Dick
Trickle won the ASA Sentinel 200 at the Milwaukee Mile. Bobby Baston (left)of
Silver Creek, series’ sponsor, and Bob Karius, sports editor of the Sentinel,
make the trophy presentation. – Russ Lake Photo
West Allis, Wis. (August 26, 1984) – Dick Trickle, drawing upon his nearly 25 years of racing experience, patiently watched 12 lead changes among seven drivers, then won the ASA-sanctioned Milwaukee Sentinel 200 stock car race by less than one second over Harold Fair at the Wisconsin State Fair Park Speedway on Sunday afternoon.
Bob Senneker was a close third, followed by Mark Martin, Butch Miller, and Jim Sauter as the top six finished on the lead lap.
“You can win the pole and be a hero for a day,” Trickle remarked after the race, “or win the race and be a hero for a week.”
The leader of the “Wisconsin Gang” put his Firebird on the pole of the 40-car field by virtue of a 30.583 second time trial run on Saturday, then registered his second ASA victory of the season on Sunday, averaging 96.997 miles per hour for the 200-mile grind on the one-mile paved oval.
While Trickle led the first circuit of the 200-lapper, Alan Kulwicki, the hometown product, was intent on playing the role of the rabbit and took over the top spot on lap 2 and led until Mark Martin whizzed by on lap 20.
A lap 50 caution saw the first round of pit stops with Martin relinquishing the lead to Butch Miller on the 51st circuit before Kulwicki took over again while the field was under yellow on lap 52. Unfortunately for Kulwicki, his aggressive early race performance ended with a broken motor on lap 71 after which Trickle found himself leading again.
A caution on lap 74 was occasion for Trickle to make a four-tire pit stop which gave the lead to Fair on the 77th mile. Fair’s leading tenure was ended by Martin on lap 84. Martin’s Thunderbird, the lone Ford in the field, showed obvious strength before faltering somewhat at the contest’s midpoint when a slipping clutch began to manifest.
Exactly at the crossed-flags signal, Miller again took over first but Trickle, making certain no one got out of sight, retook the lead spot on lap 115.
A caution on lap 120 sent the front-running pack of cars, including Trickle, Miller, Senneker, Fair, Sauter, Martin, Bobby Allison, and Ken Lund, dashing to the pits for the final time. Meanwhile, Jay Sauter remained out the pace lap 122.
The younger Sauter pitted on lap 123, turning the lead over to Mike Eddy. However, struggle with tire stagger meant Eddy would only enjoy seven laps at the front of the pack before Trickle, on fresh tires, stormed by to take charge for good on lap 130.
Fair, who ran consistently among the top four all afternoon long en route to his best finish of the season, watched the differential housing split on his car as it was pushed to the post-race inspection area.
“It probably wouldn’t have gone another lap at racing speed,” Fair noted with obvious relief.
Trickle collected $10,440 from the $73,170 in total awards for his biggest payday thus far this season.
Results –
1. Dick Trickle
2. Harold Fair
3. Bob Senneker
4. Mark Martin
5. Butch Miller
6. Jim Sauter
7. Mike Edy
8. Ken Lund
9. Bobby Allison
10.Jay Sauter
11.Dave Watson
12.Tom Reffner
13.John Ziegler
14.Ed Evans
15.Dave Simko
16.Larry Conroy
17.Don Collins
18.Doug Klein
19.Tom Harrington
20.Kent Stauffer
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