If you ever see this side of a bear, that should be the last thing you see...

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According to TMZ.com, former NASCAR driver Dick Trickle is dead ... apparently having taken his own life with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.  He was 71 years  old.

Police in North Carolina say he shot himself at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 12:02 PM today.

Read more here.

Luke was on the show Monday night and announced his new album would be out August 13th.