Chuck Leary, who scored a victory in the 1997 Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and earned Rookie of the Year honors in multiple USAC national divisions, has passed away. He was 59 years old.

Leary, originally from Greenfield, Indiana, made his USAC debut in regional Midget competition at the Indianapolis Speedrome's 1/5-mile paved bullring in 1991, finishing fifth in the final point standings for 1992 while driving the family-owned Leary Construction-sponsored machine.

Leary was also a business owner, operating Leary Construction for many years, which has been a prominent sponsor of the Leary family cars in USAC competition for the past 35 years.

For more on Leary's career and life, visit the USAC announcement here.