Steele doesn‘t seem to harbor any ill feelings toward the sport that claimed his son‘s life. He hasn‘t missed an SSSS event since Dave‘s passing, but shares that he will likely never return to the former Desoto Speedway. “I‘m not sure that I‘d ever go back to Bradenton. Not that it‘s the race track‘s fault.
If they scheduled a race there, I don‘t think I‘d show up. I really don‘t wanna see that corner again.”
As Mac reflects on his career as a car owner, which includes his two championships, multiple feature victories, and other laurels, he is most proud of the help that he was able to give to young Florida drivers, stating, “I took a couple guys up north to USAC races that probably would never have gotten that opportunity if I hadn‘t done it.”
How much longer he will continue to campaign cars in Florida is anyone‘s guess. Mac insists he‘s still having fun. Two complete cars sit race-ready in his shop, and a brand-new Diablo chassis with a fresh silver powder-coated frame is being assembled. There is also a motor on an engine stand that is in the process of being assembled.
Steele and driver Stan Butler enjoyed a successful run together in the 1980‘s and early 1990‘s with several feature victories and a fifth-place finish in the 1990 Little 500. The duo reunited in late-2020 and finished the year strong with a couple of solid runs.
“I enjoy being in my shop each day,” the man referred to as Crafty concludes. “It hasn‘t gotten old to me. I have a routine. As long as I‘m still having fun, I‘ll keep doing this.”