indianapolis Star|access-date=March 26, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170326213326/http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/motor/2017/03/26/former-indystar-nascar-driver-davie-steele-killed-sprint-car-crash/99663008/|archive-date=March 26, 2017}}

Honors

Motorsports career results

=American open–wheel racing results=

(key) (Races in bold indicate pole position)

==Indy Racing League==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"
colspan=19| Indy Racing League results
Year

! Team

! Chassis

! No.

! Engine

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! Rank

! Pts

! Ref

1996-97

! ABF Motorsports

! Lola

! 96

! Buick

| NHA

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LVS
{{small|DNQ}}

| WDW

| PHX

| INDY

| TXS

| PPIR

| CLT

| NHA2

| LSV2

|

! NC

! 0

! {{cite web|title=Dave Steele – 1997 Indy Racing League Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/steelda01/1997/O/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

rowspan=2| 1998

! RSM Marko

! rowspan=2| Riley & Scott

! 22

! rowspan=3| Oldsmobile

| WDW

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| PHX
{{small|22}}

| INDY

| TXS

| NHA

| DOV

| CLT

| PPIR

| ATL

|

|

! rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 36th

! rowspan=2 style="background:#CFCFFF;"| 17

! rowspan=2 | {{cite web|title=Dave Steele – 1998 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/steelda01/1998/O/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

rowspan=2| Panther Racing

!rowspan=3| 43

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

|

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| TXS
{{small|24}}

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| LVS
{{small|27}}

1999

! G-Force

| WDW

| PHX

|style="background:#FFCFCF;"| INDY
{{small|DNQ}}

| TXS

| PPIR

| ATL

| DOV

| PPIR

| LVS

| TXS

|

! NC

! 0

! {{cite web|title=Dave Steele – 1999 Pep Boys Indy Racing League Results|url=https://www.racing-reference.info/driver-season-stats/steelda01/1999/O/|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=December 21, 2022}}

==Indianapolis 500==

class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;"
Year

! Chassis

! Engine

! Start

! Finish

! Team

! Ref

1999

| G-Force

| Oldsmobile

|colspan=2 align=center style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DNQ

| Panther Racing

|

==Indy Pro Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:90%"

! Year

! Team

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! Rank

! Points

2002

! Bowes Seal Fast Racing

|KAN

|NSH

|style="background:#CFEAFF;"|MIS
{{small|8}}

|KTY

|STL

|CHI

|TXS

|

|

|

|

|

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|19th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|24

2003

! Brian Stewart Racing

|HMS

|PHX

|INDY

|PPIR

|KAN

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|NSH
{{small|11}}

|MIS

|STL

|KTY

|CHI

|FON

|TXS

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|25th

|style="background:#CFCFFF;"|19

=NASCAR=

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

==Busch Series==

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"

!colspan=42| NASCAR Busch Series results

Year

! Team

! No.

! Make

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! 20

! 21

! 22

! 23

! 24

! 25

! 26

! 27

! 28

! 29

! 30

! 31

! 32

! {{Tooltip|NBSC|NASCAR Busch Series classification}}

! Pts

! Ref

1999

! rowspan=2| Team SABCO

! rowspan=2| 82

! rowspan=2| Chevy

| DAY

| CAR

| LVS

| ATL

| DAR

| TEX

| NSV

| BRI

| TAL

| CAL

| NHA

| RCH

| NZH

| CLT

| DOV

| SBO

| GLN

| MLW

| MYB

| PPR

| GTY

| IRP

| MCH

| BRI

| DAR

| RCH

| DOV

| CLT

| CAR

| MEM

| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| PHO
{{small|DNQ}}

| HOM

! NA

! -

! {{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/steelda01/1999/B|title=Dave Steele – 1999 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=April 6, 2017}}

2000

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| DAY
{{small|23}}

| style="background:#CFCFFF;"| CAR
{{small|34}}

| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| LVS
{{small|DNQ}}

| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| ATL
{{small|DNQ}}

| style="background:#FFCFCF;"| DAR
{{small|DNQ}}

| BRI

| TEX

| NSV

| TAL

| CAL

| RCH

| NHA

| CLT

| DOV

| SBO

| MYB

| GLN

| MLW

| NZH

| PPR

| GTY

| IRP

| MCH

| BRI

| DAR

| RCH

| DOV

| CLT

| CAR

| MEM

| PHO

| HOM

! 88th

! 155

! {{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/steelda01/2000/B|title=Dave Steele – 2000 NASCAR Busch Grand National Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=April 6, 2017}}

=ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series=

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:75%"
colspan=45| ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series results
Year

! Team

! No.

! Make

! 1

! 2

! 3

! 4

! 5

! 6

! 7

! 8

! 9

! 10

! 11

! 12

! 13

! 14

! 15

! 16

! 17

! 18

! 19

! 20

! 21

! {{Tooltip|ABMSC|ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series classification}}

! Pts

! Ref

rowspan=2| 1999

! rowspan=3| Team SABCO

! 01

! rowspan=3| Chevy

| DAY

| ATL

| SLM

| AND

| CLT

| MCH

| POC

| TOL

| SBS

| BLN

| POC

| KIL

| FRS

| FLM

| ISF

| WIN

| DSF

| SLM

| style="background:#dfffdf;"| CLT
{{small|16}}

| style="background:#dfffdf;"| TAL
{{small|11}}

|

! rowspan=2| 68th

! rowspan=2| 355

! rowspan=2| {{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/steelda01/1999/A|title=Dave Steele – 1999 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=April 6, 2017}}

02

| colspan=20|

| style="background:#EFCFFF;"| ATL
{{small|40}}

2000

! 01

| style="background:#dfffdf;"| DAY
{{small|11}}

| SLM

| AND

| CLT

| KIL

| FRS

| MCH

| POC

| TOL

| KEN

| BLN

| POC

| WIN

| ISF

| KEN

| DSF

| SLM

| CLT

| TAL

| ATL

|

! 98th

! 175

! {{cite web|url=http://www.racing-reference.info/drivdet/steelda01/2000/A|title=Dave Steele – 2000 ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series Results|work=Racing-Reference|access-date=April 6, 2017}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • {{Racing-Reference driver|Dave_Steele}}

{{Panther Racing}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steele, Dave}}

Category:1974 births

Category:2017 deaths

Category:American Speed Association drivers

Category:ARCA Menards Series drivers

Category:IndyCar Series drivers

Category:Indy Lights drivers

Category:NASCAR drivers

Category:USAC Silver Crown Series drivers

Category:Racing drivers from Tampa, Florida

Category:Sports deaths in Florida

Category:Racing drivers who died while racing

Category:RSM Marko drivers

Category:Panther Racing drivers