Former ARCA Series Driver Keith Plough Dies at 91

Keith Ploughe, the 1966 ARCA Menards Series championship runner-up driver who raced in the series from 1959-78, died Dec. 29, 2021, at the age of 91.

Racing out of his native Indianapolis, Ploughe drove to ARCA victories at Ohio’s Dayton Speedway in the 1963 Dayton 500, where he started 35th of 38 starters, and in 1966 at Fairgrounds Speedway Nashville.

Ploughe, whose brother Phil also raced in the ARCA Series, finished in the top 10 in series points six times from 1961-77, including his second-place finish in 1966 to champion Iggy Katona. His ARCA career totals include 40 top-10 and 19 top-five finishes, with his best superspeedway finish of seventh in the 1966 Daytona ARCA event.

A U.S. Army veteran, Ploughe owned and operated Ploughe’s Garage for 30 years, during which time he maintained and drove school buses for Brownsburg (Indiana) Schools. He also raced regularly at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, where he most recently attended races in support of Ploughe’s Wrecker Service.

Ploughe, who resided in Pittsboro, is survived by two daughters, a sister, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Services are Thursday, Jan. 6, at Matthews Mortuary in Brownsburg, Indiana.

— ARCA Racing —