Dick Trickle returns for Minnesota State Fair

Dick Trickle Returns To ASA For Minnesota State Fair Race
Two-time ASA Champion Looking to Gain Fifth Fair Win

PENDLETON, Ind. (August 28, 2001) - Once again, as it has nearly ever year since 1978, the American Speed Association will invade the Minnesota State Fair Speedway for its annual Labor Day event, the Miller Lite 300. It continues to be the only race run th roughout the year on the tough, moderately banked, half-mile oval. It has seen its share of legendary finishes and legendary winners. And in 2001, it will see the return of one of the legendary drivers in ASA's 34-year history.

Two-time ASA National Champion Dick Trickle will return to ASA action, driving the number 43 for Minnesota's Kevin Lang. Trickle won the ASA National Championship is 1984 and then again in 1985. He has 32 career ASA victories, fourth on the all-time list, and 45 career pole positions, second all-time, behind Bob Senneker. His last ASA start came in 1997 at the same track, where he finished 32nd after starting eighth.

Trickle is the all-time ASA event winner at Minnesota, collecting four wins in his 20 races at the speedway. Scott Hansen, Mike Eddy, Butch Miller, Mike Miller and Bob Senneker are the only other multi-time winners in ASA competition at the State Fair.

The 2000 Miller Lite 300 crowned a first-time winner in ASA competition, as then second-year driver Tristan Dupuis captured his first and, to this date, only ASA National Event victory. Dupuis led pole-sitter Gary St. Amant and Tim Sauter to the checkered flag. Surprisingly, the track has been the site of four first-time winners, Dupuis in 2000, Bobby Gill in 1995 and both Butch Lindley and Mike Miller in 1981.

"It's a worn out surface and I think that brings out some of the drivers' talents," said Kevin Cywinski, driver of the number 21 Texas Roadhouse Chevrolet. "Its ability to wear out tires gives you more of a drivers' racetrack."

The track, originally a one-mile dirt track used for horse racing, was built in 1854 much to the delight of the area people. With their fascination behind horse racing and speed, 1907 saw the first automobile take to the one-mile dirt track, the first auto mobile race of any kind during any State Fair. From that point forward, the people of Minnesota have enjoyed the sights and sounds of car racing without interruption until today, with the exception of a stop due to World War II. Horses and cars shared the track until 1949, when the final horse race was held. In 1950, the Fair week consisted of all auto racing, including sprints and stock cars. The track was paved and shortened in 1964 and the number of races eventually dwindled to one per year, the ASA race on Labor Day.

The starting field for the Miller Lite 300 will consist of 34 cars, with positions 1 through 20 filled with the top-20 cars in the 2001 car owners' points standings after Event 16 at Jennerstown (PA) Speedway on August 26. Trickle will start 21st, with pos itions 22 through 31 being determined through two-lap qualifications by the remaining entered cars eligible for competition. Positions 32 through 34 will come from the current 2001 car owners' points standings.

Events for the Miller Lite 300 begin on Monday, September 3, with practice beginning at 8:30 a.m. Qualifications for those not in the show will begin at 11 a.m. with pre-race ceremonies beginning at 1:20 p.m. and the Miller Lite 300 is set to take the gree n at 2. Tickets for the event are available through the Minnesota State Fair Box Office, (651) 642-2262 or 1-800-333-6213 and Ticketmaster stores in the Midwest.

-ASA-