Earl Ross

Earl Ross (September 4, 1941 – September 18, 2014) was a Canadian race car driver who competed in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series from 1973 to 1976 driving the Carling Red Cap No. 52.

Career summary Ross was born in Fortune, Prince Edward Island, Canada, and was known for being one of only six non-American born drivers to have won a NASCAR Cup Series race (the others being Juan Pablo Montoya, who won the 2007 Toyota/Save Mart 350, Mario Andretti, who won the 1967 Daytona 500, Marcos Ambrose who won the 2011 Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen, Daniel Suárez, who won the 2022 Toyota/Save Mart 350, and Shane van Gisbergen, who won the 2023 Grant Park 220). Ross' only NASCAR win came at Martinsville Speedway on September 29, 1974, during the Old Dominion 500. After qualifying 11th, Ross beat Buddy Baker to the line by more than a lap, thus making him the first and still the only Canadian to have ever won a Winston Cup event. Ron Fellows however has wins in the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series. Stewart Friesen and Raphaël Lessard have also won in the Truck Series. At that time, Earl was the first rookie to win a Grand National race since Shorty Rollins accomplished the feat in 1958.

The victory helped Ross win the Winston Cup Rookie of the Year in 1974. After competing in only two events in '75 and '76, Ross retired from NASCAR racing. He recorded one win, five top-fives and ten top-tens in 26 races.

Ross competed in a number of regional racing series throughout the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, including time on the ASA circuit and CASCAR Super Series. He also participated in regular Friday night racing at Delaware Speedway before his ultimate retirement in the late 1990s.

Ross was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 2000, FOAR SCORE (Friends Of Auto Racing Seeking Cooperation Of Racing Enthusiasts) Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Maritime Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2011.

Ross, a resident of Ailsa Craig, Ontario, died on September 18, 2014, at the age of 73.

Motorsports career results

NASCAR (key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Cup Series NASCAR Winston Cup Series results Year Team No. Make 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Pts Ref 1973 Allan Brooke 52 Chevy RSD DAY39 RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL14 NSV CLT DOV TWS RSD MCH33 DAY BRI ATL TAL NSV DAR RCH DOV NWS MAR CLT CAR 68th - 1974 RSD DAY11 RCH CAR BRI ATL13 DAR12 NWS MAR TAL50 NSV DOV CLT5 RSD MCH2 8th 1009.47 Junior Johnson & Associates DAY13 BRI16 NSV8 ATL20 POC13 TAL10 MCH6 DAR22 RCH15 DOV3 NWS4 MAR1 CLT20 CAR8 ONT8 1975 Donlavey Racing 93 Ford RSD DAY RCH CAR BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT13 RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH DAR DOV NWS MAR CLT RCH CAR BRI ATL ONT NA 0 1976 DeWitt Racing 52 Chevy RSD DAY39 CAR RCH BRI ATL NWS DAR MAR TAL NSV DOV CLT RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT 115th 46 1978 H Miller Racing 91 Chevy RSD DAYDNQ RCH CAR ATL BRI DAR NWS MAR TAL DOV CLT NSV RSD MCH DAY NSV POC TAL MCH BRI DAR RCH DOV MAR NWS CLT CAR ATL ONT NA -

Daytona 500 Year Team Manufacturer Start Finish 1973 Allan Brooke Chevrolet 30 39 1974 22 11 1976 DeWitt Racing Chevrolet 12 39 1978 H Miller Racing Chevrolet DNQ