
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, August 4, 1993                   TAG: 9308040037
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: From Associated Press and Knight-Ridder/Tribune reports
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

TRICKLE'S LOSS IS BIG GAIN FOR TODD BODINE

NASCAR's season of change produced a driver switch Monday involving Todd Bodine and Dick Trickle.

Bodine, a Grand National regular who will become a Winston Cup Series rookie, has replaced Trickle in Fords fielded by the Rahmoc team, based in Cabarrus County, N.C.

"It's effective immediately," said Rahmoc co-owner and crew chief Butch Mock. "Todd is at the shop in the car being fitted for a seat. He'll start with us in qualifying Friday at Watkins Glen," the road course in New York, where The Bud at The Glen is set Sunday.

Bodine, 29, has been on the Grand National tour since 1990, posting five victories, one this year with the Fiddle-Faddle team. He will run all Grand National and Winston Cup events the remainder of 1993, then concentrate on the major circuit in '94.

Bodine's older brothers, Geoff and Brett, are Winston Cup fixtures as drivers.

Trickle, 51, a legend in the Midwest where he won an estimated 1,000 feature races, reacted bitterly to the loss of the ride.

He issued a faxed statement which read in part: "Dick Trickle agreed to drive for Butch Mock and Bob Rahilly . . . sponsored by Factory Stores of America, for the full 1993 season. Although the team's performance didn't meet Dick's expectations, the Factory Stores . . . financially pushed Rahmoc to release Dick Trickle as the driver. It is much easier to change drivers than to fix the problem."

In 18 races this season the Trickle/Rahmoc team had a best finish of 14th.

In other racing:

Tim Steele, an ARCA driver from Michigan, will drive the late Davey Allison's car on the Busch Grand National circuit for the rest of the season, veteran NASCAR driver Red Farmer announced. Steele will drive in eight races this season, starting Aug. 14 at Brooklyn, Mich., Farmer said. Farmer was the Busch series crew chief for Allison.

The wooing of Ted Musgrave continues, with the Jack Roush Racing team apparently set to sign the driver when his contract obligations to the RaDiUs team allow. Musgrave would replace Wally Dallenbach Jr. in one of Roush's Fords starting in '94.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB