Steve Lewis Jr. Bio
Steve Lewis Jr. (born January 18, 1999) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He last competed part-time in the ARCA Menards Series, driving the No. 62 Chevrolet for his own family-led team, Steve Lewis Racing. A former dirt-track racer from Western New York, Lewis transitioned into asphalt stock car racing in his early twenties and made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in 2023.
Early Life and Background
Steve Lewis Jr. was born on January 18, 1999, and grew up in the small Niagara County community of Ransomville, New York. He still resides in his hometown, which sits in the heart of Western New York’s dirt-racing region. Like many drivers from that part of the country, Lewis was surrounded by short tracks and open-wheel modified competition from an early age, and the local racing scene shaped his early years both on and off the track.
His introduction to motorsports came through the regional dirt-track scene that runs through Western New York and nearby parts of Ontario. He began racing competitively as a teenager, building experience on the rough, demanding surfaces that have long served as a proving ground for Northeast racers. That grounding in dirt-track craft later formed the foundation for his stock car ambitions.
Path to NASCAR
Lewis spent several seasons working his way through the dirt modified ranks before setting his sights on national stock car competition. He ran multiple regional series, including the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series, the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, and the Mighty TQ Midgets of Western New York. In 2021, he finished eighth in the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series standings, a result that gave him the confidence to consider a larger stage.
His path to the ARCA Menards Series began in the fall of 2022, when he reached out to fellow driver Kyle Sieg and purchased an intermediate ARCA car from RSS Racing. The car needed a new motor, transmission, and rear end, and Lewis converted it into a superspeedway package with help from fellow driver Andy Jankowiak. After pre-season testing at Daytona International Speedway in January 2023, he was approved to race and made his series debut in the season opener.
Steve Lewis Jr. Career
Early Career (2017–2022)
Lewis’s early career was spent almost entirely on dirt. Between 2017 and 2022, he raced across the Northeast, taking on the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series, the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, and the Mighty TQ Midgets of Western New York. These regional series are known for producing well-rounded, hard-nosed racers, and Lewis became a regular front-runner on the Western New York circuit.
His strongest dirt result came in 2021, when an eighth-place finish in the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series standings marked his most consistent season. That performance helped convince him that the time was right to step up to bigger asphalt stock cars, setting the stage for his eventual purchase of an ARCA Menards Series car later that year.
ARCA Menards Series Breakthrough (2023)
Lewis made his ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in the 2023 season opener, driving the No. 62 Chevrolet fielded by Steve Lewis Racing. He started 24th in the race and went on to finish a strong 13th, a debut result that validated months of preparation and rebuilding work on his newly acquired race car.
His Daytona outing was the result of a focused off-season build, including a successful pre-season test at the same track where he would later race. After the test, he was officially approved by ARCA to compete, clearing the way for his part-time schedule. The 13th-place finish gave Lewis and his small family-run team an encouraging first result in national stock car competition.
Steve Lewis Racing Era (2023–Present)
Steve Lewis Racing represents a family-led effort built around the driver himself. Operating with a small crew out of Western New York, the team fields the No. 62 Chevrolet in the ARCA Menards Series. The program reflects Lewis’s hands-on approach, from building and converting his own equipment to managing the day-to-day operations of the team.
The team is part of a growing group of grassroots operations that have found a path into ARCA through cost-effective programs. Lewis’s superspeedway debut at Daytona served as the team’s breakthrough moment, and the program is positioned to continue developing on the strength of that early success.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lewis developed his race craft on dirt, where balance, throttle control, and patience are essential. That background gives him a smooth, measured style, particularly in long, high-speed runs. His work converting an intermediate car into a superspeedway package also shows a strong technical sense and a willingness to learn the engineering side of stock car racing.
Notable Races and Milestones
Lewis’s most memorable result to date is his 13th-place ARCA Menards Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in 2023. Finishing inside the top 15 in his first national series start, at one of the most demanding tracks on the schedule, stands as the signature achievement of his early stock car career.
Steve Lewis Jr. Career Wins
Steve Lewis Jr. is best known at this stage of his career for his debut result and the groundwork he has put in place rather than for major national victories. His verified accomplishments include consistent regional competition across the Northeast dirt modified scene and a competitive top-15 finish in his first ARCA Menards Series start.
ARCA Menards Series Highlights
Lewis’s ARCA Menards Series highlights center on his 2023 Daytona debut, where he started 24th and finished 13th in the No. 62 Chevrolet for Steve Lewis Racing. It was a clean, mistake-free run in a series known for big wrecks at superspeedways, and it established him as a part-time presence in the series.
Other Wins & Performances
On dirt, Lewis was a regular competitor in the Super DIRTcar Big-Block Modified Series, the DIRTcar 358-Modified Series, and the Mighty TQ Midgets of Western New York. His most notable result was an eighth-place finish in the 2021 DIRTcar 358-Modified Series standings.
Steve Lewis Jr. Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Steve Lewis Jr. operates Steve Lewis Racing, a family-led team that carries his own name. The program reflects the grassroots, family-run nature of much of his racing background and the support system around him in Western New York.
Personal Life
Lewis continues to live in Ransomville, New York, his hometown. Even after stepping into national stock car competition, he has remained connected to the local dirt racing community and still races dirt modifieds when his schedule allows.
2025 Season Performance
Steve Lewis Jr. continues to be listed as part of the ARCA Menards Series driver pool, with Steve Lewis Racing fielding the No. 62 Chevrolet. The team is expected to build on the foundation laid by its 2023 Daytona debut, focusing on selected superspeedway and intermediate events rather than a full-season campaign.
The 2025 season is positioned as a developmental year for both driver and team, with an emphasis on experience and consistency. Lewis’s priority is to log clean, competitive finishes and grow the team’s infrastructure for future seasons.
As a small, family-run operation out of Western New York, Steve Lewis Racing faces the same challenges as other grassroots ARCA programs. Continued progress in 2025 will depend on sponsorship support, equipment reliability, and Lewis’s ability to balance his dirt-track commitments with his national series schedule.