NASCAR Legend Dick Trickle Dead At 71, Suicide
May 16 2013, Published 5:20 p.m. ET
NASCAR driver Dick Trickle is dead at the age of 71 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, RadarOnline.com is reporting.
The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department in North Carolina confirmed the news on Thursday after Trickle called the Lincoln County Communications Center and said that "there would be a dead body and it would be his," WSOC-TV reported.
Trickle reportedly took his life at 12:02 p.m. at the Forest Lawn Cemetery and his body was found by workers near his pickup truck after calls back to him went unanswered.
The Wisconsin native raced for 24 years and was named NASCAR's rookie of the year in 1989.
"I just read about Dick Trickle, met him during my season doing IROC series. He was a true Racer and will be missed. #RIP," Triple Crown Champion JJ Yeley tweeted on Thursday.
NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Scott tweeted, "RIP Dick Trickle. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends."
"Thoughts and prayers to the Dick Trickle family," NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver Max Gresham echoed.