Powering the
Pursuit of Speed
Sox & Martin were a well-known drag racing duo in the 1960s, competing in the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) and other major drag racing events.
There is no doubt that one of the greatest drivers in all of drag racing is Ronnie Sox. His laser-quick reaction times and superhuman abilities to shift a four-speed quicker than anyone made him legendary among the Mopar fans and feared among the competitors. Ronnie is considered to be the finest four-speed driver as his powershifting prowess was seamless.
Born in 1938, Ronnie grew up in Burlington, North Carolina, and his interest in cars began working in his father’s Sinclair gas station at age 11. Ronnie’s first car was a 1932 Plymouth Coupe that his father purchased for him before he could drive locally. It was this car that Ronnie began practicing his shifting skills and how to adjust a clutch for the right feel and engagement.
Like many young of that era and the lack of drag strips in the area, Ronnie did his fair share of street racing. Eventually, a local track opened up, and by 1958, Ronnie got serious about racing. He purchased a Chevy with a 348 cubic-inch V8 engine, pulled the motor, and made some modifications. He also changed the rear gear to a 4.56 ratio so the car would launch quicker. He won 48 straight races and was the track champion.
By 1960, Ronnie was racing a Pontiac that had a host of performance parts on it from NASCAR shop Ray Nichels Engineering. The car was unstoppable, and the competition nicknamed it the ‘Untouchable.’ Shortly after, Ronnie purchased a 1962 409-powered Chevy and didn’t miss a step with his winning ways. It was during this time he met Buddy Martin and by 1963, the two formed a partnership to race a 1963 Z-11 427 Chevrolet Biscayne.
Despite racking up many wins with the Chevy, General Motors decided to withdraw from all factory racing support after the 1963 season. Undaunted, Buddy Martin knew he had a winning combination and approached Ford. By 1964, Ronnie was wheeling a 427 lightweight Mercury Comet in the A/FX with great success. Looking to keep the momentum going for 1965, Buddy once again reached out to Ford, but a deal could not be struck despite Ronnie’s great win record.
Buddy then contacted Chrysler and soon Ronnie was behind the wheel of a 1965 Super Stock HEMI Belvedere. Chrysler also supplied the team with an Altered Wheelbase Belvedere which would be the precursor to the Funny Car class. The following year, the massive Belvedere was sold, and Ronnie was driving a radical Barracuda with an injected HEMI running on nitromethane.
As the muscle car boom was getting more traction among young enthusiasts, Chrysler wanted their team drivers in production cars that included Plymouth’s new GTX for 1967. Ronnie hung up his fireproof driving suit and hopped into a slew of HEMI-powered Plymouth Super Stockers for the next three years and once again, amassed numerous wins with his lighting quick shifting skills. With the introduction of the heads-up NHRA Pro Stock in 1970, Ronnie was in his prime going head-to-head with some of the greatest drivers in the class. His stellar win record in the 1970-1971 season would become legendary and many in the sport referred to it as the ‘Sox & Martin’ Juggernaut.’ Numerous racers felt the team was unstoppable and it eventually forced NHRA to make adjustments in the Pro Stock class for the 1972 season.
With the advent of the clutchless ‘Lenco’ Planetary transmissions for 1972 and 1973, it equalized the field among the drivers. Ronnie would continue to race throughout the 1970s, but the constant rule changes took away any advantage Ronnie’s driving and the performance of the HEMI engine had over the competition.
Regardless, Ronnie would finish out the 1970s and enter the early ‘80s as a ‘hired gun’ driving many cars for numerous owners. When NHRA announced the new Pro Stock Truck class in the 1990s, Buddy called Ronnie and the two once again teamed up and raced a small-block Dodge Dakota.
Ronnie passed away in 2006 after battling cancer but he remains a legend in the sport. His numerous awards and accolades grace the halls of many Motorsports Museums today.
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