Latest Trickle has plan in place to reach NASCAR summit
He’s a Trickle, so of course Chris Trickle was always going to be a racecar driver. Not because he was forced into the sport. But because he grew up in it, the yearning to drive fast is almost a birthright.
And as soon as he reached the age of 14 late last year — the minimum to drive a NASCAR Super Late Model car — Trickle jumped right in and competed in three races. He won on his third try, the youngest NASCAR driver in the country to win a race last year.
Now he will get behind the wheel for a full schedule, which begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring.
“Last season, I was just expecting to get some seat time,” Chris Trickle said. “Now I’m expecting this season to go out there and win. I’m not trying to be cocky — I’m not that kind of racer — but this season is going to be a lot better because I’ve already won. I know what it takes to win.”
The Trickle name is an important one in motor sports. Chris’ dad, Chuck, won the Bullring championship in 2003. His uncle, Dick, won all over the Midwest before breaking into NASCAR’s highest level at age 29 and competing in 303 races over 24 years.
Dick Trickle, who was coping with constant pain, committed suicide in 2013.
“Every time we line up, I do pray and I do wish that he was with me in the car,” Chris Trickle said.
To be named a Trickle only invites expectations at the track, and young Chris understands that reality. He also knows the opportunity because of owning such a surname. Potential sponsors are more willing to take his family’s calls, and Chris and Chuck are in the process of trying to sell a reality show.
But a name can take a driver only so far. Chris Trickle has put in the work to reach this point. He has competed in about 400 races over the past eight years, winning a quarter of those.
“I don’t want to be known for Trickle, I want to be known for Chris Trickle,” he said. “I want to get out there on the track, and everybody’s like, ‘That’s Chris Trickle, you know.’ ”
Chuck Trickle said a three- to five-year plan is in place to try to put Chris in a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series seat.
The minimum age to drive in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series is 16, and then the hope is to advance into the Xfinity Series and then the Cup series.
He wouldn’t be the first local driver to come out of the Bullring to reach NASCAR’s highest tiers.
Brothers Kurt and Kyle Busch are integral parts of two major Cup teams — Kurt with Stewart-Haas Racing and Kyle with Joe Gibbs Racing. Kurt Busch won the 2004 Cup championship, and Kyle is usually among the top contenders.
Brendan Gaughan hopes to contend for the Xfinity title while driving this season for Richard Childress Racing, and he also is running nearly a full Cup schedule for Premium Motorsports. Dylan Kwasniewski is in his second season in Xfinity, though he is waiting on sponsorship to provide him a ride to give HScott Motorsports a second car.
So the path is there for Chris Trickle.
First, though, is competing for the Super Late Model title this season.
“If we take the championship this year, that would be one hell of a championship,” Trickle said. “It’s going to be hard to win the championship, but I’m pretty sure we can do it. We have the tools, we’ve got the equipment, we’ve got the crew.”
■ NOTES — Scott Gafforini opens pursuit of his sixth Super Late Model championship and second in a row. The other major defending champions are Jason Kiser in Super Stock and Martin Sullins in Bomber. … Las Vegan Jay Beasley, who is competing in NASCAR K&N Pro Series East, will race at the Bullring on Saturday. He won the Super Late Model title in 2013. … The Pacific Street Car Association makes a stop at The Strip at LVMS, with events beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday and 8:45 a.m. Sunday.
Contact Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914. Follow him on Twitter: @markanderson65.