Career
He was nicknamed the "Silver Fox" for his gray hair and sly tricks. 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.
In 1953, he made an unsuccessful attempt to qualify for the Indianapolis 500. Cantrell made two National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing starts.
He started the second and final National Association of Stock Car Auto Racing 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 Universal Service Administrative Company, 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.