ABOUT US

Who are we?

We are a non-profit, tax deductible, charitable organization established for the purpose of helping the dirt track racing community. The foundation was established after the death of Steve King. Steve died from a brain injury sustained during an accident between turns three and four during Wednesday night race qualifying for the 2006 Knoxville Nationals.

The generosity of the racing community is helping the racing family.  Since we began the foundation last fall we have been able to help individuals and families across the country.

Who was Steve King?

Steve’s life consisted of two things: farming and racing. This fourth generation farmer lived and worked on the family’s row crop and feedlot operation outside of Jetmore, Kansas. Steve and his parents worked the farm together and raced together. Race cars were always a part of Steve’s life. Fans and family will tell you that “racing was in his blood.”

Since Steve was little, the King family has owned a dirt track race car. The racing community has been a part of the King family since father, Danny, fielded his first super modified in 1973. By 1979, six-year old Steve was a regular hand, working alongside Danny as they won Supermodified National Championship Racing Association (NCRA) Championship. With this sweet taste of victory, Steve worked that much harder… learning the ins and outs of dirt track racing. By the time he was eight, he was racing the go-cart around a make-shift small track on the farm.

It wasn’t until 1989 that Danny let Steve climb behind the wheel as a driver. After high school, Steve spent the next four years attending Kansas State University earning his degree in Animal Science. Each summer, however, he focused on perfecting his driving skills at local tracks while farming. During this time, Steve won two track championships and finished 5^th in overall IMCA circuit point standings.

Steve’s career took off in the mid 1990s, when he began taking home the checkered flag at more and more tracks in the Midwest. His consistency earned him top 10 season standings in the NCRA circuits in 1995, 1996 and 1998 – 2006. Steve was the 2002 and 2003 NCRA 360 Division Sprint Car Champion, was runner-up in 2004 and placed third in 2005. In 2006, he was posthumously awarded the ninth place trophy. Steve is currently the second most-winning driver in NCRA history.

Steve was in the second year of his sponsorship with Ethanol/ICM at the time of his death. The sponsorship was a perfect fit, teaming Steve’s farming background with the promotion of a fuel alternative. One of Steve’s goals during the 2006 season was to qualify for the A main at the Knoxville Nationals, a feat he had attempted several times but had yet to achieve.

Steve won his heat, setting a new 10-lap record and was running 16^th in the qualifying feature at the time of the accident, which occurred on the white flag. Had Steve finished the race, he would have reached his goal.