Tony
Steele
"The First Win"
Photo courtesy of JAF Photo
Tony Steele
Many people believe that the Factory Stock Division at Manzanita Speedway is the toughest division in which to win consistently because there are so many experienced drivers and good race cars. Tony Steele, who was born in Phoenix on August 15, 1989, finished eighth, the top rookie, in the Factory Stock Division in the 2004 season. That’s correct; he is just barely 15 years old with no previous driving experience in any division at any level. His mother says he is “gifted;” Tony says he is lucky. He would not be racing at all except for the fact that he won a factory stock race car in a raffle. Most objective observers would agree with both of them.
Tony
is the son of Pete Steele and the former Julie Townes, both transplants
from the east coast. Pete is a Rhode Island native and Julie is from
New Hampshire. They have always been race fans so it is not surprising
that they met at a race track, the Sugar Hill Speedway in Weare, New
Hampshire. Pete was serving the speedway that day as the flagman while
Julie was making her debut in a mini-sprint race car, which was owned
by her father, Eldon Townes, a life-time racer who decided to give his
daughter a chance to show her stuff. According to Julie, “When I first
met Pete I didn’t like him, but my parents encouraged me to give him a
chance. They loved Pete.” Pete worked his magic, and in no time Julie
agreed with her parents, “Pete was OK.”
Pete injured his back in 1988 which became the impetus to change careers. So Pete and Julie relocated to Arizona so that he could attend school. A change of venue did not deter Pete and Julie from involvement in racing. Soon Pete was the flagman and Julie was the assistant scorer at Manzanita Speedway. And thus begins the Anthony Michael Steele saga. At four days of age Tony was in the scorer’s booth with his mother; the race must go on!
When asked to describe her youngest son, Julie replied, “Tony is very intelligent, loving, athletic, and sensitive. He’s gifted.” Tony quickly interjected, “I’m not quite so sensitive.” Then he laughed. Tony is a big kid; six feet tall, 160 pounds, still growing, with a personality that matches his good looks. Older women have described him as “just adorable.” The younger set say he’s “hot.” His easy smile invites everyone, young and old, to be his friend.
Before stock car racing Tony was a hockey player. He began playing roller hockey at age four and was on the ice at five years of age. “I was always hyper,” says Tony, “I cannot sit around. When I was nine years old I played on four different hockey teams. I love hockey.” At 10 years of age Tony’s roller hockey team qualified to play in the North American Roller Hockey Championship in Toronto, Canada. Tony and his Glendale team crushed all the opposition, winning all four preliminary games, the semi-finals, and won the championship by a score of 4-1. Tony played center and finished second in the tournament’s personal skills competition. He has competed in many tournaments in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Canada.
The Cactus High School junior’s goal prior to winning his race car was to play in the National Hockey League, and it seems obvious that the opportunity may have been there. According to Tony, “Although I love hockey, I’ve always been interested in racing, too. Winning the race car opened the door for me. It was easy for me to switch to racing, because racing is so much more emotional than anything else. When I did well in my very first race I thought I might have a shot.” Now he is gunning to move up in the world of motor sports.
It is amazing that Tony adapted to stock car racing so quickly. Tony was in a state of disbelief at winning the race car and was very nervous about driving it; he didn’t even know how to shift from one gear to another, so he turned to one of his heroes and Manzanita’s perennial champion, Anthony Madrid, for help. Now, after a full season of “Rookie of the Year” racing, everybody wants to know what “secrets of the track” Madrid divulged to Tony Steele. Although Madrid did teach him lots of driving techniques, Tony says the secret for him was conquering his biggest challenge, “taking advice.”
Tony’s first race at Manzanita Speedway was the most nerve-wracking. “Because I was a total rookie, I started at the back of the field in 20th position. It was very hot, probably 140 degrees with the heat and the racing uniform, and my adrenaline was pumping.” He does not admit to fear, just nervousness. That is not surprising with 19 experienced, grizzled, veteran drivers racing after you at break-neck speed on a one-third mile dirt track. The rookie finished in ninth place in his inaugural race, beating out some of the best stock car drivers in Arizona.
Tony says, “A race wears you out. But I can rest for just a few minutes and do it again. My most exciting times come when I feel like I’ve driven a good race. By that I mean a race where I’ve stayed in my line, driven the car smoothly, didn’t hit anybody, and finished in the top 10.” After a race Tony is so excited that he wants to talk to everybody in the pits. His adrenaline is pumping but it shows itself in the friendliest way. “I’ve got a lot of friends at the track. Race track people are the best people I know. Once I blew an engine, and Ricky Thornton showed us how to repair it. Everybody’s always willing to help a fellow racer. I really look up to men like Larry Price, Ron Funk, Bob Taylor, Anthony Madrid and, of course, Ricky Thornton. I respect them all. Once I won the trophy dash, and I came into the pits so excited and said to my dad, ‘Dad, I just beat Larry Price.’” All Manzanita fans know that Larry Price is tough to beat.
When asked about how stock car racing has impacted his relationship with the girls, Tony replied with a big smile on his face, “I am a ladies man. But I don’t really talk about what I do with the kids at my school. The ones that do know about my racing don’t understand it. They think it’s all about going in circles. I run with the race track girls; they are down to earth real people. I like girls with personality,” and then he just couldn’t resist adding, “Especially the cute ones.”
Tony’s parents play a big role in his racing career, and he is not embarrassed about giving them full credit. “My parents are behind me one hundred percent. At the same time they are very strict. I don’t go to parties or hang out in malls. They encourage me in group-type activities. Sometimes I miss going out with my friends, but I know my mom and dad have me on the right track.”
The upcoming racing season looms large for Tony Steele. At age 15, he realizes that racing careers are made in the early years. “This may be my make or break year,” says Tony. These are heavy thoughts for such a young man, but Tony knows what the odds are for moving up in the world of major league racing. He also understands the role of luck in becoming successful and is taking advantage of every opportunity to get his name and reputation out there. He has used contacts made through his regular participation in the “Racing Roundup Arizona” program on radio station KXAM-1310AM to meet several NASCAR drivers and crews. People who know Tony see him for what he is: one talented, bright, attractive young man who is staking a claim to the spotlight in the racing world.
Pete injured his back in 1988 which became the impetus to change careers. So Pete and Julie relocated to Arizona so that he could attend school. A change of venue did not deter Pete and Julie from involvement in racing. Soon Pete was the flagman and Julie was the assistant scorer at Manzanita Speedway. And thus begins the Anthony Michael Steele saga. At four days of age Tony was in the scorer’s booth with his mother; the race must go on!
When asked to describe her youngest son, Julie replied, “Tony is very intelligent, loving, athletic, and sensitive. He’s gifted.” Tony quickly interjected, “I’m not quite so sensitive.” Then he laughed. Tony is a big kid; six feet tall, 160 pounds, still growing, with a personality that matches his good looks. Older women have described him as “just adorable.” The younger set say he’s “hot.” His easy smile invites everyone, young and old, to be his friend.
Before stock car racing Tony was a hockey player. He began playing roller hockey at age four and was on the ice at five years of age. “I was always hyper,” says Tony, “I cannot sit around. When I was nine years old I played on four different hockey teams. I love hockey.” At 10 years of age Tony’s roller hockey team qualified to play in the North American Roller Hockey Championship in Toronto, Canada. Tony and his Glendale team crushed all the opposition, winning all four preliminary games, the semi-finals, and won the championship by a score of 4-1. Tony played center and finished second in the tournament’s personal skills competition. He has competed in many tournaments in Arizona, California, Nevada, Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Canada.
The Cactus High School junior’s goal prior to winning his race car was to play in the National Hockey League, and it seems obvious that the opportunity may have been there. According to Tony, “Although I love hockey, I’ve always been interested in racing, too. Winning the race car opened the door for me. It was easy for me to switch to racing, because racing is so much more emotional than anything else. When I did well in my very first race I thought I might have a shot.” Now he is gunning to move up in the world of motor sports.
It is amazing that Tony adapted to stock car racing so quickly. Tony was in a state of disbelief at winning the race car and was very nervous about driving it; he didn’t even know how to shift from one gear to another, so he turned to one of his heroes and Manzanita’s perennial champion, Anthony Madrid, for help. Now, after a full season of “Rookie of the Year” racing, everybody wants to know what “secrets of the track” Madrid divulged to Tony Steele. Although Madrid did teach him lots of driving techniques, Tony says the secret for him was conquering his biggest challenge, “taking advice.”
Tony’s first race at Manzanita Speedway was the most nerve-wracking. “Because I was a total rookie, I started at the back of the field in 20th position. It was very hot, probably 140 degrees with the heat and the racing uniform, and my adrenaline was pumping.” He does not admit to fear, just nervousness. That is not surprising with 19 experienced, grizzled, veteran drivers racing after you at break-neck speed on a one-third mile dirt track. The rookie finished in ninth place in his inaugural race, beating out some of the best stock car drivers in Arizona.
Tony says, “A race wears you out. But I can rest for just a few minutes and do it again. My most exciting times come when I feel like I’ve driven a good race. By that I mean a race where I’ve stayed in my line, driven the car smoothly, didn’t hit anybody, and finished in the top 10.” After a race Tony is so excited that he wants to talk to everybody in the pits. His adrenaline is pumping but it shows itself in the friendliest way. “I’ve got a lot of friends at the track. Race track people are the best people I know. Once I blew an engine, and Ricky Thornton showed us how to repair it. Everybody’s always willing to help a fellow racer. I really look up to men like Larry Price, Ron Funk, Bob Taylor, Anthony Madrid and, of course, Ricky Thornton. I respect them all. Once I won the trophy dash, and I came into the pits so excited and said to my dad, ‘Dad, I just beat Larry Price.’” All Manzanita fans know that Larry Price is tough to beat.
When asked about how stock car racing has impacted his relationship with the girls, Tony replied with a big smile on his face, “I am a ladies man. But I don’t really talk about what I do with the kids at my school. The ones that do know about my racing don’t understand it. They think it’s all about going in circles. I run with the race track girls; they are down to earth real people. I like girls with personality,” and then he just couldn’t resist adding, “Especially the cute ones.”
Tony’s parents play a big role in his racing career, and he is not embarrassed about giving them full credit. “My parents are behind me one hundred percent. At the same time they are very strict. I don’t go to parties or hang out in malls. They encourage me in group-type activities. Sometimes I miss going out with my friends, but I know my mom and dad have me on the right track.”
The upcoming racing season looms large for Tony Steele. At age 15, he realizes that racing careers are made in the early years. “This may be my make or break year,” says Tony. These are heavy thoughts for such a young man, but Tony knows what the odds are for moving up in the world of major league racing. He also understands the role of luck in becoming successful and is taking advantage of every opportunity to get his name and reputation out there. He has used contacts made through his regular participation in the “Racing Roundup Arizona” program on radio station KXAM-1310AM to meet several NASCAR drivers and crews. People who know Tony see him for what he is: one talented, bright, attractive young man who is staking a claim to the spotlight in the racing world.