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 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Throughout his career, Linville made 136 starts in the series, where he finished in the top-ten three times.

Racing career

Early career Linville began racing at the age of twenty, when he entered a race at Bowman Gray Stadium with a car that he purchased for $99. 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 eleventh. Overall, he finished 36th in points.

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. His top annual points performances came with a seventeenth-place finish in 1983, 1984, and 1986. His final race attempt came in 1995, when he attempted to qualify for a race at Myrtle Beach Speedway, but failed to do so. 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 and the Miller Genuine Draft 500 in 1990. Both entries were in the No. 74 car owned by Bobby Wawak.

Linville's final professional race came in the ARCA Bondo/Mar-Hyde Series in September 1998 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished 29th in the No. 90 Ford, owned by Ed Berrier.

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. He also became involved in Kevin Harvick Incorporated, a race team co-owned by his daughter DeLana and her husband Kevin Harvick.

On November 1, 2005, Linville died after a battle with cancer.

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.

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.

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.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series resultsYearTeamNo.Make1234567891011121314151617181920212223242526272829PtsRef1988Wawak Racing74Chevy 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 01990Pontiac DAY RCH CAR ATL DAR BRI NWS MAR TAL CLT DOV SON POCDNQ MCH DAY POC TAL GLN MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR PHO ATL n/a 0

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 Pts 1982 Linville Racing 62 PontiacDAY RCH BRIMAR DAR HCY SBO CRW RCH LGY DOV HCY CLT ASH HCY SBO CAR CRW SBO HCY LGY IRP BRI HCY RCHMAR CLT HCY MAR 36th 746 1983 DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR NWS SBO GPS LGY DOV BRI CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO ROU CRW ROU SBO HCY LGY IRP GPS BRI HCY RCH NWS SBO MAR ROU CLT HCY MAR 17th2,690 91 DAR 1984 62 DAY RCH CAR HCY MAR DAR ROU NSV LGY MLW HCY ROU SBO ROU HCY IRP LGY SBO BRI DAR RCH NWS CLT HCY CARMAR 17th 2,035 91 DOV Johnny Davis Racing 48 CLT SBO 1985 Buddy Arrington Racing 29 Dodge DAY CAR DAR 18th 2,046 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac HCY BRI MAR SBO LGY CLT SBO HCY ROU SBO LGY HCY MLW BRI DAR RCH NWS ROU CLT HCY MAR 2 IRP Baugess Racing 31 Olds DOV Johnny Talley Racing 78 Olds CAR 1986 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac DAY CAR HCY MAR BRI DAR SBO LGY JFC DOV CLT SBO HCY ROU IRP SBO RAL OXF SBO HCY LGY ROU BRI DAR DOV MAR ROU CLT CAR MAR 17th 2,652 American Uniflex 43 RCH 1987 Linville Racing 62 Pontiac DAY HCY MAR DAR BRI LGY SBO IRP ROU JFC OXF HCY RAL LGY ROU BRI JFC RCH DOV MAR CLT MAR 22nd 1,871 Graham Racing 93 CLT Chevy CLT Shook Racing 95 Buick DOV Reedy Racing 08 Pontiac SBO Setzer Racing 86 Buick DAR Brolsma Racing 26 Pontiac CAR 1988 Linville Racing 62 DAY HCY CAR MAR DAR BRI LNG NZH SBO NSV CLT DOV ROU LAN LVL MYB OXF SBO72nd158 Olds HCY 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 SBO HCY DUB IRP ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR CLT CAR MAR 42nd 691 1990 Chevy 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 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 ROU BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT NHA CAR MAR 92nd 97 1992 DAY CAR RCH ATL MAR DAR BRI HCY LAN DUB NZH CLT DOV ROU MYB GLN VOL NHA TAL IRP ROU MCH NHA BRI DAR RCH57th312 82 DOV CLT MAR CAR HCY 1995 62 DAY CAR RCH ATL NSH DAR BRI HCY NHA NZH CLT DOV MYB GLN MLW TAL SBO IRP MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV CLT CAR HOM n/a 0

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