Sad news. Steve was one of the first "race people" I ever met...and boy was he ever a character! I have lots of fond memories of Steve, mostly revolving around a little "Speak-Easy" bar he owned back-in-the-day in Ohio, where on any given night, race car drivers (and "race people") from all diciplines could be found sprinkled around in dark corners (or, in some cases, were "wide open on the cushion", doing The Electric Slide on the dance floor).
Steve was ALWAYS quick to pull out his cherished racing photo albums, showing ANYONE (not just the "race people") in the bar his little gems, and he was even quicker to share the stories that the lens had captured. HOWEVER...Steve also told a lot of tall tales, particularly to his unsuspecting "non-race-people" guests...usually about one or more of the race drivers patronizing the establishment that night. Let's just say that when Steve "narrated" those driver's resumes for all to hear, those drivers were far more "decorated" or "legendary" inside that bar than they were outside of its walls. I guess Steve knew that whether it was for a moment, or for a lifetime...it sure feels pretty good to be a king.
And finally, every night the evening would close with Steve queing up his "last call" song...at which point, a racer (or twelve) would take the mic "center stage" and serenade the crowd with "Back Home Again In Indiana".
Here's to you, Mr. Steve....
