Dick Trickle at a Glance
- Net Worth (2025): $3 Million
- Birthdate: October 27, 1941 (Died: May 16, 2013)
- Birthplace: Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
- Nationality: American
- Profession: Stock car racing driver
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What is Dick Trickle’s Net Worth?
Dick Trickle had a net worth of $3 million at the time of his passing in 2013. This fortune was built over an extraordinary and lengthy career as one of America’s most prolific stock car racing drivers. While he became a household name in NASCAR during the 1990s, the foundation of his wealth came from decades of dominance on short tracks across the Midwest.
Trickle is a legend in the short-track world, with a reputation for winning over 1,200 feature races. This relentless success, competing in hundreds of events each year, provided a substantial income long before he joined the premier NASCAR Cup Series. His official career earnings in the Cup Series, which he entered full-time at age 48, are documented at over $5.2 million. However, this figure does not include his two wins and 42 top-ten finishes in the NASCAR Xfinity Series or the significant, un-tallied prize money from his victories in series like the American Speed Association (ASA) and ARTGO.
Early Life
Dick Trickle was born Richard Leroy Trickle on October 27, 1941, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin. He began his racing career in 1958, competing on local dirt tracks in his home state while still a teenager. Racing became his focus early on, and he quickly developed a reputation as a formidable competitor, honing his skills on the demanding short-track circuits.
Career
Dick Trickle’s professional racing career is one of the most unique in motorsports history. For over 30 years, he was the undisputed king of the Midwest short tracks. He won seven championships in the ARTGO Challenge Series and two in the American Speed Association (ASA). He captured 67 feature race wins in a single season in 1972 and won hundreds of other events, including the Slinger Nationals and the Oktoberfest race. This unprecedented success earned him a devoted following and the reputation as America’s winningest driver.
His mainstream breakthrough came in 1989 when he moved to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series full-time at 48 years old. Driving the No. 84 Miller High Life Buick for Stavola Brothers Racing, he defied expectations by winning the 1989 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award, becoming the oldest driver to ever do so. His famous quip at the awards banquet was, “I’d just like to thank everyone who gave a young guy like me a chance.”
While Trickle never won a points-paying Cup Series race in 303 starts, he was a consistent and respected competitor. He earned 15 top-five finishes and 36 top-ten finishes during his Cup career, driving for owners like Cale Yarborough and Bud Moore. He also won the 1990 Winston Open, a non-points All-Star event. His personality, combined with his late-career success, made him one of the most popular drivers of his era.
Personal Life
Dick Trickle was a beloved and iconic figure in the racing garage, known for his quirky personality and unique habits. He famously had a cigarette lighter installed in his race car and was often seen smoking during caution laps, a practice that endeared him to fans.
He was married to his wife, Darlene Trickle, and they had three children. His life ended tragically on May 16, 2013, when he died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at a cemetery in Boger City, North Carolina. His family later confirmed that he had been suffering from severe chronic pain, which was not widely known outside his immediate circle.
