# John Linville

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.

## 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. 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.
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 17th-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 Menards Series in September 1998 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He finished 29th in the No. 90 Ford, owned by Ed Berrier.

## 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 | |
| 1990 | Wawak Racing | 74 | 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 | |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1988 | Wawak Racing | Chevrolet | DNQ | 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 | Linville Racing | 62 | Pontiac | 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 |
| 1983 | Linville Racing | 91 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2,690 |
| 1984 | Linville Racing | 62 | Pontiac | 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 |
| 1984 | Linville Racing | 91 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2,035 |
| 1984 | Johnny Davis Racing | 48 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 18 | SBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2,035 |
| 1985 | Buddy Arrington Racing | 29 | Dodge | DAY | CAR 23 | | | | DAR 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2,046 |
| 1985 | 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 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2,046 |
| 1985 | Linville Racing | 2 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | IRP 13 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2,046 |
| 1985 | Baugess Racing | 31 | Oldsmobile | | | | | | | | | DOV 28 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2,046 |
| 1985 | Johnny Talley Racing | 78 | Oldsmobile | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 25 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 18th | 2,046 |
| 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 |
| 1986 | American Uniflex | 43 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | RCH 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 17th | 2,652 |
| 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 |
| 1987 | Graham Racing | 93 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | CLT 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1987 | Graham Racing | 93 | Chevrolet | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 17 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1987 | Shook Racing | 95 | Buick | | | | | | | | | DOV 19 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1987 | Reedy Racing | 08 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | SBO 26 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1987 | Setzer Racing | 86 | Buick | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 42 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1987 | Brolsma Racing | 26 | Pontiac | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CAR 35 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 22nd | 1,871 |
| 1988 | Linville Racing | 62 | Pontiac | DAY DNQ | HCY | CAR 31 | MAR | DAR | BRI | LNG | NZH | SBO | NSV | CLT | DOV | ROU | LAN | LVL | MYB | OXF | SBO | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 72nd | 158 |
| 1988 | Linville Racing | 62 | Oldsmobile | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | HCY 25 | LNG | IRP | ROU | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | CLT | CAR | MAR | | | | | | | | | 72nd | 158 |
| 1989 | Linville Racing | 62 | Oldsmobile | 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 | Linville Racing | 62 | 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 | Linville Racing | 62 | Chevrolet | 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 | Linville Racing | 62 | Chevrolet | 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 |
| 1992 | Linville Racing | 82 | Chevrolet | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DOV 30 | CLT | MAR | CAR | HCY | | | | | | | 57th | 312 |
| 1995 | Linville Racing | 62 | Chevrolet | 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. 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.