I am from Burlington, NC and grew up around the legend of Sox and Martin racing. Ronnie was an idol of mine in many ways. My father and his father (William) were close friends and we traded at his service stations on Church St. Sox and MArtin's shop on Tucker St. Extn. was just a couple of miles from my childhood home. Myself and my friends followed his career. What a legend he was and is. Missed greatly.

i got to meet and hang out with ronnie at the mopar nationals in indy i have a picture of us shaking our shifting hands ronnie done a huge wheelstand and came down hard breaking the oil pan and back at the e.o. glass pit area he autographed the pan "just another wheel stand " it was a great day for me i got one of the adams * 68 cuda posters that day he is my hero and always will be was a great role model.Sincerely Ken Gattshall

I am 72 and lived my youth at Indianapolis Raceway park,an avid racer and fan , I grew up on Sox and Martin and Dick Landy racing at Indy, as a Prostrate cancer surviver and having lost my wife to Lung cancer,I share the pain of your loss...Ronnie Sox lives in every racers heart and will as long as any of us exist to pay tribute to "The Boss", God Bless

I just ran across the memorial website, had no idea he had passed away. I am a 53 year old North Dakota farm boy that grew up in the muscle car era. My family was always into mopars, I currently have a 69 Road Runner that has been in project form way too long. Growing up I read countless articles on drag racing, it seemed Ronnie was always in there. Just wanted to express my condolences, he was one of the greats. Jim

Hi, i am interested in Donating for a chance to win the Tribute car... i will have to Send a Check for 25 dollars for the raffle thru regular mail.. i do not have Pay Pal or any other way to purchase on line.. could i have an address to send my Donation for a chance to win the Mopar of my Dreams... i would be thrilled to win such an unbeleivable Hot Rod, but i am more interested in donating to the charity.. i recently lost my 60 year old brother to Lukemia and do what i can with the little bit i have left over from my monthly disability check..Yes, my donations usually involve trying to win a muscle car,but this is a very cool give away..i am almost 50 years young, but will never forget meeting "The Boss" at Old Bridge Township Raceway Park in New Jersey.. i still have his picture and remember how much time he spent talking to a "kid" who was very into Hot Rods and Mopars.. Judy Lily and Ronnie were both so nice to me and my Pops..Most of the Drivers were very nice and took time back in the day.. i never did Become a profesional drag race car driver, but if i did ,i would treat the kids with interest in the sport just as they had treated me..But i am still a gearhead who builds small scale cars as a hobby...Childrens charities and cancer charities for children are very important..Because of my permanent diability and limits on my body and wallet i do all i can..i am sorry for your loss and its so great that you keep Ronnies spirit alive.. God Bless You... Thanks..

I HAD THE GREAT PLEASURE TO WORK ON RONNIE AND BUDDYS OLD CARS.THE TWO 65 CARS AND THE 66 CUDA,AND THEY BUILT A PRO STOCK DUSTER.PLUS WE RAN A 65 SUPER STOCK CAR,MRS. B'S HEMI.I MISS SEEING RONNIE RACE,TO ME HE GAVE IT ALL ON EVER RACE.THE FIRST TIME I SAW HIM WAS AT 75&80 DRAGWAY IN MARYLAND,THE 63 Z-11 CAR.FROM THAT POINT ONWARD I KNEW HE WAS MR.4 SPEED.REST IN PEACE RONNIE,AND THE BEST TO YOU DIANE.

Happy Anniversary, Honey! You're always in my thoughts but even more so today.

Love always, Diane

Dear Mrs Sox I just recently Met Buddy Martin and some friends and I are going to try to put together a car show with
Buddy Martin for St. Judes Children's Hospital. Please contact me about information as to what I need to do we want all donations to go to the hospital. I have talked to the mayor of our town and she said it would be fine please let me know how to get tickets to the raffle for the new cuda Thank you and God Bless Randy Brown I am a Big SOX and MARTIN fan and you sent me some T Shirts

Ronnie, I am thinking of you more today than usual. It's hard to beleive today marks four years since you left. Time has passed, but my heart stays still. I know you are fine but you're still always on my mind. I will never stop missing or loving you until we meet again. You brightened my life and forever changed my heart. I will always love you. Your wife, Diane

Hi I have been Sox and Martin fan thanks

Diane
I am glad you allowed Ronnie to share your and his time with us other race fans. At a race in TX in 1971, I ask Ronnie about pointers on his shifting a 4-Speed. I forget the exact question, but his first response was "Are you in competation with me?" or "Competating in my class?" Again I don't remember his exact comment, but he was certainly checking out the competation before his answer. After I told him "NO I wasn't a competator that day", he explained in detail his coordination of going thru the gears. I remember the timing as if he was reliving his last run and "if you let up on the eccelerator pedel...well how can you get the most out of the run if you let up on the pedel?"

Hello Diane,

My wife, Victoria, and I really enjoyed our visit with you at the Las Vegas Mopars at the Strip. Here is that story I told you about Ronnie:

At Beeline Raceway in Phoenix, Arizona, in about 1970, I watched Ronnie take charge of his 1970 Barracuda Pro Stocker as only he could.

I arrived as he pulled into the pits after making a pass. When he exited the car, I could tell he wasn’t very happy. Jake King removed the hood, and they began discussing why the car wasn’t performing the way it should. With the car sitting there at an idle, I recall hearing Ronnie say in a very strong tone, “It’ll go; or it’ll blow!” He reached for the throttle linkage and cracked the throttle wide open and held it. The engine was absolutely screaming. Ronnie let it up, and it came back to an idle, but apparently that wasn’t enough. He did it a second time.

After that, they put the hood back on the car, and Ronnie made a second pass. I remember his times were where they should have been, so he was apparently happy with the way the car ran. This is how I remember it happening. Hope you and Ronnie’s fans enjoy the story.

Nick and Victoria Jensen

Hello Diane and Buddy; I want to firstly thank you for the wonderful experience, that was, meeting you both @ Mopars on the Strip. Diane I was quickly taken in by your Fantastically Sweet personality; your energy was fun to be around. I very much enjoyed conversing with you and Buddy. I wanted to speak with you more but, alas, the camera crew needed your attention. It was interesting to hear what you both had to tell them...about Team Sox and Martin. Thank you again for sharing a little of your Wonderful Life with me a nearly Life Long Fan...and Diane thank you for the peck on your Cheek...it'll Keep me well for a Long time...lol
I'd like to hear more of you raffle for the Sox and Martin Challenger...I Love those Colors...and I'd like to buy another Hat and T-shirt.
Thank you once again for absolutely unforgettable experience...I love you Team Sox and Martin...God Bless You All

Diane,
I just wanted to say thanks for spending the time to talk this weekend at Mopars at the Strip in Vega's, we had a blast, my son Joseph had a great time and wants me to email you the pic he took with you when we stopped on the cruise up from Scottsdale to Vega's. It was a great show, and it was nice to tell you the story about the time Ronnie gave me a bottle of coke at National Speedway in 1970 when i was 8yrs old, and i still have the bottle!!, very cool times, he was the man when I was a kid and I always loved to watch him and Buddy work in the pits, those were the Glory days of Drag Racing never to be seen again, but as long as we have those days in our memories we will always have them in our heart. Thanks again for keeping the memories alive.

hey just wanted to pay hommage to mr sox legend in my family is wether it was dave heights or don owens or my father and his partner richie they had the dodge colt in the flesh at one point in time.....wether that holds any water or not mr 4 speed is one of my heros. My father george raced at atco dragway in the early 70's in his 68 chrysler newport m/sa 383 2bbl car we still have the car, time slips, and trophys he won and all inspired by mr sox thank you again!

Diane, I lived in Greensboro from 1940 to 1976 and Gate City Motor Co. was one of my hang outs. Remember well when Ronnie came to the dealership to get his first Barracuda. My dad was a Lutheran Pastor in town and had been introduced to Ronnie's dad during one of his visits to Burlington. Knowing that all us "Soxes" are related, when I introduced myself to Ronnie - I called him cousin. Was to see him race many times at Burlington Drag strip and like so many others was amazed at his talent. To this day, I very proudly mention to auto minded folks I meet that I am related to The Boss". God rest his soul.

Diane, it is an honor and privilege to have a personal letter from the "BOSS' Wife, thank you so very much. I am also a racer, just a small time pro braket racer, i run a 1973 dodge dart sport. Drag racing is a sport that i really love thanks to "Ronnie". I will keep racing as long as God gives me the health for it. I was thinking of giving it up last year but a few days ago i was on the web and looked up The Boss and i saw all the pictures and #@*%!s of all his cars and now im excited about racing again. This year im going to run the Ronnie Sox memory decal on my car, keep the rememberence going here. There are so many fans here in PA that love Ronnie. At the machine shop we are always talking about him and his cars and what a great driver he was and of course we have pictures of his cars too. anyway i have talked to much..
Thank you so much again Diane for your letter. God bless you and your family, best wishes, good luck and happiness for this new year.
I will always remember the "BOSS" and the Boss' wife too.... thank you.

Happy 71st Birthday Ronnie. I will always love and miss you very much!!

Your wife always, Diane

Diane,
My family and I are loving getting to know you. What you are doing in Ronnie's name is great, words don't even begin to say how great it is. Looking forward to seeing you some time in the 2010 racing season. Have a wonderful Holiday Season.
John, Melissa, Luke

Nice site.