Montoya's win stirs vivid memories for Earl Ross (cont'd)

In fact, Ross is right, it was more likely a pipedream before the now defunct Canadian company Carling Breweries stepped in. "In 1974 they wanted me to run a few races down there and it was a pretty good experience for us," Ross said. "Before Daytona the biggest track I had ever raced on was five-eighths of a mile."

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Unlikely pair

Juan Montoya and Donnie Wingo are opposites. But in their short working relationship, they made it to Victory Lane.

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The experience didn't last long though. Carling Breweries decided that its money was better spent funding Ross's all-Canadian team on the Canadian circuit and just as fast as the dream began, it was over.

"I had a chance to stay in NASCAR with five different teams, but in those days drivers were a little more loyal," Ross said. "I had a good time down there but I don't have any regrets."

It's a Catch 22 that still exists today, according to the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer. "It's very few non-Americans that get in," Ross said. "American companies do the sponsoring so they want American drivers. It's one of those things, but it makes sense."

However, according to Ross, there are some Canadians that could make some noise on the Nextel Cup circuit. "D.J. Kennington for one -- if he had a good ride down there he could do it," he said. "He is a driver that could get the job done if he had the right team."

Following his cameo south of his Canadian border, Ross ran regularly until the late '70s then, just when he thought his racing career was over, Ford of Canada came calling and lured him back behind the wheel for a run again in the mid '90s.

In 1999, on the 25th anniversary of his win in NASCAR the organizers at Martinsville brought him down to meet some of the drivers from the modern era in celebration of his landmark win. That's when Ross noticed another change in the sport.

"The new drivers seem to be smaller in stature," he said. "Back in my days there was no power steering. In the old days it was arm-strong steering." But he quickly adds that "the drivers today are very talented."

He still watches the races these days when his schedule permits. His life is busied by the recent sale of his metal and aluminum construction company but the end of his working days is in site.

"I'm helping with the transition but after six months to a year I'll just fade off into the sunset," he said.

Still though, perhaps more important endeavors lie ahead.

"I'll probably work on an old '52 Ford Victoria that I've got and a '35 Ford pickup," he said.

And if the Canadian champ met the champ from Colombia what would he say? "I'd tell him congratulations and I hope he wins more," a proud Ross said. "He's pretty darn good at those road races. I think he's still learning on the ovals but he's already doing pretty good on those too."

Ovals like the one Earl Ross made history on 33 years ago.

Question of the Week
OK, before I get to the QOW I have to take off my journalism hat (they gave us that instead of a degree when I graduated college) and say what a pleasure it was to watch someone's dream come true on Sunday. After the race Montoya -- a champion the world over -- said, "It's the biggest thing I've done. It's unbelievable."

No matter where you stand on Montoya and his driving you have to like the respect he has for NASCAR by saying the above.

Now, after the preamble it's time for the QOW. This week I want to know whether you think the result at Sonoma was a fluke or a trend so I'm going to give you three choices from which to select. (Continued)