Dick Trickle won the All-Star 100 at Rockford Speedway. It was his third
ARTGO Challenge Series win of the season. – Russ Lake Photo
Rockford, Ill. (July 15, 1986) – Dick Trickle raced to his third ARTGO feature win of the season Tuesday night at Rockford Speedway and jumped into the series point lead as Joe Shear was forced to pit for a flat tire in the late stages of the ninth annual All-Star 100.
Trickle drove through a lap 52 tangle involving leader Jim Weber and runner-up Terry Baldry to grab the lead and then hold off the stiff challenges of Shear and eventual runner-up Dave Watson.
“Sometimes you get a win when you least expect it,” said Trickle, who had suffered through a series of misfortunes in the past few weeks.
Shear’s luck was all bad Tuesday as he competed both in the ARTGO events and the inaugural All-Star Shootout for weekly Rockford Rules late model competitors who had won a feature at the quarter-mile oval in the past year and a half.
The luck of the draw for the added event saw Shear gain the number one starting berth and many observers forecasted a Shear runaway in the 50-lap, $1,000-to-win contest.
Shear’s first 10 laps went according to forecast as he powered away from the field but on lap 11 a puff of smoke came from his engine, and he coasted to the pit area with John Knaus grabbing the lead.
Knaus, an ARTGO regular who now limits himself to weekly racing at Rockford, was immediately challenged by Bobby Hacker and the duo raced side-by-side for the last 35 laps.
On the 37th circuit, the top two bumped with Hacker scooting in front only to have Knaus use the outside lane to pull even. The two bumped again on lap 43 and 45, but Knaus held on the for the victory, Al Papini III came from the back of the pack to earn third place.
The 100-lap ARTGO feature almost fell victim to severe storms. However, officials outwaited the weather, canceled time trials, and lined up the feature according to the average points of the series’ top dozen drivers.
Rookie Bobby McDonald was on the pole of the 22-car field, and he promptly got crossed up and went airborne going into the first turn. McDonald was eliminated and George Prziborowski and Doug Herbst needed pit repairs before returning.
The restart saw Tracy Schuler grab the lead but an eighth lap tangle with Jim Weber knocked Schuler into the infield as Weber took over the top spot. By lap 20 it was Weber, Baldry, Trickle, Butch Miller, and Shear.
Miller, in his first-ever stat at Rockford, passed Trickle for third place on lap 44, but dropped back to fourth a few laps later. Weber and Baldry ran side-by-side for six rounds before their tangle with Trickle somehow slipping through and Miller plowing into Baldry.
Baldry and Miller did not return and were scored with 15th and 16th, respectively. Earlier, Mark Martin had lost an engine in hot laps and did not compete in the 100-lapper.
Trickle led the 14 survivors back to the green flag with Shear, Al Schill, Rich Bickle Jr., and Dave Watson right behind. Watson banged past Bickle five laps later, then slipped by Schill on lap 61 to set up a classic shootout to the finish.
On lap 65, Shear moved inside of Trickle as Watson closed in on the leaders.
But Shear couldn’t hold onto the lead and finally ducked into the pits on lap 82 to replace the left front tire on his car. Watson, who started 16th, shadowed Trickle for the final 10 circuits but had to settle for second. Bickle took third with Larry Schuler and Scott Hansen darting past Schill on a wild pair of final laps to take fourth and fifth, respectively.
Results –
ARTGO Late Models -
1. Dick Trickle, Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
2. Dave Watson, Milton, Wis.
3. Rich Bickle Jr., Edgerton, Wis.
4. Larry Schuler, Lockport
5. Scott Hansen, Green Bay, Wis.
6. Al Schill, Franklin, Wis.
7. Dave Weltmeyer, Harvey
8. Bobby Gill, Venice, Fla.
9. Steve Holzhausen, Bangor, Wis.
10.Doug Herbst, Wausau, Wis.
11.Joe Shear, Clinton, Wis.
12.George Prziborowski, Apple Valley, Minn.
13.Jim Weber, Roseville, Minn.
14.Tracy Schuler, Lockport
15.Terry Baldry, Omro, Wis.
Rockford Rules –
1. John Knaus, Rockford
2. Bobby Hacker. Loves Park
3. Al Papini II, Machesney Park
4. Randy Sargent, Beloit, Wis.
5. Dennis Miller, South Beloit
6. Tim Melvin, Machesney Park
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