CONCORD, N.C. — Longtime NASCAR Technical Director Steve Peterson was found dead in his home July 15.
Peterson, 58, appeared to have died of natural causes.
He first went to work for NASCAR in January 1995 and during his tenure with the sanctioning body, worked on safety initiatives, including head-and-neck restraints, SAFER barriers and the Car of Tomorrow.
“Steve was a tireless worker and passionate about all aspects of safety, including the car, the track and the driver,” said NASCAR President Mike Helton. “Steve was our R & D effort long before there was a formal one. His accomplishments were recognized in motorsports worldwide.”
Before joining NASCAR, Peterson spent more than 25 years in the automotive-engineering industry.