Car FYI

  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 ...

Photo Credit: Wakefield Canada/Copyright: The Decal Source When 40 engines ignite on the pit lane ahead of the 2017 Daytona 500, one competitor has already achieved a feat no Canadian racer had accomplished in 29 years. Cracking the field for the 59th edition of the Great American Race in an aggressive hustle from turn four to the finish line in Thursday night’s Can-Am Duel, DJ Kennington will start in the 28th place position for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series extravagant season opener with a #96 entry. A shining stock car racing personality in Canada since racing at Delaware Speedway during the 1990s, St Thomas, Ontario native DJ Kennington was a mainstay on the CASCAR Super Series and has since been a regular with the NASCAR Pinty’s Series. Kennington has amassed 2010 and 2012 championships in the Canadian-based NASCAR tour as well as recorded 26 wins piloting a #17 Dodge with Castrol sponsorship. Acknowledging a 23-year long partnership with Kennington, Castrol’s paren...