Speaking of the GOAT... here's an incredible PAVEMENT story.

[Krooser]

OK... (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle did not race much dirt although he started at a dirt track in WI. But this story comes from Stan Kalawasinki is a noted racing writer from the Chicago area.

This accomplishment is truly amazing since thefastguys started near the back...

“Back in the Day” – Probably one of the greatest feats I saw during my travels with the ARTGO Racing late model series was when (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle won five ARTGO features in a 24-hour span. The year was 1979 and the 37-year-old Trickle and his Superamerica Firebird Trans-Am No. 99 were tough to beat in Midwest late model action. ARTGO President John McKarns, who had purchased ARTGO from Art Frigo prior to the ’79 season, had scheduled the series’ third annual two-day Summer Nationals for the Dells Motor Speedway and Capital Super Speedway in Wisconsin. The third-mile paved Dells oval would see the ARTGO “stars and cars” in action on Saturday evening, August 25 with the tour moving to the Capital half-mile in Oregon, Wis., the following afternoon – August 26. Twin 75s were on tap at the Larry Wehrs-promoted Dells speed plant with a strong contingent of late model stars on hand. Trickle won the first 75 lapper of the evening over Bob Senneker, Johnny Ziegler, Tom Reffner and Randy Sweet. Trickle came back and won the 75-lap “nightcap” ahead of Mike Miller, Jim Sauter, Mark Martin and Reffner. After no doubt a little post-race partying, the drivers and crews drove over to Sam Bartus’ Capital raceway, where three 50-lap feature races would highlight the afternoon’s competition. Trickle, looking pretty unbeatable, won the first 50-lap chase ahead of Butch Miller, Sweet, Senneker and Joe Shear. The second ‘50’ saw Trickle, who would capture his second ARTGO season crown that year, win again, this time besting Shear, Sweet, Senneker and Reffner. The third and final 50 lapper again saw Trickle win with Dave Watson, Larry Detjens, Sweet and Senneker chasing the “White Knight” to the checkered flag. I believe the driving talent that finished behind Trickle in these five feature races makes the accomplishment by the Wisconsin Rapids speedster really amazing as a total of nearly 80 different drivers competed in the two-day event.

[HoosierDirtFan]

I know Stan. Talked with him a good bit over the years. He's got a ton of old stories from many of the dirt and asphalt tracks in the Chicago region. Stan has one heck of a memory and the stories to go with it. His kid Jack raced at Illiana Motor Speedway in Schererville, Indiana in the Super Late Model division before it closed a few years back.

Check out Stan's website
Chicagoland Auto Racing
www.kalracing.com/Autoracing - click on Race Tracks on the left side and then click on each track for stories and pictures from years past.

[Krooser]

I remember a story from one of Father Dale Grubba's books about Trickle.

Racing at Toma-Sparta Speedway. Blew the 427 in the late model. Pulled the engine out of his pick-up, put it in the stock car. Won the feature. Left for home with the stock car towing the pick-up and trailer with flashlights taped to the front fenders on the stockcar.

[Morgs153]

I actually got to see D!ck Trickle run on dirt. I was 13 at the time and the Central Wisconsin State Fair in Marshfield ran on the Labor Day weekend (1976). There was a 1/2 mile track at the fairgrounds and this might have been one of the last years than ran a stock car show for their fair.

The stands were packed for this show and the guys from Iowa ruled the day. I'm thinking it may have been Bill Zwanzinger who won the 100 lapper with Ken Walton and Ed Sanger also running up front. But that's all a maybe since I haven't ever been able to find results from this one. But Trickle was there and he was the reason we went. He ran his purple 1970 Mustang and I'm not even sure he finished the distance after being mid pack most of the race. That track was rough as a cob and dusty too with a big rut going into T1 about where we sat which really bounced around some of the cars. I think it broke a few cars that day.

In the 70s Trickle used to race at dirt tracks like DePere and Seymour every once in a while. I had seen some photos of old flyers for races at the Eau Claire race track where he was brought in by a promoter to run against the locals. Those days in the mid to late 70s was really kind of great racing in Wisconsin as a bunch of dirt drivers also ran on pavement once in a while. Guys like Tom Steuding, Leon Plank, and Pete Parker came to Golden Sands once in a while and Steuding won an asphalt feature at State Park Speedway. I even seen Tom Nesbitt run at State Park!

[sc0tt]

I spent years on team with Joe Shear. You knew that you were at the shop and race track to beat Trickle. Remember, at one time his right side spoiler said "YOU GO TO WANTA" I'm happy to say that I was able to witness short track GOAT's, Kinser, Bloomquist, Trickle in my life time.

RIP Joe Shear gone but not forgotten!

[JayD]

Is there a better name in all of sports than D!ck Trickle?

[kazual]

Consider myself fortunate to have seen Trickle run in the lower midwest on a few occasions. Am a dirt fan 100% these days but to see him, Reffner, Sennecker, etc. was a true privilege. The ASA races at I70 were legendary.

[klemmabyna]

the one and only...

http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/racelist2.php?uniqid=99

https://www.sbnation.com/longform/2013/7/30/4567960/(not

[HoosierDirtFan]

Yes there is! Bobby Pierce!!

He doesn’t even come close to D!ck Trickle! I see your still narrow minded. It’s easy for all of us to see.

[Highside Hustler25]

obviously, you didn't check the join date:)

[HIGH ROLLER]

Smooth 32 I see you and bloomerwon have made it back on 4m!

[HIGH ROLLER]

Ya'll made it thru the cv ok?🤔

[CIRF]

Actually Mr. Trickle ran several dirt races in the early 1970's. He raced periodically with the stock car division of USAC for many years in the early to mid 1970's. His dirt track experience consisted of Springfield, Du Quoin and the Indiana State Fairgrounds Mile. His dirt track results weren't all that bad, either. Top 10's at both Springfield (started 19th) and the Indy Mile (started 35th) and a 19th at Du Quoin. Mr. Trickle qualified 9th on the dirt at Du Quoin but blew an engine just before halfway of the 100 miler. This information is courtesy of the Ultimate Racing History.

Back in the days when Mr. Trickle was running with USAC the stock car division was very close to being on par with NASCAR. USAC regulars Don White, Jack Bowsher, Ernie Derr, Roger McCluskey, Butch Hartman, Norm Nelson, Bay Darnell, Sal Tovella were as tough as they come. Then you throw in some of the Champ Car guys from time to time like Mario, AJ, Al Sr., Bobby Unser, among others and you had some real racers from top to bottom!

I didn't get to see any of Mr. Trickle's dirt track exploits. They were well before my time, but I wish I had! I was lucky enough to have watched Mr. Trickle race in person during his later NASCAR days. We actually had a beer with him at an oceanfront hotel bar in Daytona Beach back in the late 1990's. Still have one of his T shirts. Mr. Trickle was a RACER in every sense of the word!

[TerryM]

Geez, Nathan, how are you still fooled by these idiots?

[TerryM]

I’ve seen the (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle win list before. He clearly won a ton of races, but mostly when racing in two or three particular series. When he stepped outside those events, the results obviously weren’t the same. Nonetheless, his story is a great one. I’d love to see a (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle documentary. He’s the classic example of local/regional star, with a national name.

[CIRF]

Originally posted by TerryM I’ve seen the (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle win list before. He clearly won a ton of races, but mostly when racing in two or three particular series. When he stepped outside those events, the results obviously weren’t the same. Nonetheless, his story is a great one. I’d love to see a (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) Trickle documentary. He’s the classic example of local/regional star, with a national name.


The same can be said of nearly all who are regarded as the most successful in modern dirt late model racing, with Jeff Purvis being one of the rare exceptions. That fact doesn't diminish those accomplishments in the least. For most of his career Trickle concentrated on late model pavement stock car racing and he was the best there ever was in that category.

[TerryM]

The same can be said of nearly all who are regarded as the most successful in modern dirt late model racing, with Jeff Purvis being one of the rare exceptions. That fact doesn't diminish those accomplishments in the least. For most of his career Trickle concentrated on late model pavement stock car racing and he was the best there ever was in that category.
So many of the races entered and races won, just say “Late Model Stock Car”. Outside of that category, his results clearly change. I’m not hating on him, that’s not my style. I’m just curious what those events were and who the competition was. Your comment about Purvis being a rare exception, is even more confusing. I’m a student of the game, so if you could help me out, I’d appreciate it.

[Clayton_Wetters]

obviously, you didn't check the join date:)

ssshhhh!!!!! :)

[CIRF]

Purvis was one of the few, if not the only driver, that has made the transition from being a preeminent modern dirt late model star to winning races on pavement in ARCA, the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series and the NASCAR All Pro series.

Trickle made the jump directly into the Cup series due to the career ending injury to Bobby Allison. Unfortunately Trickle never won a NASCAR Cup race but he won a few NASCAR Busch Grand National Series races.

Trickle had to beat some pretty formidable competition on any given night to amass those 1000+ victories regardless track or series.

[Clayton_Wetters]

It was always great to watch, Trickle, Senneker, Sweet, Mike Eddy, Mark Martin, and others at the ASA races at Salem Indiana.

[Clayton_Wetters]

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/9b/c6/cf/9bc6cf70dfe05d9b21f81b25c254ef2e.jpg

[Clayton_Wetters]

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/3b/23/5f/3b235fbfc3e64ad5a7c324a47e03749e.jpg

[Krooser]

You have to remember that, with the exception of the Daytona 500 in 1969, most if not all of Trickle's ventures out side of weekly racing and ARTGO, ASA and All-PRO were in cars not owned by him. When (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) had a hand in the build or the set-up his cars usually flew.

Here's the 1972 record setting wins... remember these were just feature wins.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/151953470@N05/49692830991/in/dateposted-public/

[Morgs153]

I want to thank Krooser for starting this thread. This is a dirt racing forum and some great things were brought up in this post. I knew D!ck on a personal level, not especially well but like so many many others I did know him personally. Many times I got the chance to go to the shop and just hang out for a few minutes and watch and BS. I think the first time was when he brought home the 1976 Bopp Chassis Ford Granada. The car ran very well out of the box but didn't live long as it was destroyed later in the summer at Madison when the throttle stuck. Other visits through the years at the shop and in the pits at different shows and I can tell you - he always took the time to visit one on one and treat you like a friend. This was a great person. This is what a bunch of his fans really understood. D!ck was this total package of being the great race car driver and awesome human being.

When D!ck moved south I lived in Wis Rapids and played in rec league volleyball. D!ck's daughter Vickie was my ref and she would fill me in on everything going on down in NASCAR. She was terrific to me and so many others who just loved her dad and she ran the fan club. As a race car driver he was my hero. Those early days when I was a kid, that guy won everywhere, and against great local competition (Reffner, Miller, Back, Detjens, Marzofka, Watson, Shear, etc.) and often starting in the back like most fast timers did.

There was a racing historian who passed away a few years back in Wisconsin, his name was Bob Bergeron. He tried cataloging the wins and he fell short of the 1200 number. Who cares. Even D!ck probably thought the number might have been a little inflated. What ever it was, it was a very very large number and most were not gimmes. This guy was one of the best racers out there. In the era he came from most guys built their own stuff. It wasn't until later on that he bought off the shelf and even after that he put his own tweaks on cars. When he ventured out and toured he had to run against the very best (Senneker, Eddy, Butch Miller, Larry Phillips, etc).

There is a pedestal for those very best short tracks aces and he is up at the top. Someone mentioned Jeff Purvis, another Joe Shear. Those guys were great. I'd put Larry Phillips, Gary Balough, Junior Hanley, Bob Senneker and few others in that same conversation. We all know guys like Billy Moyer and Scott Bloomquist and some others will never be equaled for what they achieved on the dirt tracks over their careers either. I've seen every one of the mentioned drivers race at one time or another and boy do I feel lucky for it. It was great time to be a race fan in the 60s, 70s, and 80s.

[nc mudcat]

Throw Richie Evans' name into the mix for GOAT. 9 NASCAR modified championship, over 400 wins (that they can document), and in 1980, won 52 races in 84 starts.

I was at Martinsville when this wreck occurred with Geoff Bodine, coming to the checkered, and was one of the first at the car when he stopped. He took his helmet off and said "Did I win?" His crew chief Billy Nacewicz said "you know darn well you did." Classic Richie!

[WisWildManFan]

Funny a guy can call bloomer a one trick pony and then tell us how great a guy was doing the same thing on the asphalt side.

[Bradley]

Yes there is! Bobby Pierce!!

Never heard of her !

[Bradley]

You bloomer nut hanging buffoons are to stoned to know whats going on! Knuckle draggers like you never knew your ass from a hole in the mud!!


Get off of your knees and wipe that (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) off your mouth.

[Krooser]

Thanks for all the responses to this Off Topic post. While we are all dirt racing fans many of us have also played around over on the Dark Side.

I'm trying to find an old photo of Trickle'e shop with a new car being built on his wood block and concrete "jig".... many of us started the same way.

[Bradley]

The last words he heard before bloomer kicked him out of his race shop. Lol

Actually dip (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) I am not a Bloomquist fan. I don't root for him and I don't root against him. It is very plain to see that you have lil Bobby jism all over your face though.

[HIGH ROLLER]

Actually dip (not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word)(not a nice word) I am not a Bloomquist fan. I don't root for him and I don't root against him. It is very plain to see that you have lil Bobby jism all over your face though.


Easy there Bradley thats PAPA BEAR OF 4M your talkn about.😁

[Mod Runner]

I mostly went to see Trickle race on asphalt , but I did get to see trickle run on dirt with his asphalt Mustang. He had to start in last place to earn the money put up by the promoter to win the payout offered by the promoter. Trickle would pass cars quickly by running the outside to get to the front. He could have won a lot of dirt track races if he had a car built for dirt tracks, no doubt.
As far as doing well in Nascar , I remember Trickle putting other top drivers cars in the race by qualifiying the car for them. Trickle had a way of getting more out a race car than any driver I know of.