Dick Trickle, former NASCAR racer and all-around good guy, took his own life on May 16, 2013, according to authorities in Concord, North Carolina.
Authorities say that the popular 71-year-old driver died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot injury. Officers found Trickle’s body soon after the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office had received a phone call from someone claiming to be Trickle. A sheriff’s spokesperson said that the caller had said, “there’d be a dead body and it would be [Trickle’s].”
The death of such a well-known and well-liked driver hit NASCAR hard. Talking about the suicide, NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dick Trickle on his passing today. Dick was a legend in the short-track racing community, particularly in his home state of Wisconsin, and he was a true fan favorite. Personalities like Dick Trickle helped shape our sport. He will be missed.”
His brother has stated that he believed the reason was the pain Trickle had been struggling with, an undiagnosed pain under his left breast that had him talking to or meeting with doctors at least once a day. He had apparently stated that he wasn’t sure how much longer he could live with it.
Trickle raced in more than 300 Winston Cup events and even won the rookie of the year award at the late age of 48 years old.
