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| Earl Ross #52 Chevrolet on pit road during the 1974 Delaware 500 NASCAR Cup race held at Dover International Speedway. |
“I still can’t believe it. I just don’t believe it.” On September 29th of 1974, those words were heard by the late Ken Squier as a response to a massive, historical triumph by a Canadian at the conclusion of an NASCAR Cup Series race in Martinsville, Virginia. With Canada’s Maple Leaf Flag part of a historic triumph the Prince Edward Island-born driver rooted in Ailsa Craig, Ontario Earl Ross drove a #52 white and red car across the finish line first at the Old Dominion 500 at Martinsville Speedway.
While every NASCAR Cup Series season boast traits and events defining it against others, the 1974 season for the stock car division involved a number of unusual occurrences. Due to the lingering effects of the 1973 oil crisis, the first 15 races ran shorter than advertised distances including the Daytona 500 that completed 450 miles with the race starting at lap 21. In a related matter, the 1974 season was the last one where big block engines completed in the Cup Series with carburetor restriction devices while the small block 358 cubic inch engines introduced as a replacement ran without the restrictions. The 1974 tour also incorporated a bizarre point system that value was attached to race prize money. Proving lopsided in favour of winners in the year’s richer races such as the Daytona 500, the one year-only point standings had results measured with decimal points (1974 champion Richard Petty season-end tally was 5037.75). The year also featured a Talladega 500 where massive act of sabotage took place the night before the race as an unidentified culprit(s) tempered with dozens of race cars.
The fall event at the historic 0.526-mile Martinsville Speedway, the Old Dominion 500 started with 30 cars. Richard Petty claimed the pole to lead the field to green but the #43 STP Dodge was also instantly removed from competition by engine problems. Petty parked his machine after completing just 22 laps in a late season race where he was leading the championship ahead of Cale Yarborough. Virginian native Sonny Hutchins led the initial laps with Jimmy Hensley following in second place through much of the race’s early stage.
NASCAR short track races such as the 1974 Old Dominion 500 differs greatly from the events spectators are used to in modern times. The list of car retirements at Martinsville Speedway on that day 50 years ago was enormous even before the halfway mark. Half of the NASCAR Cup Series field failed to finish more than 250 laps with mechanical failures being a common theme on the late September afternoon.
For one of the race’s 10 cautions, a serious crash by the #9 Chevrolet driven by Tony Bettenhausen Jr. resulted in him being taken to hospital for what was fortunately not a life-threatening injury. Bettenhausen would have a storied career behind the wheel in stock car racing and IndyCar racing noted for its longevity without a major victory. As a car owner in IndyCar style competition, he would field vehicles for driver such as Stefan Johansson, Patrick Carpentier as well as introducing future four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves to CART/IndyCar racing.
Starting 7th place in the field, Cale Yarborough and his #11 car emerged as a contender through well-timed, skilfully-executed pit stops by the Junior Johnson bunch eventually leading by an astounding two laps over second place. Following Yarborough to the front was his Canadian teammate behind the wheel of the #52 car. Both cars sponsored by Carling for the 1974 race, Earl Ross rolled off in 11th place but would also find his way forward climbing into the top 10 after 50 laps before nesting comfortably in the top 5 runners by the midway point of the event. Ross would be running in second place by the time a major race-shaping incident occurred. On lap 421, a destiny-defining moment opened for the Canadian drive as the engine of Cale Yarborough’s #11 Chevrolet failed. Leading the final 71 laps of the Old Dominion 500, Earl Ross took the chequered flag one lap ahead of Buddy Baker piloting a #15 Ford owned by Bud Moore. On that afternoon, Earl Ross’ name was added to a select group of stock car racing achievers and became the first (and currently only) Canadian to claim a trophy. When interviewed by MRN (Motor Racing Network) radio covering the race, the victorious Ross noted running behind Cale Yarborough that, “I would have been to run second to him” .
When the maple leaf flag flew on that occasion after the Old Dominion 500, its display was not only symbolizing the driver behind the wheel. Although the #52 Chevrolet was prepped and campaigned by Junior Johnson’s race team, the car’s mechanic and crew chief Gord McKickan as well as other pit crew members represented an all-Canadian crew.
Though many regarded Earl Ross’ Martinsville success as a surprise victory, the rookie’s 1974 campaign involved a number of competitive runs with highlights for the season being a runner-up result at the June Cup race at Michigan International Speedway and 5th place finish at the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Before his win, Ross had two consecutive finishes in the top-five. At the end of the 1974 NASCAR Cup Series season, the Canadian claimed another major victory by earning the Rookie of the Year award.
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| 1973 Pinecrest Speedway Program with Earl Ross and #52 car on cover. |
Throwing a wrench in Earl Ross’ future ambitions in major NASCAR competition was Carling Red Cap, a major supporter of the Canadian driver, abruptly pulling their sponsorship after the 1974 citing a barley shortage causing financial pressures on the brewery. The loss of the major financier hampered any plans for Earl Ross to substantially compete in future NASCAR Cup Series. Ross found rides in select Cup Series events through the remainder of the 1970s including the 1976 and 1978 Daytona 500 events but would return to Canada to race through his later years behind the wheel. He would conclude his professional racing career in the CASCAR Super Series after the 1998 tour. Earl Ross passed away on September 18, 2014 at the age of 73.
It seems unfortunate that Canada’s sporting culture seems less willing to give honour to competition where circular black vulcanized rubber is found coasting on an ice surface rather than the epic bout where this rubber is worn as tires. The truth is Canada has a quiet yet proud tradition in motorsports that is deserving of recognition including the accomplishment of Earl Ross and his Canadian crew at Martinsville in 1974.
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