Brownstown Speedway
Linville hits rare air as Jackson 100 runner-up
By Todd Turner
DirtonDirt.com managing editor
Dustin Linville (D8) battles reigning Lucas Oil champion Jimmy Owens (20). (Jeremey Rhoades)
BROWNSTOWN, Ind. (Sept. 21) — Dustin Linville was racing in rare air on Saturday at Brownstown Speedway.
When the 22-year-old driver from Bryantsville, Ky., worked his way into the second spot late in the 34th annual Jackson 100, he had a hard time believing that only Don O’Neal, the former track champion who was heading for his fourth victory in Brownstown’s richest event, was ahead of him.
“Man, I was praying for a caution. I know my heart was pounding,” said Linville, who started night and slipped under World 100 winners Jimmy Owens and John Blankenship to grab the second spot after the final caution on lap 82. “I know the crew guys were going crazy. I was looking for more cars. I was like, 'Man, there ain’t no way I’m second right now.' Yeah, I’d have loved to see another caution. O’Neal was really fast. He’s really good at this track, and to run second to him, that’s like winning. ... This is awesome.”
Awesome not just because of his best career performance in a Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series, but awesome because his runner-up finish paid $6,500, marking his richest career payday. That surpassed the $4,000 he earned last July for a victory at Wartburg (Tenn.) Speedway.
Linville flirted with the top five early in the 100-lapper while Owens was leading O’Neal, but his best charge came late when he kept digging in the low groove, able to slide underneath Blankenship entering turn one. That’s John Blankenship who is just two weeks removed from winning the sport’s most prestigious event at Eldora Speedway’s World 100.
“Man, I couldn’t believe that,” Linville said about overtaking Blankenship. “I had to take a second look on that one.”
A 100-lap race is rare for Linville, who was making only his 21st feature start of the season.
“We had a really good car. We went different on tires than we’ve ever went before — I don’t know much about the (Hoosier) 1350s — but I know that’s what everybody else was going with,” he said. “The track was a little bit a rough. I know (the track crew) did everything they could and I’m glad we got this (race) in and everything, but these rough tracks usually ain’t my style. I usually like that slick, smooth stuff. This ol’ hot rod, Audie Swartz builds a heckuva a hot rod.”
Linville has four victories this season, the most recent at Brownstown on July 27 when he collected $2,500 for winning the Paul Crockett Memorial, the race held during the Jackson County Fair.
“I’m overwhelmed,” he said Saturday night. “I hope it was good for the fans. I really enjoyed this. This track is awesome. I love coming here and racing, and I’m sure that was a heckuva race for the fans.”
Mixing it up with some of the nation’s biggest Dirt Late Model racers was a thrill for a driver who hasn’t competed outside Kentucky or Indiana this season.
“When you come to these Lucas Oil races, the No. 1 thing is make the race — and that’s what I was worried about,” he said. “I knew I had my work cut out for me. These guys, they’re the best of the best. I knew I had to have a little bit of an extra edge on 'em to get up through there.”
