American Rally Community Mourns Loss of Beloved Grassroots Racer Al Dantes Jr.

The American rally community is mourning the loss of one of the sport's most beloved grassroots competitors this week. Al Dantes Jr. of the Tower City Racing Team was killed on October 13 after an allegedly intoxicated semi-truck driver crashed into a L'Anse, Michigan, gas station where Dantes was fueling up.

Dantes was transferred to the Baraga County Memorial Hospital following the crash, where he ultimately passed away, leaving behind six young daughters. He was 43 years old. According to WNMUFM, the semi-truck driver, 22-year-old Dawaun K. Johnson of University Park, Illinois, was arraigned on a 15-year felony charge in Baraga County District Court on Monday for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, with an additional penalty for causing death. Johnson has been released on a $100,000 bond, but must return to Michigan for a probable cause conference on November 1.

Dantes, racer and Michigan native, was slated to compete in his hometown Lake Superior Performance Rally (LSPR) event the following morning in which he would've competed to retain his hold on the 2022 Central O2WD championship.

Dantes was a staple of the American Rally Association's grassroots scene since 2007 when he first competed in the local LSPR event. According to DirtFish, Dantes entered a Golf GTI in that first race. The sport stuck, with Dantes returning for sections of the 2012 season with a VR6-powered Jetta. The Michigander was best known in rally circles for his efforts to build and run an LS-swapped FC RX-7, which is known throughout the community as Rexine. The loud and often sideways sports coupe was an unusual choice for rally racing, but one Dantes proved his talents in. Dantes took home the 2021 ARA East O2WD championship and still leads the 2022 Central O2WD championship.

Dantes's co-driver Keegan Helwig explained to R&T how Al embodied the 'push on regardless' mentality that makes rally racing so great.

"We had our moments where we sheared off a ball joint and strapped the lower suspension forward to transit back to service," Helwig told R&T. "Another moment came when the serpentine belt was slipping off because the alternator bolt broke after a jump, so we stuffed it with pins, zip ties, and a strap to the fender to keep the alternator in place. We ran without coolant for nearly 20 miles because of no water pump before that 'fix.' But my favorite was at Hardwood Cup Rally where we blew an upper rad hose and kept replacing coolant with creek water during transit. Went through 30–40 bottles of water through the remaining stages of the event. We ended up finishing first overall."

The finish would mark Dantes's first overall victory, as well as his final career start.

Dantes's speed on the course is not only what he will be remembered for. He was a well-loved figure in the sport and a gracious personality, known for getting competitors together for group photos and selfies alike. His willingness to help people get involved in rally racing touched the lives of more than a few competitors, through advice or in the passenger seat of Rexine. He was a genuine man who earned the respect of his peers on and off the rally stage. He was also the father of six girls: Justice, Arieanna, Aaliyah, Dannii, Adalyn, and Kaia.