John Paul Linville (January 2, 1943 – November 1, 2005) was an American stock car driver, who raced from 1982 until 1995 in the division that would become the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Throughout his career, Linville made 136 starts in the Xfinity Series where he finished in the top ten three times.

John Linville
Born(1943-01-02)January 2, 1943
Forsyth County, North Carolina
DiedNovember 1, 2005(2005-11-01) (aged 62)
Kernersville, North Carolina
Cause of deathCancer
NASCAR Xfinity Series career
136 races run over 12 years
Car no., teamNo. 62 (Linville Racing)
1992 position57th
Best finish17th
First race1982 Daytona 300
Last race1992 SplitFire 200
Wins Top tens Poles
0 3 0

Racing career

Early career

Linville began racing at the age of 20, when he entered a race at Bowman Gray Stadium with a car that he purchased for $99.[1] He went on to win the Late Model Sportsman Division Championship at Bowman Gray Stadium in 1968, 1969, and 1971. Additionally, he won the 1970 Limited Sportsmen Championship at State Fairgrounds Speedway in Raleigh, NC.

National series

In 1982, Linville made his NASCAR Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series debut at Daytona International Speedway in the Goody's 300 at the age of 39. This was the inaugural race for what would become the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Linville finished 20th in his self-owned No. 62 Pontiac. He competed in a total of eight races during his Rookie campaign, with his best finish coming at Caraway Speedway, where he finished 11th. Overall, he finished 36th in points.[2]

Linville went on to make several more appearances in the series running nearly full-time from 1983 through 1987. His career best finish came at Martinsville Speedway in the 1987 Nationwise 150, where he finished 8th.[3] His top annual points performances came with a 17th-place finish in 1983, 1984, and 1986.[4] His final race attempt came in 1995, when he attempted to qualify for a race at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but failed to do so.[5] In total Linville competed in 136 races, finishing in the top ten, three times.

In addition to the Busch series, Linville attempted to qualify for two NASCAR Cup Series races, but failed to do so. He attempted to qualify for the 1988 Daytona 500[6] and the Miller Genuine Draft 500 in 1990.[7] Both entries were in the No. 74 car owned by Bobby Wawak.

Linville's final professional race came in the ARCA Menards Series in September 1998 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished 29th in the No. 90 Ford, owned by Ed Berrier.[8]

Motorsports career results

NASCAR

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

Cup Series

NASCAR Winston Cup 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 NSCC Pts Ref
1988 Wawak Racing 74 Chevrolet DAY
DNQ		 RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV RSD POC MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NWS CAR PHO ATL n/a 0 [9]
1990 Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POC
DNQ		 MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL n/a 0 [10]
Daytona 500
Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish
1988 Wawak Racing Chevrolet DNQ
Busch Series
NASCAR Busch 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 34 35 NBGNC Pts
1982 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac DAY
20		 RCH BRI MAR
DNQ		 DAR HCY SBO CRW
21		 RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT
39		 ASH HCY SBO CAR
32		 CRW
11		 SBO
24		 HCY LGY IRP BRI HCY RCH MAR
17		 CLT
22		 HCY MAR 36th 746
1983 DAY
31		 RCH CAR
36		 HCY
19		 MAR
12		 NWS
23		 SBO
13		 GPS
16		 LGY DOV
18		 BRI 29 CLT
40		 SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU CRW
12		 ROU
11		 SBO
19		 HCY LGY
20		 IRP
15		 GPS
17		 BRI
12		 HCY
20		 RCH
25		 NWS
20		 SBO
11		 MAR
21		 ROU
13		 CLT HCY
13		 MAR
22		 17th 2,690
91 DAR
28
1984 62 DAY
27		 RCH
14		 CAR
26		 HCY
16		 MAR DAR
29		 ROU
26		 NSV LGY MLW
21		 HCY
19		 ROU
24		 SBO ROU
22		 HCY
17		 IRP
11		 LGY
13		 SBO
12		 BRI
21		 DAR
31		 RCH
13		 NWS CLT HCY
13		 CAR MAR
12		 17th 2,035
91 DOV
17
Johnny Davis Racing 48 CLT
18		 SBO
1985 Chubby Arrington Racing 29 Dodge DAY CAR
23		 DAR
26		 18th 2,046
Linville Racing 62 Pontiac HCY
14		 BRI MAR
13		 SBO
9		 LGY
19		 CLT
18		 SBO HCY ROU SBO
11		 LGY
21		 HCY
17		 MLW BRI
28		 DAR
19		 RCH NWS
20		 ROU
19		 CLT HCY
19		 MAR
11
2 IRP
13
Baugess Racing 31 Oldsmobile DOV
28
Johnny Talley Racing 78 Oldsmobile CAR
25
1986 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac DAY
30		 CAR
28		 HCY
24		 MAR
12		 BRI
27		 DAR
29		 SBO
22		 LGY
18		 JFC
20		 DOV
20		 CLT
38		 SBO
23		 HCY
17		 ROU
19		 IRP
19		 SBO
15		 RAL
16		 OXF DNQ SBO
15		 HCY
23		 LGY
23		 ROU
16		 BRI
20		 DAR DOV
24		 MAR
17		 ROU
23		 CLT CAR
15		 MAR
21		 17th 2,652
American Uniflex 43 RCH
29
1987 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac DAY HCY
23		 MAR
21		 DAR
31		 BRI
17		 LGY
23		 SBO
17		 IRP
22		 ROU JFC OXF HCY
24		 RAL
17		 LGY
18		 ROU
23		 BRI JFC RCH
30		 DOV
25		 MAR
8		 CLT
DNQ		 MAR 22nd 1,871
Graham Racing 93 CLT
26
Chevrolet CLT
17
Shook Racing 95 Buick DOV
19
Reedy Racing 08 Pontiac SBO
26
Setzer Racing 86 Buick DAR
42
Brolsma Racing 26 Pontiac CAR
35
1988 Linville Racing 62 DAY
DNQ		 HCY CAR
31		 MAR DAR BRI LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB OXF SBO 72nd 158
Oldsmobile HCY
25		 LNG IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR
1989 DAY CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI NZH SBO LAN NSV CLT DOV ROU LVL VOL MYB
18		 SBO
25		 HCY
22		 DUB
22		 IRP
22		 ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR
14		 CLT
DNQ		 CAR MAR
27		 42nd 691
1990 Chevrolet DAY RCH CAR MAR HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH HCY CLT DOV ROU VOL MYB OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT NHA CAR MAR
10		 82nd 134
1991 DAY RCH CAR MAR VOL HCY DAR BRI LAN SBO NZH CLT DOV ROU HCY MYB GLN OXF NHA SBO DUB IRP
DNQ		 ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR
22		 92nd 97
1992 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU
17		 MYB
12		 GLN VOL NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH 57th 312
82 DOV
30		 CLT MAR CAR HCY
1995 62 DAY CAR RCH ATL NSH DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB
DNQ		 GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM n/a 0

Later life

Following his retirement from NASCAR, Linville worked as a general contractor at his self-owned business, Linville Home Builders, Inc., that he began in 1970.[11] He also became involved in Kevin Harvick Incorporated, a race team co-owned by his daughter DeLana and her husband Kevin Harvick.[12]

On November 1, 2005, Linville died after a battle with cancer.[13] He is buried in Eastlawn Gardens of Memory in Kernersville.[14]

Family

John Linville is the son of Ernest Paul Linville and Floy Phipps Linville, both originally from Forsyth County, North Carolina. He was one of nine children. His younger brother, Richard "Dickie" Linville, also raced in 52 Busch Series races from 1982 until 1986.[15]

Linville married Joyce Griffin on October 14, 1966, at the age of 23. Together they had one daughter DeLana Harvick, who was born on July 7, 1973. DeLana is married to NASCAR Cup Series Champion Kevin Harvick.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Racer Profile: John Paul Linville". www.insiderracingnews.com. Retrieved 2021-11-29.
  2. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  3. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  4. ↑ "Driver". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  5. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  6. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  7. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  8. ↑ "Race Results". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  9. ↑ "Driver Season Stats". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  10. ↑ "Driver Season Stats". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  11. ↑ "FindLaw's Court of Appeals of North Carolina case and opinions". Findlaw. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  12. ↑ "John Paul Linville Obituary (2005) Winston-Salem Journal". Legacy.com. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  13. ↑ "Third Annual John Paul Linville Memorial Golf Classic | SpeedwayMedia.com". Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  14. ↑ "John Paul Linville (1943-2005) - Find A Grave..." www.findagrave.com. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  15. ↑ "Driver". Racing-Reference. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
  16. ↑ "Kevin Harvick's Wife Delana Was Living the NASCAR Lifestyle Way Before She Met Her Husband". Engaging Car News, Reviews, and Content You Need to See - alt_driver. 2021-08-27. Retrieved 2021-11-30.
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