February 17, 2014 — staff report by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman — ARCA Racing photo — TOLEDO, Ohio – Rollie Beale, one of the most well-liked and respected USAC drivers of all time, has died at the age of 84.
The 1973 USAC National Sprint Car Champion was inducted into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in 1996. During his USAC career, which ran from 1965 to 1977, Beale tallied 32 sprint car feature victories, placing him 10th on the USAC all-time sprint car wins list.
One of the biggest wins of his career came in the prestigious Little 500 at Anderson (Ind.) Speedway in 1966. A driver who also took part in USAC Silver Crown and National Championship (IndyCar) competition, his best IndyCar finish was a ninth in 1968 at Trenton, N.J.
After retiring as a driver, he spent several years as the Chief Steward for USAC’s Silver Crown and National Sprint Car Series. In 1991 he was awarded the USAC Ross Hadley award for dedication to the sport.
More on the life and times of this Toledo native, railroader and national champion will follow in the coming days. For now, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends and thousands of fans from all over the globe.
