Dick Trickle shows off his trophy after winning the inaugural National Short Track Championships 200-lapper at Rockford Speedway.
Rockford, Ill. (October 2, 1966) – Dick Trickle of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis., the Central Wisconsin Racing Association champion for 1966, made the top stock car drivers in the Midwest take a back seat Sunday afternoon as he won the National Short Track Championships at Rockford Speedway.
The 24-year-old Trickle won one of the two 50-lap features on Saturday night and then came back Sunday to roar away with top honors in the 200-lap main event on Sunday. Trickle earned $1,645 for the victory.
In his win on Saturday night, Trickle, driving the same 1963 Ford that has brought him so much success in Wisconsin this season, stole the lead from Sal Tovella of Addison, Ill., the third-ranked driver in the United States Auto Club thus far, on lap 44 and distanced himself from the rest of the field to score the relatively easy win.
In the 200-lapper on Sunday, Trickle again gave the astonished drivers a great view of his back bumper throughout the contest. He gunned his Ford into the lead position at the beginning of the second 100-lap segment and by lap 160 he was out for a Sunday afternoon driver all by his lonesome.
To add insult to injury, he lapped everyone in the field at least once before taking the checkered.
“This Rockford race was the biggest win of my career,” Trickle said afterwards. “I was out to do nothing less than win.”
“They had some top drivers here and I guess they were really surprised to see me win,” he added. “They were especially surprised to see me take it with a 2-barrel carburetor, when every other driver was running a 4-barrel carburetor.”
Results -
1. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
2. Roy Martinelli, Half Day
3. Bruce Sparrman, Excelsior, Minn.
4. Don Leach, Beloit, Wis.
5. Eddie Jost, Melrose Park
6. Bob Senneker, Grand Rapids, Mich.
7. Gene Marmor, River Grove
8. Bob Wawak, Villa Park
9. Ron Wishard, Rockford
10. Elmer Musgrave, Mundelein
11. Danny Bellard, Beloit, Wis.
12. Herb Hill, McHenry
13. Eddie Hume, Madison, Wis.
14. Whitey Gerken, Melrose Park
15. Red Gates, Harvard
16. Erick Johnson, Mundelein
17. Tom Jones, Northbrook
18. Jim Back, Vesper, Wis.
19. Tom Reffner, Rudolph, Wis.
20. Nelson Drinkwine, Tomah, Wis.
4. Don Leach, Beloit, Wis.
5. Eddie Jost, Melrose Park
6. Bob Senneker, Grand Rapids, Mich.
7. Gene Marmor, River Grove
8. Bob Wawak, Villa Park
9. Ron Wishard, Rockford
10. Elmer Musgrave, Mundelein
11. Danny Bellard, Beloit, Wis.
12. Herb Hill, McHenry
13. Eddie Hume, Madison, Wis.
14. Whitey Gerken, Melrose Park
15. Red Gates, Harvard
16. Erick Johnson, Mundelein
17. Tom Jones, Northbrook
18. Jim Back, Vesper, Wis.
19. Tom Reffner, Rudolph, Wis.
20. Nelson Drinkwine, Tomah, Wis.
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