Crew Chief Profile: Mardy Lindley

A considerable amount of the garage area at any big-time stock car race has family ties to the sport. Sons and daughters following in their parents’ footsteps. Brothers chasing a dream together. Nieces and nephews inspired by an aunt or uncle looking to carry on a family tradition.

Mardy Lindley is one of those sons following in his father’s footsteps.

The late Butch Lindley was one of the most successful short track drivers in the southeast in the late 1970s and early 1980s. His short track prowess was proven when he took the checkered flag in the 1984 Snowball Derby, sadly just a few short weeks before he was injured in a crash at another late model event. He passed away five years later, never having regained consciousness.

The elder Lindley would never see his son achieve success as a driver or as a crew chief, but that only further reinforces his son’s drive and determination.

“Watching my dad race all those years is how I got started in it,” Lindley said. “He was a NASCAR driver. From the time I was born they raced as many as 80 or 90 times a year. If I wasn’t with my parents at a racetrack somewhere I was with my grandparents at a racetrack. In fact, his win at the Snowball Derby was the last time I ever saw him race.

“As a kid I had been to so many of these race tracks already. Going back to them when I was a driver and now as a crew chief, it brings back so many memories.”

The younger Lindley spent many years chasing checkered flags as a driver, achieving a lot of success and winning several races before transitioning into a crew member and now a crew chief. And just as it was when he was a driver, Lindley has found success as a crew chief too, leading Sam Mayer and GMS Racing to the 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East – now ARCA Menards Series East – championship.

Lindley’s days as a driver definitely give him an advantage as he builds communication with his young driver.

“I was fortunate enough to win a lot of races and gain a lot of experience myself,” he said. “After my driving days were over I went and worked for Jack Roush for three years and even spent a year in ARCA with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. From there I went Cup racing. I enjoy what I am doing now a lot more than I did in Cup. It’s really intense in the Cup garage and I totally understand why it has to be that way, but for me I enjoy racing more working at the short tracks and working with these younger kids and teaching them how to race in these longer races. Teaching them pit strategies and how to save their tires, that’s what I enjoy doing.”

Although Mayer is by any definition one of those “young kids”, he’s still just 16 years of age, his record and skill set doesn’t match his youthful looks.

“He has so much talent and can go so fast, but he doesn’t have all the experience some of the kids he’s racing against has,” Lindley said. “But the difference between where he was at the start of 2019 to the start of 2020 is amazing. He turned 16 and just a year older, man, when we showed up at New Smyrna the level of confidence was incredible. He grew so much over the off season.

“He’s easy to work with. He comes from a great family. He and his family are easy to work with and there’s no drama. He has a lot of desire to improve as a driver and to win.”

Mayer and Lindley started off the 2020 ARCA Menards Series East season with a win at New Smyrna and then backed it up with a win in the West opener at The Bullring at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. They will chase a second consecutive East title as well as compete for the Sioux Chief Showdown title.