Chris Trickle
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Chris Trickle (May 30, 1973 –March 25, 1998) was a NASCAR driver who was murdered in an unsolved drive-by shooting.
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[edit] Family
Trickle was the son of Chuck and Barbara Trickle, and nephew of NASCAR driver Dick Trickle.
[edit] Racing career
Chris began racing in motorcycles when he was eight years old. He had two track championship by the time he was fifteen. He then drove in a national touring series.
Trickle turned to stock cars in 1990. He was the 1992 rookie of the year in the late models at the 3/8 mile track at Las Vegas Speedway Park. He finished third in the season points with 3 wins in 18 events.
He had 10 wins, 14 poles, and 12 Top-10 finished in 23 events and finished second in the 1993 Southern California Sportsman Series (late models).
In 1994 Trickle had 8 wins, 20 poles, and 18 Top-10 finishes in 29 races in his late model.
In 1995 he competed at two levels. He had 16 wins and 24 poles in 32 races in his late model. He also competed in 13 races in the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series (Southwest Series), and he had one pole and one Top-10 finish.
In 1996 he competed exclusively in the Southwest Series, and with 4 races left he had 1 win and 7 Top-10 finishes in 14 races.
Trickle gained national attention while appearing on the NASCAR Winter Heat series on TNN and ESPN2. He raced in late models, the NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series, and NASCAR Grand National Division, West Series during the series. He competed in the #70 car.
Trickle was scheduled to join the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 1997.
[edit] Murder/Death
On 9 February 1997 Trickle left his home in Las Vegas around 9pm to play tennis with a friend at a lighted court. As he drove over the freeway, a car drove alongside and fired shots into his car hitting him in the head. Chris' story was featured on America's Most Wanted.
Trickle died from his wounds on 25 March 1998, 409 days after the shooting. At the time of the shooting, Nevada law limited murder prosecution to one year and one day[1].
Trickle's death from his wounds occurred after the prosecution time limit. In 1999 Nevada passed a law (Chris Trickle bill) which removed the time limit on prosecution for murder charges. Trickle's murder remains unsolved.
His father Chuck returned to racing afterwards and became the 2003 Super Late Model Champion at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and still actively races. Trickle was succeeded in the Star Nursery team's Southwest Tour car by Kurt Busch, who won the 1999 Southwest Tour Championship with the team.
