Ronnie and Buddy met in 1962, drag racing at primitive tracks throughout the South. Buddy was racing his 1962 409 Chevy when he came across a gentleman he just couldn’t beat, Ronnie Sox. Ronnie’s 409 Chevy would take down Buddy’s similar-powered machine every time they lined up. That went on virtually every weekend throughout the 1962 race season until one day, Buddy approached Ronnie with a proposal. Buddy would furnish Ronnie with a brand new 1963 Z-11 427 Chevy along with the parts if Ronne agreed to drive it, Ronne said yes and at that point, the iconic Sox & Martin team was born. With the popularity of ‘match races,’ Sox & Martin made a name for themselves and were getting a lot of ‘ink’ in many drag racing publications. However, when Chevrolet announced they were getting out of racing by 1964, Buddy knew parts would be drying up and that would impact the team’s competitiveness. Staying ahead of the curve, Buddy traveled up to Detroit to meet with Ford’s Lincoln-Mercury division and soon a deal was struck to get one of the new 427 Mercury Comets. Switching from Chevy to Mercury was seamless for Sox & Martin and they picked up right where they left off, winning major drag races.
By 1965 and with the introduction of the 426 HEMI the prior year, Sox & Martin switched from Mercury to Plymouth and began a terror that would last almost a decade. From spotless race cars, matching team uniforms, and an overall professional clean image, Sox & Martin raised the bar. In 1967, Sox & Martin, along with their primary sponsor at Chrysler’s Plymouth Division, initiated the revolutionary Supercar Clinic program at dealerships across the country. It showcased Plymouth’s latest muscle cars, Mopar and aftermarket performance parts, and driving tips that encouraged young enthusiasts to race at NHRA-sanctioned drag strips. The program was a huge success and was expanded the following three years to more dealers across the United States.
Also in 1968, Chrysler introduction of the new HEMI-powered Barracuda and Darts in Super Stock, Sox & Martin dominated the class for the next two years amassing wins at major NHRA and AHRA events throughout the country. The team’s trademark Red, White, and Blue HEMI-powered Plymouth race cars dominated everywhere they showed up. As drag racing progressed, Sox & Martin were also instrumental in the creation of NHRA’s new ‘heads-up’ Pro Stock class in 1970. The team went on to become multi-event Pro Stock winners in 1970 and 1971 with their Plymouth ‘Cuda.
As the 1970s evolved, and constant rule changes from NHRA that handicapped the HEMI engine, Sox & Martin remained steadfast and learned to adapt. The team tried different setups that included a lighter Duster body and smaller displacement HEMI engines. By the late 1970s, the country was dealing with a recession due to dire economic conditions and lack of consumer confidence. Virtually all corporate sponsorship dried up and by 1979, the Sox & Martin team disbanded. Despite this, Ronnie remained active in the sport as a hired ‘gun’ driving numerous Pro Stock and Pro Mod cars while Buddy focused on his successful businesses. Both Ronnie and Buddy would reunite in the late 1990s to compete in the new NHRA Pro Stock Truck class. Ronnie Sox passed away in 2006, but Buddy Martin is still active in the Mopar community and enjoys the opportunity to attend enthusiast events, meet fans, and talk about drag racing history.
