USAC Silver Crown champion Steele killed in crash

Dave Steele wins the USAC Midget Car Series "Little Trees" 25 at Phoenix International Raceway in 2002. 

Two-time USAC Silver Crown champion Dave Steele was killed Saturday night in a sprint car crash at Desoto Speedway in Bradenton, Florida. He was 42.

Steele was racing in the Southern Shootout Sprint Car Shootout Series when he crashed while trying to lap slower cars on the 3/8th-mile asphalt track, according to SpeedSport.com.

Desoto Speedway released a statement saying "Desoto Speedway owners and staff are saddened by tonight's passing of David Steele in the Sprint Car feature. Thoughts and prayers go out to his family and friends who were all in attendance, to see him try to win his 100th Florida race."

Steele's résumé included back-to-back USAC Silver Crown championships in 2004 and 2005, three IndyCar starts, several ARCA and Busch Series races and a few in the Infiniti Pro Series. He won the 2001 and 2003 Turkey Night Grand Prix at Irwindale Speedway and earned 60 USAC feature victories.