
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990                   TAG: 9006080206
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: C4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: GREER, S.C.                                LENGTH: Short

COMATOSE DRIVER DIES

Clyde "Butch" Lindley, a two-year NASCAR sportsman driver and 1984 champion of the All-Pro Circuit, died Thursday after being comatose for five years following a racing accident. He was 43.

Lindley, who never regained consciousness after the April 13, 1985, crash at DeSoto Speedway in Bradenton, Fla., died Wednesday at Greer Lutheran Health Center.

The crash severed Lindley's brain stem, and he underwent treatment without success at a facility for comatose patients in Richmond, Va.

He began racing as a teen-ager and emerged in the 1970s as one of the nation's top Late Model Sportsman drivers.

Lindley, who won 550 races, was the All-Pro circuit's winningest career driver at the time of his accident. He drove on the NASCAR sportsman circuit - now known as the Busch Grand National series - in 1977 and 1978.

"If Butch Lindley were racing now, he'd be the Grand National champ," said longtime Winston Cup driver Harry Gant.

Lindley is survived by his wife, Joan; 24-year-old daughter, Tonda, and 19-year-old son Mardy, who made his stock car racing debut seven weeks ago.

Services will be held today at 2 p.m. at the Westside Chapel of the Jones-Brashier Funeral Home in Greenville, with burial at Springwood Cemetery.

Keywords:
AUTO RACING

by CNB