Earl Ross facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earl Ross |
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| Born | September 4, 1941 Fortune, Prince Edward Island, Canada |
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| Died | September 18, 2014 (aged 73) Ailsa Craig, Ontario, Canada |
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| Achievements | Only Canadian driver to win in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series | ||||||
| Awards | 1974 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year | ||||||
| NASCAR Cup Series career | |||||||
| 26 races run over 5 years | |||||||
| Best finish | 8th (1974) | ||||||
| First race | 1973 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
| Last race | 1976 Daytona 500 (Daytona) | ||||||
| First win | 1974 Old Dominion 500 (Martinsville) | ||||||
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Earl Ross (born September 4, 1941 – died September 18, 2014) was a famous Canadian race car driver. He raced in the top NASCAR series, called the Winston Cup Series, from 1973 to 1976. He drove the cool Carling Red Cap #52 car.
Earl Ross's Racing Journey
Earl Ross was born in Fortune, Prince Edward Island, Canada. He is known for a very special reason. He was one of only a few drivers not born in America to win a NASCAR Cup Series race. This is a huge achievement in the world of stock car racing!
His big win happened at Martinsville Speedway on September 29, 1974. It was during a race called the Old Dominion 500. Earl started the race in 11th place. He then drove an amazing race, beating another driver, Buddy Baker, by more than a full lap. This made Earl Ross the first and only Canadian to ever win a Winston Cup event.
This exciting victory helped Earl Ross earn the "Rookie of the Year" award in 1974. This award goes to the best new driver in the series. After his amazing 1974 season, Earl raced in only two more events in 1975 and 1976. Then, he decided to retire from NASCAR racing. In total, he competed in 26 NASCAR races. He had one win, finished in the top 5 five times, and in the top 10 ten times.
Before and after his NASCAR career, Earl Ross raced in many other series. He competed in regional races throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. This included racing in the ASA circuit and the CASCAR Super Series. He also raced regularly on Friday nights at Delaware Speedway. He finally retired from racing in the late 1990s.
Awards and Recognition
Earl Ross's incredible racing career was recognized with several honors. He was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2000. This is a special place for the best Canadian racers. He was also honored by the FOAR SCORE Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2011, he joined the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Earl Ross lived in Ailsa Craig, Ontario. He passed away on September 18, 2014, when he was 73 years old. He will always be remembered as a pioneer for Canadian drivers in NASCAR.
See also
- List of Canadians in NASCAR
