Area racing enthusiasts baffled by Trickle's death

Published: May 17, 2013; Daily News (West Bend, Wis.)

By NICHOLAS DETTMANN
Daily News Sports Editor

Dick Trickle loved life and loved a good party.
That’s why the shocking news of his apparent suicide Thursday in North Carolina is leaving many area racing enthusiasts baffled.
“For a guy that loved life as much as Trickle did,” said Todd Behling, Slinger Superspeedway track announcer for more than 25 years and Trickle’s friend. “For him to do something so out-of-character ... there had to be something.”
What-ever that reason was, it may be a long time, if ever, before adoring fans and drivers find out why Trickle, a four-time Slinger Nationals champion, would do such a thing.
Trickle was 71.
“He’ll be a person who will be missed,” said Rodney Erickson, co-owner of the Slinger Superspeedway. “He was always fun to have around.”
Behling added, “He was a guy that never missed a party ever. He enjoyed the people at Slinger and that’s why he kept coming back. He didn’t want to miss the party at Slinger.
“It’s a pretty devastating day for racers everywhere. It really hits hard here in Wisconsin.”
Trickle’s body was found near his pickup truck at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Boger City, N.C., about 40 miles northwest of Charlotte. Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Johnson said foul play was not suspected.
Trickle was scheduled to make an appearance at the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame golf outing June 18 and potentially be the grand marshal for the Slinger Nationals in July, an event that was created because of him in 1980.
“I think one of the reasons I’m grand marshal is that (former Slinger track owner) Wayne (Erickson) realizes the two of us built this thing,” Trickle said in 2010. “I think he likes for me to be there because I’m a part of it. That makes you feel good.”
Slinger plans to have a moment of silence and other honorary events at Sunday’s race. Dave Magnus, a board member at the Hall of Fame, said there will be discussions about how to honor the late legend.
Erickson, who didn’t return a message seeking comment, wanted Trickle to race at his track, so he created the Slinger Nationals, which today is one of the premier short-track racing events in the country.
“Dick is responsible for creating the Slinger Nationals,” Magnus said. “He made that a nationally recognized event that drew all the best guys from NASCAR that would come up here and race every year. A lot of that had to do with Dick’s connections (in NASCAR).”
Drivers to race at the Slinger Nationals include Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, Rusty Wallace, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Darrell Waltrip.
According to a statement released by the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, the county communications center received a call apparently from the victim that “there would be a dead body and it would be his.” Workers at the center tried to return the call, but did not get an answer.
There just had to be a reason.
“It was so unlike what we would’ve expected from Dick Trickle,” Behling said. “There had to be some circumstances we didn’t know about.”
About 10 years ago, Trickle’s granddaughter Nicole died in a car accident. Trickle died at the cemetery where Nicole is buried.
Behling said her death had taken a toll on Trickle.
Trickle set the bar when it came to success on the short tracks in Wisconsin.
A native of Wisconsin Rapids, Trickle won close to 1,000 races throughout the Midwest. In one season, in which he raced five or six times per week, Trickle won more than 70 features.
“He was a folk hero because of everything he did in his short-track days,” Magnus said.
Trickle was the NASCAR Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1989 at the age of 48. He made more than 300 starts at NASCAR’s highest level, but never won a race. His flair for life made him a household name in the racing world.
His impact also carried into pop culture with the Tom Cruise hit 1990 movie, “Days of Thunder.” Cruise’s character was named Cole Trickle.
“It’s a very strange situation, but I guess it’s for real,” Magnus said.