The most winningest short track driver in history is dead. 71-year-old Dick Trickle was found the victim of an alleged self-inflicted gun shot wound to the head this afternoon(5/16/13) in Boger City N.C.

Dick Trickle

Trickle who was NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1989 at the age of 48 only won one Cup Race…well, it wasn’t a points race so he doesn’t get official credit for a Cup win. The race he won was the 1990 “Winston Open” (now the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race) in the #66 TropArtic Pontiac. He won his only pole the same year at Dover.

Trickle’s Rookie of the Year ride.

In the Busch Series he collected two career wins (1997 Galaxy Foods 300 at Hickory Speedway, and 1998 Dura-Lube 200 Presented by BI-LO at Darlington). His true claim to fame came in his home state of Wisconsin where he flourished on the short tracks, and was nicknamed The White Night, because of the paint job on his SuperAmerica paint scheme on his ride. It’s estimated that Trickle competed in about 2,200 short track races, logging approximently a million laps, and is believed to have won over 1,200 feature races. During his career he was billed as the “winningest” short track driver in history.

Trickle on the short tracks

Hollywood need to look into Trickles life and make a movie, his life and accomplishments are so unique. If you think about it, for as much as he did, with as little as he had, he left his mark. Anyone who talks racing knows Dick Trickle…hell, NASCAR drivers now Facebook, Twitter, and 24 hour sports channels to keep their name out there, and relevant. Trickle had none of this, he just let his driving do the talking…

Trickle’s resume:

• 1 NASCAR Winston Open (exhibition race, 1990)
• 2 NASCAR Busch Series wins
• 32 American Speed Association wins
• 68 ARTGO Challenge Series wins
• 2 NASCAR Southwest Tour wins
• 2 USAC wins
• 1984 and 1985 American Speed Association Champion
• 7 ARTGO championships between 1979 and 1987
• 1968 USAC Stock Car Rookie of the Year
• 1989 NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year

Trickle’s ’68 Torino

Rest in Peace Dick