In 1965, a seismic shift in drag racing occurred. Sox & Martin solidified their new sponsorship with Chrysler Corporation and immediately blazed a trail in their 1965 HEMI Belvedere. The team’s new race car began life as a factory A990 Super Stocker, but as the season progressed, the cars were being increasingly modified for quicker times and more speed. They would end up in the more A/FX class and fans packed the pits and hung on the fence to see these wild machines go down the quarter mile.
To move their A990 Belvedere Super Stocker into the A/FX class, the Sox & Martin team made major modifications to their Plymouth. As the season progressed and more match race dates were being booked, a second 1965 Plymouth would be added but it was drastically different than Sox & Martin’s other Belvedere due to its hardtop roof style and severely altered wheelbase.
By the end of 1965, the red, white, and blue Plymouths of Sox & Martin became a fixture in the winner’s circle at major events and match races across the country and thus began their great relationship with Chrysler which would last for over a decade.
