Cover Photo By: Thompson Photography

By: Ashley McCubbin

Putting in the hard work each year, and showing speed is paying off for Kyle Steckly as he has been having on both sides of the border. He picked up the APC Auto Parts United Late Model Series Championship for the second year in a row last year, alongside placing second in the ASA Stars National Tour standings with a victory in the Red Bull 400.

As he prepares for his second year with the ASA Tour, Steckly shared his thoughts with News From The Pits at the Motorama Custom Car and Motorsports Expo earlier this month.

(C) Canadian Motorsports Photography

What are your thoughts as you look back at the opportunity in running the ARCA event at Daytona?

It was really special. I think every kid dreams of running at Daytona some day, and that’s what everyone watches in February – the big Daytona 500. Just to be able to big there, and be on track – the race was short lived, but the experience was something I will remember forever.

The deal that you have with Rette Jones Racing is a multi-year deal. Is there a chance we could see you doing more ARCA events down the road?

I think for sure. They have obviously ran a really good ARCA program in the past and last year, they stepped away from that and went the super late model route with the ASA (Stars National) tour. But they do have some really good equipment there, and some good ARCA cars. We’re going to see where it takes us, but I think you’ll see me in more ARCA races for sure.

Looking at the ARCA tour, is there a track that you have circled that you’d love to run this year?

Definitely Bristol (Bristol Motor Speedway). That’s a track that I have looked at for a long time and thought it’d be cool to run and race at Bristol. I think the ARCA race is always good there, and that’s one works out on my schedule. I’d love to get there if the opportunity presents itself.

Last year you had a great season with the ASA tour. What are your thoughts as you look back on that?

We had a really good. It was a really big learning year. We won the Red Bull 400, and that was huge. From that point on, we worked really well together and a lot of good runs, showed a lot of speed. We didn’t get the finishes we wanted but we definately built a pretty big notebook and continued to work on the Port City Chassis, and grow as a team as I get more super late model races under my belt. I think we put behind the season opener from this year, and go at it for these 11 races. I think we’ll be a contender every time. I’m looking forward to it.

(C) Canadian Motorsports Photography

It had to feel good to get the monkey off your back with the Red Bull, though.

Absolutely. I mean, we struggled quite a bit for the first half of the season. My confidence wasn’t the highest, that’s for sure, and I think we were just struggling a bit with the car and something clicked that weekend. It turned our whole season around and gave us a boost of confidence. That’s huge. You get a little momentum and all of a sudden, you can go off and click a bunch of good runs.

What do you feel that you need to improve upon to be even better this season?

I think just putting the whole package together. We have been working on these Port City Racecars a ton. We’ve got them better but I think they still need some work. The more races I get under my belt and understanding what I need in the car and how the Port City Chassis work exactly – that will help. We learned a ton last year so just putting it together and building off what we learned and trying to find a little more speed. Then going to the track with confidence this season.

Are we going to see you back with the APC (Auto Parts United Late Model Series) Tour this season?

Yeah, for sure. I am definitely going to be back for as many races as I can. It likely won’t be a full year, unfortunately, just due to conflicts with the USA schedule with Rette Jones Racing. But I can’t give up the APC Series. I’ve had too much fun in it the last few years and it’s got a special place in my heart. So I will probably be back for seven to eight races.

(C) Short Track Musings

What did it mean for you to go back-to-back with championships?

That’s what we went into the year wanting to do. We wanted to be the first team – it’s not just me the driver, it’s the whole team. So it takes things like no mechanical failures, bringing fast racecars to track each week, unloading close, and I think last year we solidified how we are as a team and how good our late model program is. I think we went on a pretty good roll there, winning four of the nine races, and finished second three other times. It was special, that’s for sure. It’s a tough series with lots of good competition, so to be able to go back-to-back, is special.

You capped off last season with picking up the Rising Star Award with the Canadian Motorsports Hall of Fame. What did that mean to you?

That was really special. I have been watching that award and everyone that has recieved that the past couple of years, since my dad (Scott Steckly) got inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018. It was the same year that Raphael Lessard won the Rising Star Award. He kind of had a similar career path to what I’m hoping to have and got to run in (NASCAR Craftsman) Truck (Series), and someone who I always looked up to. Now to be in that same spot having won the award is really special and something I’m really proud of.

It’s something I’ll have on my racing resume forever, so it’s a pretty cool deal they have. They gave out a pretty good prize this year as well so definatley use that towards advancing my career and hopefully I can live up to that award.

You’ve been fast since you started in mini stocks. What is the biggest thing you learned in those beginning stages of your career that you feel still applies to your career today?

It’s tough. When you get to the point of – the higher you get, the less you work on your own car, unfortunately. I believe that’s unfortunate. So being able understand cars, know what cars need, and how important that is – even though I am not putting in all the work with every car I race now, I still understand what it takes to do that and set-up a car to make it go fast. My dad instilled that in me since day one that I have to understand the car and what the car needs and how much work it takes to go out and be competitive.

So no matter whether I am showing up and driving, or doing all the work on the car, that’s a huge plus because I understand what it takes to be fast and bring a good car to the track and put all the pieces together. That’s something that I’m forever thankful for and appreciate that I have.