Greenfield, Indiana (March 21, 2025)………Chuck Leary, who scored a stirring victory in the 1997 Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds and earned Rookie of the Year honors in multiple USAC national divisions, passed away at his home on Thursday, March 20, 2025. He was 59 years old.
Leary (Greenfield, Indiana) made his USAC debut in Regional Midget competition at the Indianapolis Speedrome’s 1/5-mile paved bullring in 1991-1992, finishing fifth in the final point standings for 1992 while driving the family-owned Leary Construction-sponsored machine.
Setting out on the USAC national trail with the midgets for 1993, Leary picked up Rookie of the Year honors, finishing a career-best sixth in the standings while earning a top finish of second on the high banks of Indiana’s Winchester Speedway in July. In 1995, he equaled his career best finish of second during the Night Before the 500 at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Also during the 1995 season, Leary set out to compete on the USAC Silver Crown circuit. There, he succeeded again, earning Rookie of the Year accolades. In 1997, he grabbed his most prominent personal racing achievement by winning the Hoosier Hundred at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, which proved to be his only USAC win.
Additionally, Chuck Leary was twice a pole position winner in USAC Silver Crown competition. His first came in a memorable qualifying run in the series debut at Gateway Motorsports Park in 1997, setting a new track record which stood for three years. In 1999, he once again started on the pole during an ESPN2 nationally televised race at Indianapolis Raceway Park.
In a USAC career spanning from 1991-2000 – and a brief return in 2019 – Leary made 58 career USAC National Midget starts and 38 with the USAC Silver Crown series.
Just a year and a month prior to Chuck’s 1997 Hoosier Hundred triumph, his son, C.J. Leary, was born. Chuck worked alongside C.J. in his formative racing years in TQ Midgets, before becoming a USAC winner and the 2019 USAC National Sprint Car champion.
Perhaps Chuck’s proudest moment came in the Spring of 2016 when C.J. earned his first career USAC victory at the Terre Haute Action Track’s Sumar Classic. In that moment, Chuck and C.J. became the first father and son to win a USAC Silver Crown main event as drivers, and to this day, remain the only father/son to achieve the feat.
Leary was also a business owner, operating Leary Construction for many years, which has been a prominent sponsor on the Leary family cars in USAC competition for the past 35 years.
USAC expresses its condolences to Chuck, his wife Tammi, sons C.J. and Blake, and the entire Leary family.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 29, from 11am to 1pm Eastern at Erlewein Mortuary & Crematory, 1484 W. US Highway 40, Greenfield, Indiana. A funeral service will be held immediately following the visitation at 1pm. Burial will follow at Park Cemetery in Greenfield, Indiana.
