A Tribute to the “Ragin’ Cajun,” Jason Johnson

        Last night felt just like Sunday night, August 7, 2016. On that night two years ago, I combed through various social media websites trying to gather information about Bryan Clauson’s condition following his terrible crash in the Belleville Midget Nationals just the day before. On that Monday morning, I woke up to tragic news delivered by Indianapolis Motor Speedway: Clauson was gone. 

        Last night, around midnight in South Carolina, I searched Twitter and other social media outlets hoping to find good news about another driver: Jason Johnson. The “Ragin’ Cajun,” as he was affectionately known thanks to his proud Louisiana roots, first caught my attention watching Lucas Oil American Sprint Car Series races on MAVTV. Johnson won five championships in the ASCS and anytime I turned on one of their races on my TV, he was certain to be a contender for the win.

        Over the past three and a half seasons, though, Johnson has been a regular in the World of Outlaws Craftsman Sprint Car Series driving the #41 for the team he owned. The World of Outlaws are widely considered to be the premier series for sprint car racing and Johnson integrated into the series smoothly. After going winless in 2015 after missing races due to injury in a crash at Placerville Speedway, Johnson captured four wins each in 2016 and 2017 in addition to two wins just two weeks ago in preliminary features leading up the Jackson Nationals. Plus, Johnson had two wins in the series as a part-timer in 2003 and 2005. 

       The Louisiana driver’s most thrilling victory came in the 2016 Knoxville Nationals where he outdueled a nine-time Knoxville Nationals winner at the time, Donny Schatz, to capture a thrilling checkered flag for his self-owned race team. As a fan, I thoroughly enjoyed the battle between the two and it made me respect both competitors more for how hard they raced. Johnson’s performance in that 50-lap race was enough to establish his place as a legendary figure in sprint car racing, but he kept racing and looking for more victories behind the wheel of his #41.

       Last night at Beaver Dam Raceway in Wisconsin, it appeared he would be adding another win to his World of Outlaws total. He recorded quick time in qualifying and led three of the first 17 laps after starting thanks to the Craftsman Dash. On the third lap 18 restart, though, the unthinkable happened. While racing with Daryn Pittman down the backstretch for the lead, the two drivers locked wheels and a vicious crash occurred, one I don’t want to describe. Quickly, safety crews arrived on the scene and took Johnson to the local medical center. The race finished and Pittman, somberly, captured his fifth checkered flag of the season. Everyone’s thoughts were with Johnson, though.

        As I sat in my bed looking through social media at around midnight last night, I read statements from several sources and Johnson’s outlook seemed bleak based on their wording. I watched the crash two times and it looked awful, which made me regret watching it. But hope and faith were still there for a recovery for the Louisiana driver. His wife, Bobbi, had a positive statement before I went to sleep and I hoped to wake up to better news. As I woke up, though, the morning resembled August 8, 2018, as the news of Bryan Clauson’s death broke. Unfortunately, the announcement was the same: Jason Johnson was gone. And my emotions of sadness overflowed.



The sport of auto racing is one of my favorite things in the entire world. I will watch any racing and support it as much as possible. This includes NASCAR, the World of Outlaws, IndyCar, Formula 1, and so much more. Most importantly to me, though, is the drivers who compete in those respective series. Every racecar driver is my hero. They are willing to climb in a racecar and risk everything to provide a show for fans like myself. 

        Jason Johnson is my hero. 

        Every time he could be at the track, Jason was there. Many nights, he gave me excitement and thrills as I heard his name over the DirtVision audio broadcast of the World of Outlaws and saw his name on Race Monitor gaining spots while running blazing fast laps. 

        That is what makes days like today so challenging as a huge fan of racing. Sometimes, I wonder if the risk is worth the reward for drivers, Is the show they put on enough to suffer through the tragic loss of great men like Jason Johnson, Bryan Clauson, Dale Earnhardt Sr., and so many others? But that question would be laughable to any driver who has lost their lives in a fatal crash. While the risk is great, they love what they do and I truly believe Jason Johnson died doing what he loved. So, no one can ever question a driver’s motivation to race because the real racers want to compete every single day. And, truly, I believe God has a plan even in tragic circumstances.

        The void left by Jason Johnson will never be filled in both the racing world and in the lives of the people close to him. I never met Jason and didn’t know him personally, but I already miss him and wish I could change the outcome of the entire situation. Yet, time must go on through the hurt. And I have decided the best way to honor Jason, as many people have said, is to just enjoy auto racing like he did. Watching a race can heal some of that hurt while providing an opportunity to remember such a great person both on and off the race track.

        Thanks for all the memories in the past few years, Jason. My prayers and thoughts will be with your wife, your son, your family and friends, and everybody who has been affected by your tragic death. You will be missed greatly. RIP.




Credits:
-Image:
https://www.lakeexpo.com/community/community_news/local-racer-jason-johnson-wins-knoxville-nationals-sprint-car-championship/article_edf4a1ec-6433-11e6-811b-2f1d531873e3.html

One Year Ago Today: How I Remember Jason Leffler

         June 12th, 2013. It began as another summer day in my life, but by the end of the night, it became one of the most unforgettable days I have ever experienced. School had just ended a week before for me, which meant I could stay up later and not have to worry about working on a ton of homework. I woke up on that Wednesday around ten o'clock in the morning and I spent most of the day relaxing. I shot some basketball, watched some television, and played a few video games to pass the time. The time flew by pretty quickly through the afternoon and it was time for church. I went to church and worshiped a bit before we made it home at around eight thirty. I ate and spent a little bit more time relaxing. By nine forty five, I decided I would check my favorite site for NASCAR news, Jayski.com, before I began to plan for the weekend and do some NASCAR researching. When I typed in the web address and hit enter, the course of my night and my life changed in a split second.

        When the site loaded, the top story read something to the effect of: 'Leffler seriously injured in crash'. I was extremely shocked. My mind began to race and I thought about the Pocono race just three days before. Leffler ran for Humphrey-Smith Racing, which is a start-and-park team, but he was still the happy Jason Leffler who wanted to go out and race even knowing he couldn't go the whole distance. I finally mustered enough strength to click on the link and face the article. I speed read through the article and the key points were that Leffler was involved in a serious sprint car accident at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey and the results of that incident were unknown for the moment. My mouth stayed open in shock as I realized the magnitude of the crash. Details were sure to come out quickly and I decided to click on the track's Facebook page to find out up to the minute information. The page loaded and track officials posted a short update saying that action for the rest of the night had been canceled due to Leffler's crash. I scrolled down a little to the comments on the update and those comments will forever be ingrained in my mind. 

        Comments from two minutes before I clicked onto the update read 'RIP' and 'We will miss you Jason'. All I could say was no repeatedly. Tears began to well up slightly in my eyes as I quickly began to search google for more news on 'Lefturn', as we NASCAR fans liked to call him. The only article saying Leffler was gone was an article from a local news station. No major media outlets reported anything about his death and I was hoping for the best. Within ten minutes, my fears were becoming a reality. The Associated Press, USA Today, and many other reputable news outlets began to report the death of Jason Leffler. I broke down. Tears flowed down my face as I realized my favorite regular in NASCAR's lower series was gone. I wrote an article for my website discussing Leffler and I felt like he was with me as I typed. I finished it, posted it, and decided to head to sleep after a traumatizing night. Flash forward to today or June 12th, 2014 as it turns out to be. I am still greatly affected by Jason Leffler's death. Today, I don't want to discuss the night Leffler died and how it happened, but I want to discuss what he meant to me and how he affected my life. All the moments I remember about him affect how I will forever remember Lefturn and I feel like sharing them on the one year anniversary of his passing. Today, let us remember one of the most charismatic drivers to strap on a helmet in NASCAR: Jason Leffler. 

        Jason Leffler's racing life did not begin on asphalt, but somewhere completely different: dirt. Leffler was great on dirt in winning four USAC midget championships and catching the eyes of a good many NASCAR and IndyCar owners. One of those owners was Joe Gibbs. Gibbs was impressed by Leffler's abilities as a racer and he handed him a NASCAR Busch Series opportunity at his team. Jason made four Busch Series starts in 1999 while running a single IndyCar race. Leffler returned to the Busch Series in 2000 by running the full schedule for Gibbs. Leffler ran well with two top fives and three poles in a decent opening year on asphalt. Leffler caught the eyes of Chip Ganassi and Ganassi signed him to run full time for his team in the Winston Cup Series in 2001. Leffler ran decently with a pole and a top ten to his credit, but he was quickly out of the ride. Leffler slid down the NASCAR ranks into the Craftsman Truck Series with a full time ride behind the wheel of a truck for Jim Smith in the year 2002. Leffler ran his best season in NASCAR at the time with eleven top fives, fifteen top tens, and eight poles in a fourth place finishing effort in the championship. Leffler looked like he had finally arrived in NASCAR and he was given another opportunity in the Jim Smith owned truck, but the opportunity ended short in the season in 2003. Nonetheless, Leffler took a well earned victory at Dover and he was finally a winner in NASCAR. Around this time, Leffler began to make his way back up the NASCAR ladder. Also around this time, I began to pick up memories from Leffler's time on track. He began to become one of my favorites as he looked to improve his talents on asphalt. 

       In 2004, Leffler's new found position began to take place. He ran the first twenty seven races of the Busch Series season with Gene Haas's team and Leffler found his place. He won his first Busch race at Nashville and his numbers began to pick up, but he didn't finish the season. In 2005, Leffler found himself back in the Cup Series and this time it was with Joe Gibbs Racing. Leffler didn't run as well as the team expected and he was out after nineteen races, but Leffler was quickly picked up by Todd Braun for his Busch effort. This turned out to be the move of Jason's career. He finished 2005 for Braun and in 2006, he returned to the team. Leffler ran the first nine races behind the wheel of the number 32 for Braun, but after Kasey Kahne left the team for Ray Evernham's Busch team ending 2005, Braun decided Leffler needed to pilot the number 38 Great Clips machine. This is when my memories of Jason really began and he moved into the role of my favorite Busch regular. Because he jumped behind the wheel of a car I liked, he quickly became my favorite in 2006. At first, it was just about the car, but it soon became about his great personality as a driver. 

         Leffler finished off 2006 and was looking forward to a full season behind the wheel of the Great Clips machine. Leffler didn't disappoint as he finished third in the championship and grabbed eleven top tens in 2007. The key moment for Leffler was at Indianapolis Raceway Park in 2007. I remember the race well. Jason ran the wheels off of the car for the entire night and he took Toyota's first win in NASCAR. I felt that was extremely historic because of the caliber of drivers racing Toyotas. It meant a lot to Leffler and it meant a lot to me as a fan of his. I put that moment in the memory bank as Leffler returned in 2008 to the same Todd Braun team. Leffler put up thirteen top tens, but he only mustered a ninth place finish in the points battle. Still, Leffler's abilities brought him back to the same Great Clips machine in 2009. Jason put up an extremely impressive twenty top tens and finished fourth in the points. One of my fondest memories of Jason occurred in 2009.

         It was 2009 and the Nationwide Series was at Darlington Raceway. Since 2004, I had been at the race and this night was the same. The green waved and I cheered on Leffler for the entire night. The laps clicked by and he remained near the front as the final laps approached. In the late laps, a caution waved and Leffler was in second next to Matt Kenseth for the only attempt at a green-white-checkered. Jason looked good and I was hoping he pulled out the win. The race went green for the final time and Leffler took off. I was cheering him on, but before he could make the move, Morgan Shepherd crashed behind the leaders. This brought the race to an end and Matt Kenseth ended up winning. I was very disappointed because I felt Leffler could have won the race. I held that moment in my mind as one where he should have won and I hoped he would win another to redeem this lost victory. 2010 brought his next opportunity to do this as he returned to the Braun team. He ran well while switching from the number 10 to the number 38, which were both Braun rides. By the end of the season, Steve Turner took over for Braun and Leffler remained in the 38 heading into 2011. Leffler ran decently in 2011 like he had always done, but he ended up out of a ride with Steve Turner at the end of 2011. Luckily, he found himself back behind the wheel.

       To start the 2012 season, Kyle Busch hired Leffler to drive his number 18 truck for the full season. I was ecstatic he was getting this opportunity and I was looking for him to make the most of it. He struggled slightly to start with, but it looked like he would pick it up as the season progressed. He quickly began to rattle off top tens, but he found himself out of the ride after only nine races. It was disappointing for me, but I was hoping he found another ride. Jason ran a few races throughout the year with a few different teams, but he began to return to his roots: dirt. Leffler began to run a lot of the big sprint car races around the country and it seemed like he was enjoying himself. 2013 came and Leffler was without an opportunity, but he was still behind the wheel of sprint cars around the country. After a long hiatus from NASCAR, he was behind the wheel of a Cup car for Humphrey-Smith Racing at the first Pocono race. It looked like he would find some more opportunities, but three days later, he was gone. With a huge crash at Bridgeport Speedway on June 12th, 2013, we lost a great driver and friend. Jason Leffler was still really in the prime of his career with other opportunities still waiting, but he left us too early. 

         I think Jason Leffler is an unsung hero of auto racing. Most drivers would be upset if they had to sink down the NASCAR ladder because of the lack of opportunities, but you couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He would jump in any race car and he would drive the wheels off of it with a smile written all along his face. I think that is a testament to Jason Leffler and his ability to drive a race car. When I think back to his career, I just think about all the opportunities he should have gotten. I don't doubt he could drive a race car, but he just didn't find the right ride. I think if he was still here today, he would be behind the wheel of a great car or truck in NASCAR. I have no doubt about that. Sadly, Lefturn left us at the young age of thirty seven. Every time a driver passes in a fatal crash, the same thing is said every time: he had a smile on his face out on track. I have no doubt this was the case for Leffler. Today, all I can think about is Leffler's young son, Charlie Dean. He is six now and without a great father like Jason. One thing about Jason is that he was a great driver and a great person, but he was an even better father. His son looked up to him and it is sad that he doesn't have Jason, but I'm sure he is good hands. Last year, Kasey Kahne and a group of others sold Lefturn hats to raise money for Charlie and they raised a good amount of money. I am proud to say I own one of those hats and supported Charlie in his future. It was a great move by Kahne and one that I admire greatly. To end this remembrance article, I want to discuss one thing. I end every edition of my thoughts with the words “until we meet again”. Well, Jason Leffler, I will always remember you and I hope your great legacy continues to teach and show others how a NASCAR driver should be even when the outcome of a situation looks grim. Rest In Peace Jason “Lefturn” Leffler and until we meet again.









Credits:
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Jason_Leffler
-Image:
http://www.mrn.com/~/media/DC8DE2B05FAB4B4CAEB1FBF75D9E5AE4.ashx?w=602&h=345

Two Years Ago Today: How I Remember Dan Wheldon

              What do I remember the most about October 16th, 2011? That question has flashed across my mind a lot in the past few days and weeks. Do I remember the sermon my dad preached that day? Do I remember who won any of the NFL games that day? I don't remember any of these things, but I do remember one thing about that day that has changed my life forever: the death of Dan Wheldon in the final IndyCar race of 2011. I remember when Wheldon's in-car camera switched off and the calamity began in turn 1. I remember Wheldon's car lifting off the ground and slamming the catch fence. I remember his car reaching a stop on the backstretch. I remember the silence that followed and the drivers saying prayers as the outcome of the situation was unknown. I remember the announcement that Randy Bernard made when he announced that Dan Wheldon had succumbed to his injuries. I remember the salute that the drivers did to honor a friend and competitor who they loved so much. Finally, I remember the quote that Marty Reid ended the broadcast with that just spoke volumes to everything that Dan Wheldon meant to the series. When I think about him or talk about him, it is all I can do to hold off the tears. Why did it happen to him? Why that day? I guess it doesn't matter since God called him home. I just feel so bad for his family, his wife, and his two sons. Today, I don't want to remember the events of that fateful day that called him home, but I want to remember the great things he did in his career.

        Dan Wheldon made the move to IndyCar in 2002. He had spent a year before that in Indy Lights and had also raced in the U.S. F2000 National Championship and the Toyota Atlantic Championship a few years before that. Wheldon ran two races in 2002 for Panther Racing before moving to the series full time in 2003 for Andretti Green Racing. Wheldon was pretty successful in his first year and took the Rookie of the Year Award. He came back in 2004 and was even more successful. He won his first race at Twin Ring Motegi in Japan and went on to win two more races before the year finished. He would barely miss out on winning his first championship as his teammate, Tony Kanaan, took it. But that would not be it for Wheldon. He returned to Andretti Green Racing in 2005 and he would take six wins en route to his first championship in the series. Among his wins was one at the most historic track on the circuit: the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.  It was Wheldon's first win at the track, but it would not be his last.

          Wheldon moved over to Chip Ganassi Racing for the 2006 season and he kept pretty much the same success. He won two races and fell just short of the championship once again. This is where I started to follow his career a good bit. He became one of my favorites along with teammate, Scott Dixon. Wheldon returned to Ganassi Racing in 2007 and took two more wins to add to his already  fantastic career in the series. 2008 once again brought another decent season to Wheldon with two wins and a nice finish in the points, but he would not return to Ganassi in 2009. He headed over to Panther Racing where he did not find the same success. He was not able to win any races with the team in 2009 or 2010, but he still remained one of the favorites and most popular in the series. I remember fondly watching some races with him behind the wheel of the camouflage National Guard paint scheme that he ran for the team. 2011 brought a limited schedule to Wheldon. He would only run three races, including the fateful race at Las Vegas, but one of those would be one of the defining moments of his career before his passing only a few months later.

         I remember that weekend at Indianapolis. You had so many favorites in the race like Wheldon, Dario Franchitti, Marco Andretti, Tony Kanaan, Scott Dixon, and a whole lot more. It was sure to be a great fight for the win. The race began and Dixon became the early favorite, but around the middle part of the race, a rookie driver by the name of J.R. Hildebrand began to assert himself as a favorite and legitimate contender. The race moved quickly through the afternoon and before we knew it, only twenty laps remained. Danica Patrick had the lead and Tomas Scheckter ran second, but both were low on fuel. Patrick and Scheckter had to pit, which gave Bertrand Baguette the lead on lap 188. But there were also questions if Baguette had enough fuel. He rode around trying to save fuel for a few laps, but it was not enough. He finally had to make the move to pit road with four laps to go and that allowed the rookie I mentioned earlier, J.R. Hildebrand, to take the lead. Dario Franchitti, Scott Dixon, and Dan Wheldon ran behind him, but Franchitti was also saving fuel. This allowed Dixon and Wheldon to get by. Wheldon was able to pass Dixon as Hildebrand took the white flag. Only one question remained. Did J.R. Hildebrand or any of the other drivers have enough fuel to make it to the finish? Hildebrand made it into turn 1 and the turn went smoothly. He flew through turn 2 easily and made it to the backstretch with the win in hand. He drove down the backstretch and made it into turn 3 quickly. Only one corner remained. A lapped car was driving through turn 4, but Hildebrand would make it around. Then, it happened. Hildebrand went too far to the outside of the corner. His car did not turn on exit and piled into the outside wall. His right side was heavily damaged and he coasted along against the wall, but the lead was still in his hands. But that would all come to a close. Dan Wheldon, who had saved enough fuel, shot to his inside on the frontstretch. Wheldon flew by and his hands came out of the cockpit of his car in triumph as he had won the Indianapolis 500 in the one hundredth year of the event. Wheldon coasted around to victory lane where he would place the ceremonial wreath around his shoulders and drink the sacred milk at Indianapolis. It was a stunning finish and one of the most memorable that I can remember. 

         Dan Wheldon's legacy still lives on today even after his tragic passing two years ago to the day. Shortly after his death, it was announced that the new car starting to run in IndyCar in 2012 would be named after him since he had been a key factor in testing the car. In fact, the car he helped with so much has actually saved lives. If you don't believe me, take a look at Dario Franchitti's wreck at Houston only one week ago. Without the new car, I believe Franchitti would have lost his life, but Dan Wheldon prevented that. That in itself is one of the most memorable things from Wheldon's life. Also, Wheldon was posthumously named the most popular driver of IndyCar in 2011. It was an award that Wheldon deserved not just because he wanted to be remembered, but because he was one of the friendliest and most likeable drivers in the garage. That is one of the main ways I want to remember Wheldon along with the great success he had in the sport he loved so much.

         What do I remember the most about Dan Wheldon? I remember that smile he flashed whenever someone talked to him. I remember that British accent that he used in every interview. I remember how kind he was to everybody in the sport and how willing he was to help anybody that needed his help. But most of all, I remember how hard of a competitor he was in the race. He wouldn't wreck you on track, but he would race you as hard as possible to win the race. If he didn't have the car to win, he wouldn't over do it. If he was able to get by you, he would do it as cleanly as possible to take the spot or even the win. That was just the way he was and I respect him for that. I don't think it actually hit me that it had been two years since he passed until I came to school with my Lionheart tribute shirt made to remember his life and achievements. I can't believe it has been that long since he left our world. I miss you so much Dan and I hope one day to be with you and be able to talk to you in heaven. I want to end this year's remembrance of Dan Wheldon's life with two things. The first is something cool that I noticed at school today. Each day, we have a word that helps prepare students for the SAT test. Today's word was revere. Revere means to regard with awe and respect. I believe that was a sign. A sign that Dan Wheldon deserves to be revered for his accomplishments and his amazing life on the day he so tragically left us. I will bring this year's remembrance of Dan Wheldon to an end with a quote from Marty Reid that is still one of the most recognizable statements made on the day of October 16th, 2011. "People ask me why, when I sign off I say 'until we meet again'. Because goodbye is always so final. Goodbye Dan Wheldon."







Credits:
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2011_Indianapolis_500/O
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Dan_Wheldon
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Wheldon
-Full 2011 Indianapolis 500:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1CqBtGezss
-Image:
http://www.wibc.com/Pics/news/wheldon/wheldon1978-2011a.jpg

Rest In Peace Jason Leffler

              I never expected to hear what I heard tonight. I received the horrible news that Jason Leffler had passed away from injuries sustained in a crash during a heat race at the Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. I couldn't believe it. When you see a driver racing on the track on Sunday, you don't expect him to lose his life during the next week. Last Sunday, he made a start in the #19 Toyota for Humphrey-Smith Racing at Pocono. Today, he lost his life in a fatal crash racing a sprint car. It hurts the most because I grew up watching Jason in the #38 Great Clips car for Todd Braun and Steve Turner in the NASCAR Busch, now Nationwide, Series. I remember his stint with Chip Ganassi in the #01 Cingular Wireless Dodge and with Joe Gibbs in the #11 FedEx Chevrolet in the NASCAR Sprint, previously Winston and Nextel, Cup Series. He did not have much success in his Cup rides, but he was pretty good in the Nationwide Series. He had two wins, forty two top 5s, one hundred and seven top 10s, and eight poles in the series. He also had one win, twenty top 5s, thirty five top 10s, and ten poles in the Craftsman, now Camping World, Truck Series. Jason was known for his charisma. He sported a mohawk that many reporters joked with him about. His small frame of 5 foot 3 inches and 130 pounds, made him tiny among the drivers, but he made up for that in his colorful personality and his prowess among his peers. I will certainly miss his humbleness and his willingness to drive a racecar just so he was racing. Nothing can take away the effect he had on the sport and I wish he was still here. Rest in peace, Jason Leffler, and you will never be forgotten.







Credits:
-Image: 
http://a.espncdn.com/media/motion/2013/0612/dm_130612_NASCAR_Driver_Leffler_Has_Died/dm_130612_NASCAR_Driver_Leffler_Has_Died.jpg
-Articles:
http://racing.ap.org/article/leffler-dies-after-accident-dirt-car-event
http://www.sportingnews.com/nascar/story/2013-06-12/jason-leffler-crash-injury-nationwide-series-airlifted-bridgeport-speedway?modid=recommended_3_5
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/driver/Jason_Leffler

Rest In Peace Dick Trickle

       
          I came home from school today and received some of the worst news in a while. I found out that we lost one of the greats of short track racing and NASCAR, Dick Trickle. He died of an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 71. But I don't want to remember him that way. I want to remember him for the great things he did for the sport. He was one of those men that you always remembered for doing something extraordinary. He won over 1,200 feature events in his short track racing career, which gives him the designation of the winningest short track driver in history. He took these credentials to the NASCAR Winston Cup Series and NASCAR Busch Series. In the Winston Cup Series, he was unable to win a race, but he grabbed fifteen career top 5's and thirty-six career top 10's. He also won the NASCAR Rookie of the Year award in 1989 at the age of 47, making him the oldest to pull off the feat. In the NASCAR Busch Series, he was able to win two races and capture twenty-four top 5's along with forty-two top 10's. He was mostly known for his antics in the race car. He was allowed by NASCAR to install cigarette lighters in his car and a hole in his helmet so that he could smoke during caution flags. He was a class act that created a lot of good times for the drivers in all the series. I did not have the pleasure to watch him race live, but I have seen some of his races and feel that he would have been one of my favorites. I still feel his impact on the sport and wish that he was still here. Rest in peace, Dick Trickle, and you will never be forgotten.






Credits:
-Image: http://sphotos-d.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/p480x480/547340_10151605021151052_326296383_n.jpg