For a race driver, the checkered flag has to be the most beautiful sight in the world.

And for a rookie driver from Canada who is battling the top stars on the Southern circuit, it has to be a highly emotional moment.

It was for Earl Ross of Ailsa Craig, Ontario, when he stunned a record crowd by winning the $70,925, 19th Annual Old Dominion 500 Winston Cup NASCAR Grand National race Sunday, September 29, 1974 at Martinsville Speedway.

"I felt like crying when I saw that checkered flag waving," Ross said. "And as a matter of fact, I did."

Ross, who naturally has been overshadowed by teammate Cale Yarborough of Timmonsville, S.C., on the Carling Brewing Company Racing Team, took the lead with 78 laps remaining to win the wild battle that saw only a third of the 30-car field around at the finish.

Ironically, Ross was in second place, two laps behind Yarborough, when Cale's engine let go on the 421st lap and he moved in front to stay for his first Grand National win.

Ross won $14,300 and covered the 500 laps and 262.5 miles on the .525-mile track in three hours, 58 minutes and 3 seconds. His average speed was only 66.232 miles per hour because of ten caution flags for 78 laps.

Buddy Baker of Charlotte, N.C., was second, one lap behind in the R.C. Cola Ford to earn $8,000 and Donnie Allison of Daytona Beach, Fla., was third, three laps back, in the DiGard Chevrolet for $4,000 in the richest race of its distance in NASCAR history.

Yarborough, who had started seventh, apparently had the race locked up. He led from the 184th lap until the point his engine failed. "I was just riding along. I knew I was going to win," said Yarborough. But he didn't.

"You can safely say that I was pulling for Earl to win the race," Yarborough added. "I think he always had a good chance. He looked like he had things under control. I think that if I could have won, we would have finished one-two and I was hoping for that."

Yarborough led a total of 288 laps on four occasions, good for the $5,000 bonus and a $5,900 payoff despite his 11th place finish.

Thirteen-time Martinsville winner and pole-sitter Richard Petty of Randleman, N.C. was never a factor. After qualifying with a speed of 84.119 miles per hour, he lost the lead to Late Model Sportsman star Sonny Hutchins of Richmond, Va., on the first lap and was out after 22 laps with ignition problems.

"The engine was skipping from the start," Petty said. "And that is why I kept falling behind so many of those other guys. When we came into the pits, the engine locked up while I was sitting there and I don't know why. We thought we could get it to turn over with a stronger battery, but that didn't work. It has never happened to us before."

Jimmy Hensley of Martinsville, Va., in the Lonesome Pine Raceway Chevrolet, was 19th after differential trouble and Hutchins finished 21st after wrecking.

Hutchins led the first 79 laps before Hensley took over for nine laps Yarborough moved in front on the 89th lap, Baker on the 92nd, Yarborough again on the 93rd lap, and Lennie Pond of Petersburg, Va., took the lead on the 138th lap. Benny Parsons of Ellerbe, N.C., in the Kings Row Fireplace Chevrolet was in front on the 148th lap while Yarborough again took the lead on the 181st lap. Baker led lap 183 until Yarborough moved in front on the 184th lap and appeared head for the win until his engine blew. All told, Yarborough led 288 laps, Ross 79, Hutchins 79, Parsons 33, Pond 10, Hensley nine and Baker 2 with 11 lead changes among the seven drivers.

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