The Votes Are In…
The people have spoken.
At least those who took the time to cast their vote for who they feel is the greatest short track driver of all time.
And the winner is…Wisconsin Short Track Legend Dick Trickle.
When the ASA STARS National Tour rolled into Wisconsin over Father’s Day Weekend, the best of the best current super late model drivers made their way to the Badger State to compete in an ASA STARS National Tour doubleheader at Madison International Speedway and The Milwaukee Mile.
With generational talents Ty Majeski and Bubba Pollard on the entry lists, and the two short track stars starting to draw comparisons to some of the greatest short track drivers in history, fans were given the chance to vote for “The G.O.A.T.”
Pollard has recorded over 150 main event feature wins in approximately 600 starts, with Majeski tallying more than 130 wins, not counting weekly shows.
But as impressive as their records are, and respectful of how dominant both have been to start the season, neither compare to Tickle. At least not yet.
In more than an estimated 2,200 races, Trickle logged one million laps and is believed to have won over 1,200 feature races. He was billed as the winningest short track driver in history.[2] Trickle’s career highlights include racing to 67 wins in 1972, winning seven ARTGO Championships in nine years between 1979 and 1987, winning back to back ASA AC-Delco Challenge championships in 1984 and 1985, the 1968 USAC Stock Car rookie of the year, and winning the 1989 NASCAR Rookie of the Year award in the Winston Cup Series. Trickle was nicknamed the “White Knight” as referenced by his sponsored SuperAmerica paint scheme, when he raced in Wisconsin.
Trickle garnered 30% of the votes in the “unofficial” poll. He beat west coast short track star Garrett Evans in the poll, who earned 17.6% of the vote. Evans is known in pavement late model circles from coast-to-coast, in the U.S. and Canada. He earned much of his reputation while racing in the now-defunct NASCAR Northwest Tour. In that series he won the most championships (four — 1985, ’89, ’94, ’00) and most races (49). Over the course of his career he’s racked up more than 350 feature wins.
As for Pollard and Majeski, the current faces of pavement late model racing? They finished a respectable third and fourth in the unscientific poll. Pollard collected 16.4% of the votes, with Majeski earning 7%. The top ten voting results are below.
This, of course, if very unofficial, and just for entertainment purposes. Thanks to those who took the time to participate.
