Oktoberfest 101: Dick Trickle 99

The Dick Trickle 99 presented by JE Pistons has become a fan and competitor favorite event at the 48th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend at the La Crosse Fairgrounds Speedway in West Salem, Wisconsin.

The 11th running of this Super Late Model event will take place this Friday night, October 6th with qualifying at 3pm and racing 5:30pm. The Mid-American Stock Car Series and the Midwest Trucks will also be in action.

The event follows close to the rules of the famous Milk Bowl at ThunderRoad in Barre, VT. The creation of former owners Ken Squier and the late Tom Curley. The late John McKarns created this event with Dick Trickle’s blessing in 2007.

The Dick Trickle 99 presented by JE Pistons is not your typical race.

The driver who crosses the finish line first at the end of the race, may not be the overall winner.

And no, this is not a NASCAR style stage race event.

One could say that this is auto racing mashing up with golf, but with only three holes and not 18. In other words, the lowest score after three 33-lap segments will win the event.

Each 33-lap race is its own race, where drivers will accumulate points in each segment. The driver who wins gets one point, second will get two, third will get three and so on. What makes it exciting is watching the drivers race their way to the front in every segment to gain the least amount of points possible.

Here is how it will work.

QUALIFYING INTO THE SHOW: First thing is a driver must qualify or race their way into the event. The top-15 in qualifying automatically make it into the Dick Trickle 99. The last chance race(s) will be 12 laps with three inverted in each with the top two advancing from each of the last chance races if there are three LC events. If there are only two LC events, then the top three from each will advance.

Last year, 64 cars qualified for the Dick Trickle 99 and has been around that average since its first race in 2007.

SEGMENT ONE (33 LAPS): The fastest 15 will start straight up by time trials, meaning the fast qualifier will start on the pole with the second fastest on the outside of the front row and so forth. Then the six or eight by finishes in the last chance events and two promoter options.

SEGMENT TWO (33 LAPS): The field will be set by the finish of the first segment where lead lap cars are inverted 10 plus the draw from the winner in victory lane.

SEGMENT THREE (33 LAPS): The field will be set by current points after the first two segments (66 laps) lead lap cars are inverted by ten plus the draw from the segment two winner in victory lane.

TIES: Broken by the fest finish in the third segment.

Fans in attendance will be able to get a score card and keep along with the scoring throughout the event. Just listen for the track announcer to announce where and when they are available.

The overall winner will be guaranteed a starting spot in Sunday’s ARCA Midwest Tour’s Oktoberfest 200.

If one driver wins all three segments, they will receive a $999.99 bonus.

This event typically produces one of the largest car counts during Oktoberfest. Those who don’t make it into the Dick Trickle 99 will either compete in the The Stubby 30-lap event or a C-Main for 25 laps.

The Stubby was the nickname of John McKarns father.

It’s not too late to make your plans to be a part of the 48th Annual Oktoberfest Race Weekend. Come and be a part of a great weekend, meet new friends, and witness short track history.

For more information, please visit www.oktoberfestraceweekend.com.

Past Dick Trickle 99 Presented by JE Pistons Winners

2016 – Dan Fredrickson
2015 – Ty Majeski
2014 – Dan Fredrickson
2013 – Erik Darnell
2012 – Skylar Holzhausen
2011 – Neil Knoblock
2010 – Dan Fredrickson
2009 – Chris Weinkauf
2008 – Nathan Haseleu
2007 – Steve Holzhausen