Steve Engel crashed his Pro Mod 1963 Corvette during the U.S. Nationals at the O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis.
His car went out of control during a run and crashed almost head-on into the track's left barrier. He was airlifted to the Indianapolis Methodist Hospital where the doctors found he had six broken vertebrae in his back. It seemed at first that Engel's life was not in danger, but after two surgeries and several days of improvement he suddenly died on 14 September 2008.
Steve Engel was from Shandon, Ohio and was the owner of a trucking company and trailer manufacturing company. He left behind a wife, Tonya and two sons, Steve Jr. and Mikey.
He had 21 years of experience as a drag racing driver. In the last years of his career he competed in the JEGS ProMod Challenge and had won his first event in this category at Bristol the same year of his death.
R.I.P
