Dick Trickle

Richard Leroy Trickle (October 27, 1941 – May 16, 2013) was an American race car driver. He raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin, winning many championships along the way. Trickle competed in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.

In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle logged one million laps and is believed to have won over 1,200 feature races. He was billed as the winningest short track driver in history. Trickle's career highlights include racing to 67 wins in 1972, winning seven ARTGO Championships in nine years between 1979 and 1987, winning back to back ASA AC-Delco Challenge championships in 1984 and 1985, the 1968 USAC Stock Car rookie of the year, and winning the 1989 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award in the Winston Cup Series. Trickle was nicknamed the "White Knight" as referenced by his sponsored SuperAmerica paint scheme, when he raced in Wisconsin.

Early life Eight-year-old Dick Trickle was playing tag with his cousin Verlon on the rafters in a house under construction when he fell two floors to the basement and broke his hip. He was transferred from a local hospital to the University of Wisconsin Hospital and continued his slow recovery. He spent three years in a cast from his waist to his foot. He also spent a lot of time at the Rudolph Blacksmith shop that his father was a partner in.

He toured on the Central Wisconsin Racing Association (CWRA) tracks in 1971. The circuit consisted of larger asphalt track racing on most nights of the week. The CWRA regular drivers were able to run over 100 events in a year, and most did the tour with one car and one engine. Drivers would drive on Wednesday nights at La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway, Thursday nights at State Park Speedway near Wausau, Friday nights at Capitol Speedway (now Madison International Speedway) near Madison, La Crosse, or Adams-Friendship, Saturday nights at Wisconsin Dells Speedway, and Sunday nights at Griffith Park. Trickle went to Adams-Friendship on July 23 and won the feature after setting the track record. He held the track record at six tracks: Adams-Friendship, Capitol, Wausau, Wisconsin Dells, and La Crosse.

Trickle started his 1972 season by winning at Golden Sands Speedway near Wisconsin Rapids. In May he won a 50-lapper at Springfield, Missouri and two more features at I-70 Speedway. Trickle started racing out of state a lot more in 1983. Of all of Trickle's victories, his best memory was winning the 1983 World Crown 300 in Georgia. "It took three weeks of preparation and a lot of determination," he said. "It was the biggest payday of my career up to that point ($50,000)." Trickle skipped the following week, and returned the week after to lose to Steve Burgess. He did not win as much at State Park, but he did win the track championship.

Regional and national touring career Trickle raced in United States Automobile Club (USAC) stock cars in 1968, and he won the series' rookie of the year award.

NASCAR career

Through the 1970s and 1980s, Trickle made sporadic appearances in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series, including three Daytona 500 starts. Invited by Bill France Sr. himself to join the series in the middle of his prospering short-track career, he quipped that he "didn't want to take the pay cut."

In 1989, Trickle made his full schedule debut driving the No. 84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing replacing the injured Mike Alexander. He was rookie of the year in NASCAR's Winston Cup Series at the age of 48 (and a grandfather), becoming the oldest driver in Winston Cup history to do so. After being given the rookie of the year trophy at the NASCAR awards banquet, he quipped "I guess I'd just like to thank everyone who gave a young guy like me a chance". He was also widely noted for having drilled a hole in his safety helmet so that he could smoke while racing, and for installing cigarette lighters in his race cars.

Trickle also raced in the Busch Series, where he won two races. He had 158 career starts, with 24 top-five and 42 top-ten finishes. He made his Busch Series debut in 1984. In 1991 he scored a win in the ARCA series at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Through the 2000s, Trickle continued to race in occasional events in Wisconsin, including the 2001 and 2007, Slinger Nationals at Slinger Super Speedway and in the ASA Midwest Tour.

Legacy

The La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway created the Dick Trickle 99 race, a 99 lap super late model event held during its annual Oktoberfest race weekend. Wisconsin International Raceway has named a building in turn two the "Dick Trickle Pavilion". Trickle served as the de facto grand marshal of the Slinger Nationals after he retired until his death.

Trickle's crashes at the Lake Placid bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton track at the Geoff Bodine Bobsled Challenge (in which NASCAR and NHRA drivers raised funds for the Bo-Dyn Bobsled Project, owned by Bodine, to build sleds for the United States Olympic bobsled team) resulted in that turn (17, 18, 19, the "heart curve") being named the "Trickle Turn."

The main character of the 1990 NASCAR feature film Days of Thunder played by Tom Cruise is named Cole Trickle as a homage to Dick.

Death

Trickle died May 16, 2013, from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The incident occurred at 12:02 pm at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina. The Lincoln County Communications Center received a call, apparently from Trickle, saying that "there's going to be a dead body. Suicide." When the 911 operator asked who was about to commit suicide, Trickle responded: "I'm the one."

Trickle's family later released a statement which in part said: "He had been suffering for some time with severe chronic pain, had seen many doctors, none of which could find the source of his pain. His family as well as all those who knew him find his death very hard to accept, and though we will hurt from losing him for some time, he's no longer suffering and we take comfort knowing he's with his very special angel."

A moment of silence was observed for Trickle during the start of the North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 17. A tribute was held for Trickle at the July 2013 Slinger Nationals race with his family telling stories about his career.

Legacy and memorial

Trickle's Wisconsin friends and competitors, including Tom Reffner and Marv Marzofka, began organizing a Dick Trickle memorial fund to build a memorial statue at Rudolph Community Park. The group is collecting money including securing the title sponsorship of a super late model race at Golden Sands Speedway.

Various Midwestern short tracks have Trickle Memorial races, with most being 99 laps for his car number. The most famous of the Dick Trickle Classic races is at LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in Wisconsin, which was started in 2007. The Trickle Classic there consists of three 33-lap races, with scoring similar to Vermont's Milk Bowl. Winners have included Skyler Holzhausen and Johnny Sauter, both of whose fathers raced against Trickle in his career.

Wins in major series Although he won no premiership championship races, he was very successful elsewhere: 1 Non-championship qualifying race (Winston Open, 1990) 2 NASCAR Second-tier championship series race wins 32 American Speed Association wins 70 wins in NASCAR's now-defunct "Elite" Division (68 Midwest, when known as ARTGO and 2 Southwest) 2 USAC wins

Motorsports career results NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Grand National Series NASCAR Grand National Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Pts Ref 1970 Fran Kelly Racing 09 Ford RSD DAY DAY17 DAY26 RCH CAR SVH ATL BRI TAL NWS CLB DAR BLV LGY CLT SMR MAR MCH RSD HCY KPT GPS DAY AST TPN TRN BRI SMR NSV ATL CLB ONA MCH TAL BGS SBO DAR HCY RCH DOV NCF NWS CLT MAR MGR CAR LGY 114th 0

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Pts Ref 1973 Howard & Egerton Racing 1 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT5 CAR 81st NA 1974 Jack Doering Racing 81 Dodge RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL DAR NWS MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT7 RSD MCH DAY BRI NSV ATL POC TAL MCH DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR 47th 24.49 Marcis Auto Racing 2 Dodge CLT8 Mercury CAR7 ONT 1975 Puro Racing 75 Mercury RSD DAY36 RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT 113th 55 1976 Donlavey Racing 99 Ford RSD DAY CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT32 RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 105th 67 1977 Frasson Racing99 Chevy RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL NWS DAR BRI MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT29 CAR ATL ONT 99th 76 1978 Puro Racing Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT NSV RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT39 CAR ATL ONT 109th 46 1984 Billy Matthews Racing 42 Chevy DAY36 RCH CAR ATL BRI NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD POC MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR ATL RSD 87th 55 1985 09 DAY RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT36 RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL CLT36 CAR ATL RSD 58th 197 DiGard Motorsports 10 Pontiac MCH8 BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS 1986 Billy Matthews Racing 42 Chevy DAY17 RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLTDNQ RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCHDNQ BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR15 ATL RSD 55th 230 1989 Stavola Brothers Racing 84 Buick DAY CAR13 ATL3 RCH25 DAR13 BRI5 NWS4 MAR3 TAL27 CLT29 DOV21 SON30 POC24 MCH25 DAY8 POC20 TAL16 GLN34 MCH19 BRI28 DAR17 RCH8 DOV25 MAR3 CLT30 NWS12 CAR5 PHO7 ATL35 15th 3203 1990 Cale Yarborough Motorsports 66 Pontiac DAY12 RCH5 CAR23 ATL14 DAR22 BRI13 NWS24 MAR9 TAL27 CLT12 DOV3 SON39 POC25 MCH24 DAY19 POC15 TAL36 GLN30 MCH32 BRI17 DAR11 RCH7 DOV23 MAR22 NWS29 CLT30 CAR36 PHO40 ATL37 22nd 2863 1991 DAY11 RCH15 CAR29 ATL28 DAR 35th 1258 AAG Racing 34 Buick BRI30 NWS26 MAR32 TAL CLT40 DOV SON POC MCH DAY Team III Racing 24 Pontiac POC35 TAL20 GLN MCH21 BRI27 DAR23 RCH DOV6 MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL 1992 RahMoc Enterprises 75 Olds DAY5 20th 3097 Stavola Brothers Racing 8 Ford CAR36 RCH22 ATL5 DAR7 BRI5 NWS11 MAR17 TAL19 CLT10 DOV9 SON26 POC29 MCH20 DAY35 POC9 TAL28 GLN24 MCH19 BRI23 DAR27 RCH20 DOV27 MAR6 NWS18 CLT9 CAR16 PHO40 ATL37 1993 Butch Mock Motorsports 75 Ford DAY41 CAR29 RCH21 ATL37 DAR20 BRI22 NWS33 MAR14 TAL31 SON20 CLT19 DOV28 POC36 MCH31 DAY26 NHA33 POC30 TAL19 GLN 30th 2224 Roulo Brothers Racing 39 Chevy MCH39 BRI DAR RCH25 King Racing 26 Ford DOV25 MAR Larry Hedrick Motorsports 41 Chevy NWS30 CLT22 CAR9 PHO31 ATL5 1994 Active Motorsports 32 Chevy DAY20 CAR14 RCH37 ATL28 DAR29 BRI34 NWS24 MAR32 TAL36 SONDNQ CLT38 DOV38 POC34 MCHDNQ DAY21 NHA34 POCDNQ TALDNQ INDDNQ GLN32 MCH41 BRI17 DAR38 RCH12 DOV21 MAR32 NWS16 CLT13 CAR8 PHO39 ATLDNQ 34th 2019 1995 Bud Moore Engineering 15 Ford DAY11 CAR22 RCH12 ATL22 DAR28 BRI30 NWS32 MAR24 TAL38 SON24 CLT16 DOV32 POC22 MCH16 DAY12 NHA34 POC10 TAL38 IND18 GLN28 MCH13 BRI35 DAR36 RCH18 DOV23 MAR15 NWS19 CLT32 CAR16 PHO29 ATL23 25th 2875 1996 Schnell Motorsports 63 Ford DAY43 CARDNQ 36th 2131 TriStar Motorsports 19 Ford RCHDNQ ATL14 DAR35 BRI8 NWS22 MARDNQ TAL19 SON29 CLT20 DOV28 Donlavey Racing 90 Ford POC26 MCH39 DAY28 NHA27 POC18 TAL38 IND23 GLN39 MCH38 BRI26 DAR36 RCH27 DOV23 MAR13 NWSDNQ CLT35 CAR31 PHO20 ATLDNQ 1997 DAY30 CAR19 RCH29 ATL28 DARDNQ TEX23 BRI11 MAR30 SONDNQ TAL15 CLT33 DOV41 POC26 MCH23 CAL22 DAY25 NHA25 POC19 INDDNQ GLN MCH39 BRI3 DAR13 RCH19 NHA22 DOV18 MAR42 CLT14 TAL23 CAR5 PHO40 ATL14 31st 2629 1998 DAY27 CAR37 LVS16 ATL6 DAR24 BRI13 TEX22 MAR37 TAL20 CAL37 CLT21 DOV21 RCH17 MCH24 POC27 SON33 NHA17 POC29 IND18 GLN41 MCH38 BRI43 NHA19 DAR33 RCH42 DOV31 MAR33 CLT33 TAL38 DAYDNQ PHO19 CAR23 ATL12 29th 2678 1999 Elliott-Marino Racing 13 Ford DAYDNQ CAR LVS ATL 47th 528 LJ Racing 91 Chevy DAR26 TEXDNQ BRI31 MAR31 TALDNQ CAL RCH32 CLTDNQ DOV43 MCH POC40 SON DAY NHA29 POC INDDNQ GLN BRIDNQ DAR MB2 Motorsports 36 Pontiac MCH40 Rudd Performance Motorsports 10 Ford RCHQL† Larry Hedrick Motorsports 41 Chevy NHADNQ DOVDNQ MARDNQ CLT41 TAL CAR PHO HOM ATL 2000 A. J. Foyt Enterprises 14 Pontiac DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR31 BRI27 51st 423 Joe Bessey Motorsports 60 Chevy TEX28 MAR TAL39 CAL37 RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV MAR CLT23 TAL CAR PHO HOM Marcis Auto Racing 71 Chevy ATLDNQ 2001 DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX MAR TAL CAL RCH CLT DOV MCH POC SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MARQL‡ TAL PHO CAR33 HOM ATL NHA 65th 64 2002 DAY CARDNQ LVS ATL42 DAR BRI42 TEX MAR DOV42 POC MCH SON DAY CHI NHA POC IND GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH NHA DOV KAN TAL CLT MAR ATL CAR PHO HOM 66th 111 Evernham Motorsports 91 Dodge TALDNQ CAL RCH CLT† - Qualified for Ricky Rudd · ‡ - Qualified for Dave Marcis

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1970 Fran Kelly Racing Ford 36 26 1975 Puro Racing Mercury 27 36 1984 Billy Matthews Racing Chevrolet 21 36 1986 Billy Matthews Racing Chevrolet 28 17 1990 Cale Yarborough Motorsports Pontiac 32 12 1991 28 11 1992 RahMoc Enterprises Oldsmobile 28 5 1993 Butch Mock Motorsports Ford 21 41 1994 Active Motorsports Chevrolet 29 20 1995 Bud Moore Engineering Ford 17 11 1996 Schnell Motorsports Ford 28 43 1997 Donlavey Racing Ford 27 30 1998 34 27 1999 Elliott-Marino Racing Ford DNQ

Busch Series NASCAR Busch Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Pts Ref 1984 Hendrick Motorsports 15 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR DAR ROU NSV LGY MLW3 DOV CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU HCY IRP LGY SBO BRI DAR RCH NWS CLT HCY CAR MAR 69th 185 1990 Mac Martin Motorsports 92 Pontiac DAY23 RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT2* 62nd 264 Pharo Racing 33 Olds DOV7 ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NHA CAR MAR 1991 Mac Martin Motorsports 92 Chevy DAY42 RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT2 DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB 37th 1050 Olds IRP3 ROU BRI19 Highline Racing 18 Pontiac DAR4 RCH23 DOV4 CLTDNQ NHA CAR28 MAR28 1992 2 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR4 BRI25 HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT8 DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT MAR CAR HCY 56th 390 1994 Shoemaker Racing 64 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR HCY BRI ROU NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW SBO TAL HCY IRP MCH5 BRI5 DAR RCH DOV14 CLTDNQ CAR40 53rd 532 Petty Enterprises 43 Pontiac MAR35 1996 Shoemaker Racing 64 Chevy DAY CAR RCH ATL13 NSV8 DAR9 BRI8 HCY27 NZH4 CLT2 DOV40 SBO14 MYB7 GLN12 MLW15 NHA12 TAL7 IRP8 MCH37 BRI23 DAR3 RCH5 DOV30 CLT25 CAR16 HOM35 12th 2728 1997 DAY19 CAR11 RCH32 ATL18 LVS2 DAR3 HCY1 TEX16 BRI5 NSV15 TAL10 NHA NZH27 CLT11 DOV37 SBO17 GLN30 MLW14 MYB GTY21 IRP27 MCH42 BRI15 DAR3 RCH4 DOV38 CLT39 CAL25 CAR2 HOM41 14th 3074 1998 DAY23 CAR11 LVS22 NSV9 DAR3 BRI13 TEXDNQ HCY11 TAL5* NHA13 NZH12 CLT20 DOV12 RCH8 PPR GLN MLW41 MYB CAL39 SBO IRP MCH11 BRI39 DAR1 RCH8 DOV42 CLT34 GTY CAR ATL38 HOM43 22nd 2441 1999 Spencer Motor Ventures 5 Chevy DAY26 CARDNQ LVS31 ATL31 DAR37 TEXDNQ NSV42 BRI21 TAL11 CAL26 NHA11 RCH11 NZH13 CLT31 DOV5 SBO21* GLN20 MLW9 MYB17 PPR6 GTY16 IRP14 MCH29 BRI17 DAR21 RCH12 DOV12 CLT16 CAR19 MEM6 PHO24 HOM35 11th 3154 2000 DAY16 CAR41 LVS29 ATL8 DAR32 BRI10 TEX12 NSV33 TAL37 CAL13 RCH23 NHA30 CLT37 DOV17 SBO39 MYB26 GLN40 MLW19 NZH35 PPR14 GTY16 IRP25 MCH15 BRI35 DAR33 RCH7 DOV20 CLT34 CAR40 MEM25 PHO23 HOM23 22nd 2808 2001 Jay Robinson Racing 49 Ford DAY CAR LVS ATL DAR BRI TEX NSH TAL CAL RCH NHA NZH CLT DOV KEN38 MLW GLN CHI GTY PPR IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV KAN CLT MEM PHO CAR HOM 132nd 49