Butch Lindley
Encyclopedia
Butch Lindley was a short track
racer, who has raced in various NASCAR
series.
and finished 28th after falling out early due to overheating.
In 1981, Lindley made three starts in his own car, the #26 Chevy. Lindley, however, struggled in all of them and did not finish any races. His best run was a 24th at North Wilkesboro
, however he qualified 4th at Martinsville.
In 1982, Lindley made four more starts, and continued to struggle, only finishing one of them. Driving the #01 Emanuel Zervakis
Buick, Lindley started 14th at Martinsville. Lindley dominated the middle portion of the race, leading the most laps of his career (163). However, he had to settle for second, losing to Harry Gant
by one lap. In his return to Martinsville later in the year, Lindley was once again a factor, leading two laps before engine failure.
Lindley made two starts in 1983. His better run was the spring race at Richmond
. Driving for Zervakis, Lindley led seven circuits and came away with an 11th place finish. He also ran at Martinsville for Bill Terry
recording a 25th place finish.
Lindley's last career start came in 1985 for Bobby Hawkins in a car with Larry McReynolds
as crew chief. He drove the #16 Carolina Tool Chevy at Richmond and had a decent run in it. He started 17th and was running high in the event before a lug bolt fell off and he finished 19th.
and the season finale at Martinsville. In addition, Lindley finished in the top-5 nine times and had an additional top-10. Lindley, in fact, finished in the top-10 in all but one of the races he finished. He also won two poles. Despite only competing in half of the events, he finished ninth place in points.
Lindley ran 25 of the 35 races in 1983, and once again had a solid enough season to stay high in the points, finishing 13th in the final rundown. He won races at Greenville-Pickens Speedway
, South Boston Speedway
, and Caraway Speedway
despite switching between Zervakis' team and Dana Racing. In addition, Lindley ended up with 3 poles and a total of eleven top-10s.
Lindley made two starts in 1984, both for Ed Whitaker. In his first outing for the team, he started 7th and finished 3rd at Richmond. Later in the year, he once again started 7th at Martinsville and was running well before engine failure doomed him to 29th.
. Lindley was leading in a feature race at the small speedway which had passed the scheduled distance for the race. However, many short tracks have long featured rules similar to NASCAR's current green-white-checker finish
regulations, with the exception that the final five consecutive laps (in this situation) had to be under green conditions.
Lindley was racing a #16 Chevrolet Camaro
when a part broke on the car as it entered Turn One, sending the car into a spin, with the car hitting the wall flush on the driver’s side. Lindley's helmet made contact with the wall.
Lindley suffered a closed head injury and was in a coma before his death on June 6, 1990.
Son Mardy raced in the Southeastern short tracks, including the United Speed Alliance ProCup before retiring and becoming a mechanic for Roush Fenway Racing, ironically on the #16 team.
In 2005, Lindley was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. The NMPA ceremony was held in January 2006 in Charlotte.
Short track motor racing
In North American auto racing, particularly with regard to NASCAR, a short track is a racetrack of less than one mile in length. Short track racing, often associated with fairgrounds and similar venues, is where stock car racing first got off the back roads and into organized and regulated...
racer, who has raced in various NASCAR
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is a family-owned and -operated business venture that sanctions and governs multiple auto racing sports events. It was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1947–48. As of 2009, the CEO for the company is Brian France, grandson of the late Bill France Sr...
series.
Winston Cup career
Lindley made his debut in the Winston Cup (now Sprint Cup) in a special appearance in 1979. He started 14th in a Kenny Childers Chevy at MartinsvilleMartinsville Speedway
Martinsville Speedway is an International Speedway Corporation-owned NASCAR stock car racing track located in Henry County, near Ridgeway, Virginia, just to the south of Martinsville. At in length, it is the shortest track in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The track was also one of the first paved...
and finished 28th after falling out early due to overheating.
In 1981, Lindley made three starts in his own car, the #26 Chevy. Lindley, however, struggled in all of them and did not finish any races. His best run was a 24th at North Wilkesboro
North Wilkesboro Speedway
North Wilkesboro Speedway was a short track that held races in NASCAR's top three series from NASCAR's inception in 1949 until its closure in 1996...
, however he qualified 4th at Martinsville.
In 1982, Lindley made four more starts, and continued to struggle, only finishing one of them. Driving the #01 Emanuel Zervakis
Emanuel Zervakis
Emanuel Zervakis was a NASCAR driver and team owner. He won two NASCAR Grand National races in his career, both in 1961...
Buick, Lindley started 14th at Martinsville. Lindley dominated the middle portion of the race, leading the most laps of his career (163). However, he had to settle for second, losing to Harry Gant
Harry Gant
Harry Phil Gant is a retired American racecar driver best known for driving the #33 Skoal Bandit car on the NASCAR Winston Cup circuit during the 1980s and 1990s.-Nicknames:...
by one lap. In his return to Martinsville later in the year, Lindley was once again a factor, leading two laps before engine failure.
Lindley made two starts in 1983. His better run was the spring race at Richmond
Richmond International Raceway
Richmond International Raceway is a 3/4-mile , D-shaped, asphalt race track located just outside Richmond, Virginia in Henrico County. It hosts the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series...
. Driving for Zervakis, Lindley led seven circuits and came away with an 11th place finish. He also ran at Martinsville for Bill Terry
Bill Terry (NASCAR owner)
Bill Terry is a former NASCAR car owner. His cars raced in NASCAR between 1982 and 1986. He is best known for offering Alan Kulwicki a ride in his car, which led to Kulwicki racing for Terry during five races in 1985 and fourteen in 1986. Terry left the sport at that time...
recording a 25th place finish.
Lindley's last career start came in 1985 for Bobby Hawkins in a car with Larry McReynolds
Larry McReynolds
Lawrence Joseph McReynolds III is a former NASCAR crew chief and currently serves as a racing analyst on Fox Sports, TNT and a columnist on Foxsports.com. He currently lives in Mooresville, North Carolina...
as crew chief. He drove the #16 Carolina Tool Chevy at Richmond and had a decent run in it. He started 17th and was running high in the event before a lug bolt fell off and he finished 19th.
Busch Series Career
Lindley had greater success in very limited Busch Series starts. He ran half of the 1982 schedule for Zervakis. In fourteen starts, Lindley won four of them. The first came at Richmond, then was followed by a pair of wins at South Boston SpeedwaySouth Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
and the season finale at Martinsville. In addition, Lindley finished in the top-5 nine times and had an additional top-10. Lindley, in fact, finished in the top-10 in all but one of the races he finished. He also won two poles. Despite only competing in half of the events, he finished ninth place in points.
Lindley ran 25 of the 35 races in 1983, and once again had a solid enough season to stay high in the points, finishing 13th in the final rundown. He won races at Greenville-Pickens Speedway
Greenville-Pickens Speedway
Greenville-Pickens Speedway is a race track located in Pickens County, South Carolina, just west of Greenville, South Carolina, USA, and just east of Easley, South Carolina. The track hosts weekly NASCAR sanctioned races. Several touring series visit the track each year, including the Whelen...
, South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway
South Boston Speedway or "SoBo" is a short track located just outside South Boston, Virginia, U.S.A.. SoBo is located approximately sixty miles east of another area familiar to most NASCAR fans, Martinsville. It is owned by Mattco, Inc, the Mattioli family trust that owns Pocono Raceway, with...
, and Caraway Speedway
Caraway Speedway
Caraway Speedway is a short track located near Asheboro, North Carolina, U.S.A.. Caraway Speedway was built in 1966 as a dirt track. The track was paved in 1972 and joined the NASCAR Weekly Series Family as a .455 mile asphalt short track. Caraway Speedway was owned and operated by Russell &...
despite switching between Zervakis' team and Dana Racing. In addition, Lindley ended up with 3 poles and a total of eleven top-10s.
Lindley made two starts in 1984, both for Ed Whitaker. In his first outing for the team, he started 7th and finished 3rd at Richmond. Later in the year, he once again started 7th at Martinsville and was running well before engine failure doomed him to 29th.
Lindley's Death
Lindley was racing on the short tracks of the Southeast, including the All Pro Series. Lindley was racing on April 13, 1985 at the DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton, FloridaBradenton, Florida
Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated the city's 2007 population to be 53,471. Bradenton is the largest Principal City of the Bradenton-Sarasota-Venice, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had a 2007 estimated population of 682,833...
. Lindley was leading in a feature race at the small speedway which had passed the scheduled distance for the race. However, many short tracks have long featured rules similar to NASCAR's current green-white-checker finish
Green-white-checker finish
The green-white-checker finish is a rule implemented into many levels of automobile racing in the United States. When the race would otherwise end during a yellow-flag caution condition , this rule gives the field an attempt to finish the race under a green-flag, racing condition...
regulations, with the exception that the final five consecutive laps (in this situation) had to be under green conditions.
Lindley was racing a #16 Chevrolet Camaro
Chevrolet Camaro
The Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
when a part broke on the car as it entered Turn One, sending the car into a spin, with the car hitting the wall flush on the driver’s side. Lindley's helmet made contact with the wall.
Lindley suffered a closed head injury and was in a coma before his death on June 6, 1990.
Son Mardy raced in the Southeastern short tracks, including the United Speed Alliance ProCup before retiring and becoming a mechanic for Roush Fenway Racing, ironically on the #16 team.
Accomplishments
Along with his six NASCAR Busch Series wins and five poles, Lindley won National Sportsman championships in 1977 and 1978 and the All Pro title in 1984.In 2005, Lindley was inducted into the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame. The NMPA ceremony was held in January 2006 in Charlotte.