Racing Career
He started racing jalopies in 1936 in Southern California. He raced midgets with the United Midget Association (UMA) in 1939. He drove for over fifty midgets in 1940 and 1941 trying to find a winning car. He found that car in 1942, and he won 15 races in his second place points finish in the UMA.
Cantrell won over 120 main events between 1945 and 1964 in United Racing Association, AAA, and USAC races. He won the 1962 Turkey Night Grand Prix. He won the 1947 URA Red Circuit Title in 1947 and series overall championship in 1951 and 1952. He won 18 sprint car races in the California Racing Association. In 1953, he made an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500.
Cantrell made two NASCAR starts. He started the second and final NASCAR event held at Willow Springs Speedway in Lancaster, California in 1956 (the race counted for the 1957 season championship), and at Riverside International Raceway in 1965.
He became the West Coast supervisor for USAC, and he was a starter for the USRC midget club after he retired. He was inducted into the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame.
Read more about this topic: Willard Cantrell
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