# Earle Canavan

Earle Samuel Canavan (December 5, 1937 – February 9, 2016) was an American racing driver from Fort Johnson, New York.
Canavan immigrated to the United States from Northern Ireland in 1951. Always interested in racing and speed, he admired Malcolm Campbell and his land speed record car, "The Bluebird". Canavan built his first gas hot rod during high school. He was then drafted into the U.S. Army, serving his time at Fort Dix, New Jersey. After service and upon completing his gas rodder, Earle headed to California to compete in NHRA and IHRA events. As his interest in drag racing increased, he built the only Lincoln-powered AA/Fuel dragster, "The President Lincoln" and competed in National events and exhibitions. Preparing for entering oval track racing, Canavan became an independent competitor on the SCCA and FIA circuit with an American Motors Javelin.
Canavan participated in NASCAR Winston Cup part-time from 1969 to 1986. His best points result came in 1975 when he drove in 12 of the 30 races and finished 32nd in points. Canavan was an owner-driver, fielding his own car.
He also attempted to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 in 1979 but failed to make the race. He filed another entry for the race in 1981 but it was declined due to his lack of experience in open-wheel cars.
After his on track career, Canavan enjoyed building hot rods. He also manufactured aftermarket auto parts. working with his own new designs and special compounds.
Canavan was married to Elizabeth (Betty), since 1965. They had three daughters: Tracy Wager, Heather Gilbert and April Simmons.

## 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.)

#### Grand National Series

NASCAR Grand National 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 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 | 39 | 40 | 41 | 42 | 43 | 44 | 45 | 46 | 47 | 48 | 49 | 50 | 51 | 52 | 53 | 54 | NGNC | Pts |
| 1969 | Canavan Racing | 31 | AMC | MGR | MGY | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | CAR | AUG | BRI | ATL | CLB | HCY | GPS | RCH | NWS | MAR | AWS | DAR | BLV | LGY | CLT | MGR | SMR | MCH | KPT | GPS | NCF | DAY | DOV | TPN | TRN | BLV | BRI | NSV | SMR | ATL | MCH | SBO | BGS | AWS | DAR | HCY | RCH | TAL 26 | CLB | MAR | NWS | CLT | SVH | AUG | CAR | JFC | MGR | TWS | NA | 0 |
| 1971 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Plymouth | RSD | DAY | DAY | DAY | ONT | RCH | CAR | HCY | BRI | ATL | CLB | GPS | SMR | NWS | MAR | DAR | SBO | TAL | ASH | KPT | CLT | DOV | MCH | RSD | HOU | GPS | DAY | BRI | AST | ISP | TRN | NSV | ATL | BGS | ONA | MCH | TAL | CLB | HCY | DAR DNQ | | CLT 33 | DOV | CAR | MGR 30 | RCH | NWS 29 | TWS 34 | | | | | | | 63rd | 213 |
| 1971 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | MAR 29 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 63rd | 213 |

#### 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 | 31 | NWCC | Pts |
| 1972 | Canavan Racing | 41 | Plymouth | RSD | DAY | RCH | ONT 42 | CAR | ATL | BRI | DAR | NWS | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 62nd | 755.5 |
| 1972 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Plymouth | | | | | | | | | | | TAL DNQ | CLT | DOV 35 | MCH | RSD | TWS | DAY | BRI | TRN 32 | ATL | TAL | MCH 39 | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV 15 | MAR | NWS | | | TWS 42 | 62nd | 755.5 |
| 1972 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Chevy | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CLT 31 | CAR | | 62nd | 755.5 |
| 1973 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Plymouth | RSD | DAY DNQ | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL 22 | NWS | DAR 12 | MAR | TAL | NSV | CLT | DOV 34 | TWS | RSD | MCH 12 | DAY | BRI | ATL | TAL | NSV | DAR | RCH | DOV 24 | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | | | | 41st | 1144.7 |
| 1974 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Plymouth | RSD | DAY DNQ | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV 16 | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | BRI | NSV | ATL | POC 14 | TAL | MCH 15 | DAR 23 | RCH | DOV 17 | NWS | MAR | CLT | CAR | ONT 30 | | 46th | 34.92 |
| 1975 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Plymouth | RSD | DAY | RCH 13 | | | | NWS 25 | DAR 17 | MAR | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 32nd | 1062 |
| 1975 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | | | | CAR 31 | BRI 23 | ATL | | | | TAL 17 | NSV 17 | DOV 34 | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC 29 | TAL | MCH 32 | DAR 35 | DOV 25 | NWS | MAR | CLT | RCH | CAR | BRI | ATL | ONT | | 32nd | 1062 |
| 1976 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | DAY DNQ | CAR | RCH 18 | BRI 17 | ATL | NWS | DAR 19 | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | RSD | MCH 34 | DAY | NSV | POC 36 | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR 29 | RCH | DOV 24 | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | ONT DNQ | | 43rd | 610 |
| 1977 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | NWS | DAR 36 | BRI | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV 23 | CLT | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC 35 | TAL | MCH 36 | BRI | DAR 23 | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | | | 57th | 301 |
| 1977 | Canavan Racing | 10 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ONT DNQ | | 57th | 301 |
| 1978 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | DAY DNQ | RCH 24 | CAR 24 | ATL | BRI | DAR 22 | NWS | MAR | TAL | DOV 20 | CLT | NSV | RSD | MCH 33 | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL 31 | MCH 32 | BRI | DAR 39 | RCH | DOV 16 | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | ONT DNQ | | 42nd | 559 |
| 1979 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | DAY | CAR | RCH | ATL | NWS | BRI | DAR 35 | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | TWS 18 | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC 27 | TAL | MCH 34 | BRI | DAR 39 | RCH 22 | DOV 33 | MAR | CLT | NWS | CAR | ATL | ONT | 41st | 456 |
| 1982 | Canavan Racing | 13 | Olds | DAY | RCH | BRI | ATL | CAR | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | NSV | DOV | CLT | POC | RSD | MCH | DAY | NSV | POC | TAL | MCH 37 | BRI | | | | | | | | | | | 102nd | - |
| 1982 | Canavan Racing | 13 | Buick | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | DAR 39 | RCH | DOV | NWS | CLT | MAR | CAR | ATL | RSD | | 102nd | - |
| 1985 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Olds | DAY | RCH | CAR | ATL | BRI | DAR | NWS | MAR | TAL | DOV | CLT | RSD | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV 36 | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | RSD | | | | 91st | 55 |
| 1986 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Pontiac | DAY | RCH | CAR 32 | ATL | BRI DNQ | DAR DNQ | NWS DNQ | MAR | TAL | DOV | CLT | RSD | POC | MCH | DAY | POC | TAL | GLN | MCH | BRI | DAR | RCH | DOV | MAR | NWS | CLT | CAR | ATL | RSD | | | 114th | 67 |

##### Daytona 500

| Year | Team | Manufacturer | Start | Finish |
| 1973 | Canavan Racing | Plymouth | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1974 | Canavan Racing | Plymouth | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1976 | Canavan Racing | Dodge | DNQ | DNQ |
| 1978 | Canavan Racing | Dodge | DNQ | DNQ |

#### Winston West Series

NASCAR Winston West 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 | Pos. | Pts |
| 1976 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | RSD | EVG | WSP | USP | POR | SHA | SGS | EVG | YAK | POR | LAG | ONT DNQ | | | | | | | | | | NA | - |
| 1977 | Canavan Racing | 10 | Dodge | RSD | LAG | ONT | SJS | MMR | ASP | RSD | SGS | YAK | EVG | WSP | USP | POR | AAS | CRS | ASP | SHA | POR | ONT DNQ | PHO | | | NA | - |
| 1978 | Canavan Racing | 01 | Dodge | RSD | AAS | S99 | SHA | PET | MMR | RSD | IFS | YAK | WSP | LSP | EVG | POR | CRS | ASP | SON | SHA | CBS | YAK | OSS | ONT DNQ | | NA | 35 |
| 1978 | Canavan Racing | 07 | Dodge | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PHO 16 | NA | 35 |
| 1979 | | 21 | Dodge | RSD | MMR | RSD | EVG | YAK | POR | AAS | SHA | CRS | SON | EVG | SRP | POR | ASP | ONT | PHO 21 | | | | | | | NA | 30 |
| 1982 | Canavan Racing | 13 | Buick | MMR | S99 | AAS | RSD | POR | WSP | SHA | EVG | SON | CDR | RSD | RSD | PHO 25 | | | | | | | | | | NA | 26 |
| 1983 | | 59 | Buick | S99 | SON | RSD | YAK | EVG | SHA | RSD | CPL 18 | RSD | PHO | | | | | | | | | | | | | NA | 33 |