page_title: Steve Butler
section_title: 1984
hierarchical_section_title: Steve Butler / Racing career / United States Auto Club Racing / Debut / 1984
caption_attribution_description: Steve Butler driving the Beachy sprinter in USAC competition at the Terre Haute (IN) Action Track in 1984. Bud Whitacre is the car owner
context_page_description: Steve Butler won six national driving championships in USAC Sprint Car and Silver Crown open-wheel racing. Butler was highly regarded for his technical skills and performed chief mechanic duties on several of his winning race cars. He also communicated his view of racing to fans both as author and television commentator. Despite a relatively brief racing career, Butler is an inductee into the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame, the USAC Hall of Fame, and the Hoosier Auto Racing Fan's Hall of Fame. He retired at age 37 to pursue both an engineering career and more time with his growing family. Butler currently resides in Kokomo, IN.
context_section_description: Butler mounted his first effort to campaign the full USAC Sprint Car series in 1984. He quickly seized national attention by winning his first USAC race on live television. The Jud Larson/Don Branson memorial, held on the high-banked ½ mile at Eldora Speedway, was broadcast on ABC's Wide World of Sports. The win was unexpected, as Butler started 10th behind formidable veterans such as Jack Hewitt, Sheldon Kinser, and Rickey Hood. However, Butler quickly moved through the field to take the lead from Hewitt on the 16th lap to claim his first USAC victory.
  In June, Steve and Thomasa became parents with the birth of Jennifer. Just two days later, Butler won the annual Kokomo Classic race with both his wife and newborn daughter in attendance.
  By the end of the year, Butler had won 5 USAC sprint races, one less than eventual series champion Rickey Hood. The most impressive of these was at the flat Terre Haute Action Track ½ mile; Butler started 7th and then drove past visiting champions Ken Schrader (defending USAC champ) and Steve Kinser (defending World of Outlaws champ) to earn the win. Butler went on to finish the season 3rd in USAC points.
caption: During his rookie USAC season, Butler delivers an upset win over Steve Kinser and Ken Schrader at Terra Haute, IN
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