Robert Erle Crump

He was an avid motorsports enthusiast from childhood, beginning with a homemade go-kart he assembled from scrap parts in his father’s garage that he used often raced down public streets in the old neighborhood in the south end of Peoria. Robert parlayed an early fascination for automobiles into a lifelong passion, establishing and operating numerous successful businesses in Peoria, including RC Transmissions, RC Motorsports, and Farmington Road Tire.

The love for speed that took hold in his youth never left him, and he devoted much of his life to engineering race cars and competing in dirt Late Models and Modifieds across the Midwest and Florida, as well as in the ARCA series. He was still a teenager when he began competing locally at Peoria Speedway. And he persevered through the challenges of his early racing years while building a thriving business, but he eventually found the success he desired culminating in the 1991 track championship at Spoon River Speedway. He was most proud however of the numerous Sportsman of the Year awards he won throughout his five decades in motorsports.

Recognized for his smooth and deliberate style behind the wheel of the familiar No. 40 car, his greatest contribution to racing was as a car builder for racers throughout the Midwest and South. Cars he built won thousands of races and countless track championships. A friend to every racer, he raced others cleanly, did things the right way, and was always willing to lend a helping hand to his fellow competitors.

Robert is survived by his wife of 42 years, Candace; five children, Frances (Mark) Keyster of Pekin, Eddie (Patricia) Ping of London Mills, Angelia (Dustin) Neeley of Morton, Erika (Tony) Deppermann of Trivoli, and Robert Crump Jr. of Tennessee; one sister, Sue Shelabarger of Arizona; brothers Russell and Charles Crump of Peoria, and eleven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, and one sister Carol Crump.

His warmth, generosity, and humor will be greatly missed by everyone who loved him. A victory lap for Robert Crump will be held on November 22, 2026, at a location to be determined.