The Lincoln County (NC) Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that former NASCAR Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year Dick Trickle died today from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The incident occurred at 12:02 p.m. at Forest Lawn Cemetery on Highway 150 East in Boger City.

The Lincoln County Communications Center received a call apparently from the victim that “there would be a dead body and it would be his “. Communications Center workers tried to place a return call to the number but did not get an answer.

The first emergency units arriving on the scene located the body lying near the victim’s pickup truck.

Born October 27, 1941 raced for decades around the short tracks of Wisconsin and the midwest, winning an estimated 1,000 races and innumerable championships on the ASA, ARTGO, ARCA, All Pro, IMCA, NASCAR, and USAC circuits. Almost unquestionably the winningest short track racer of his – or any other – time, his finest season came in 1972 when he won an amazing 67 main event features.

He won seven championships in nine years on the tough ARTGO Series between 1979 to 1987 and won consecutive ASA titles in 1984 and 1985. He was USAC’s Stock Car rookie of the year in 1967, became the old Rookie of the Year in NASCAR Winston Cup Series history, claiming that title in 1989 at age 50.

 

Trickle had lived in Lincoln County, NC since the early 1990’s. He was 71 years old.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here