Dick Trickle has Died

[cosworth151]

Racing has lost one of its greats. Dick Trickle has died at the age of 71.

Trickle was one of the winningest short track drivers of of all time. It is estimated that he won more than 1,200 feature race, and raced more than 1 million laps. He started in 1958 in a $100 1950 Ford that he cut up into a race car. He continued to race in occasional events in Wisconsin almost until his death. He was USAC Stock Car Rookie of the year in 1968 and NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year 21 years later. He raced stock cars (mostly Fords) in the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC.

Dick's off-track life had more that its share of hard times. In childhood, he fell two stories through an under-construction house. The doctors said that he would be an invalid for life. He spent the next three years in a cast from foot to waist. He did retain a life-long limp. His nephew, Chris Trickle, was an promising race car driver before dying in a drive-by shooting.

Dick was a hard-core smoker. He put working cigarette lighters in his race cars. When full face helmets were mandated, He drilled a cigarette hole in his.

Whenever I think of Dick, I always seem to remember his almost unbeatable purple & white A&W Drive In's Mustang from the 70's. The attached photo doesn't do justice to the color!

It appears that he died by his own hand.

R.I.P., Dick. I know that you're talking racing with a lot of good drivers.