Richard J. Karth (born December 13, 1952) is an American professional historic motorsport and stock car racing driver. As a vintage racer, he pilots the No. 90 formerly owned by Donlavey Racing in conjunction with the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs. He last competed part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 61 Chevrolet Camaro for MBM Motorsports.

Dick Karth
BornRichard J. Karth
(1952-12-13) December 13, 1952 (age 71)
Grafton, Wisconsin
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
1 race run over 1 year
2019 position77th
Best finish77th (2019)
First race2019 CTECH Manufacturing 180 (Road America)
Wins Top tens Poles
0 0 0
Statistics current as of April 5, 2020.

Vintage racing

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Karth's No. 90 Dick Trickle car in 2007

Growing up a racing fan, he watched quarter midget events at the Shawano County, Wisconsin fairgrounds alongside his father and uncle who owned a funeral home that operated an ambulance for drivers.[1] He began regularly attending the Indianapolis 500 in 1968.[2]

In 2005, he acquired the No. 90 NASCAR stock car formerly driven by Dick Trickle of Donlavey Racing; Karth and Trickle befriended each other in the 1980s thanks to a mutual friend. With the car, he started competing in vintage racing for the Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs.[1][3]

He is a member of the Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame's Board of Directors.[2]

ARCA and NASCAR career

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Karth's No. 94 ARCA car at Road America in 2017
 
Karth's No. 61 Xfinity car

During the 2000s, he worked as a crewman for various NASCAR teams, including Dexter Bean's NASCAR Cup Series crew.[1]

In 2013, he received a road course license to participate in the ARCA Racing Series at Road America, but was unable to compete as his car failed to start.[1][4] He returned to the series in 2017, where he finished 21st in his ARCA debut at Road America.[5] The following year, he tested a car for Mullins Racing at Daytona International Speedway; he was 56th fastest.[6][7] He continued racing in his home state at the Madison International Speedway events in 2018 and 2019 with Fast Track Racing Enterprises, finishing 18th and 16th, respectively.[8]

In August 2019, MBM Motorsports announced Karth would make his NASCAR Xfinity Series debut with the team in the CTECH Manufacturing 180 at Road America; with Karth at the age of 66, MBM stated their pride in being a "gateway for so many racers, young and old, to accomplish their goals."[9] Driving the No. 61 Toyota Camry with Dick Trickle Memorial Project branding, he remained on the lead lap through the opening stage before being substituted for Timmy Hill for the rest of the race; Hill finished 30th, though Karth received the points as he started the race.[10][11]

Motorsports career results

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NASCAR

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Xfinity Series

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NASCAR Xfinity Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 NXSC Pts Ref
2019 MBM Motorsports 61 Toyota DAY ATL LVS PHO CAL TEX BRI RCH TAL DOV CLT POC MCH IOW CHI DAY KEN NHA IOW GLN MOH BRI ROA
30
DAR IND LVS RCH CLT DOV KAN TEX PHO HOM 77th 7 [12]

ARCA Menards Series

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(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

ARCA Menards Series results
Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 AMSC Pts Ref
2013 Karth Racing 72 Chevy DAY MOB SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH ROA
27
WIN CHI NJE POC BLN ISF MAD DSF IOW SLM KEN KAN NA - [13]
2017 Karth Racing 94 Chevy DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL ELK POC MCH MAD IOW IRP POC WIN ISF ROA
21
DSF SLM CHI KEN KAN 103rd 125 [14]
2018 Fast Track Racing Enterprises 11 Ford DAY NSH SLM TAL TOL CLT POC MCH MAD
18
GTW CHI IOW ELK BLN POC ISF DSF IRP SLM KAN 95th 140 [15]
2019 DAY FIF SLM TAL NSH TOL CLT POC MCH MAD
16
GTW CHI ELK IOW POC ISF DSF SLM IRP KAN 68th 150 [16]

* Season still in progress
1 Ineligible for series points

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Dick Karth joins The Final Inspection Show". WSSP. August 26, 2017. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Board of Directors". Southeastern Wisconsin Short Track Hall of Fame. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  3. ^ Kallmann, Dave. "A cult hero, king of the roads, three contenders and other storylines to watch on NASCAR weekend at Road America". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 12, 2019.
  4. ^ "2013 Scott 160". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Page, Scott (August 21, 2019). "NASCAR National Series News & Notes – Road America & Canadian Tire Motorsport Park". Jayski's Silly Season Site. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  6. ^ "Andrew Belmont and Dick Karth Join Mullins and Bruce for Daytona Test". The Pit Lane. 8 January 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  7. ^ Radebaugh, Don (January 17, 2018). ""Big Willie" 6th-fastest in Daytona testing; team tests several drivers". ARCA Racing Series. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  8. ^ "Dick Karth – ARCA Menards Series Results (races)". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  9. ^ "MBM Motorsports is proud to announce..." MBM Motorsports. Facebook. August 19, 2019. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  10. ^ Soquet, William (August 21, 2019). "XFINITY: J.J. Yeley the only RSS Racing car not to score stage points at Road America". LASTCAR. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  11. ^ Kallmann, Dave (August 24, 2019). "Austin Cindric's frantic dash, and other nuggets from the Xfinity Series at Road America". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  12. ^ "Dick Karth – 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  13. ^ "Dick Karth – 2013 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  14. ^ "Dick Karth – 2017 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  15. ^ "Dick Karth – 2018 ARCA Racing Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
  16. ^ "Dick Karth – 2019 ARCA Menards Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 11, 2019.
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