Trickle Wins a Slow Race

Dick Trickle, NASCAR’s 47-year-old Winston Cup rookie, tuned up for today’s Autoworks 500 by driving a Chevrolet to victory in the stop-and-start AC-Delco 300 Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway.

The 186-lap race on the mile oval was interrupted 11 times for caution flags, which slowed the pace for 72 laps. This cut Trickle’s winning speed to 79.214 m.p.h.

Dan Press, 40, another short-track veteran from Frazier Park, finished fourth and won the 20-race Southwest Tour championship. He will collect about $8,000 for the series title.

Trickle won $7,843 for finishing .16 second ahead of pole-sitter Mike Chase of Bakersfield. Rick Carelli of Denver was third.