NHRA: Sox, Martin Inducted into Legends of Thunder Valley

By Allen Gregory
Sports Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: May 18, 2008

BRISTOL, Tenn. — Drag racing historians received a treat Sunday at Bristol Dragway as Ronnie Sox and Buddy Martin became the latest inductees into the Legends of Thunder Valley.

With Sox handling the driving and Martin serving as tuner, the Sox & Martin combination earned five world championships along with 46 national event wins in the NHRA, IHRA and AHRA.

Martin was joined for Sunday’s ceremony by the widow of Sox.

“Ronnie handled the driving, and so much of the credit goes to him,” Martin said. “This is a tremendous honor of both of us.”

In 1970, NHRA created the Pro Stock category. Thanks to sponsorship from the Gate City Motor Company in Greensboro, N.C., Sox and Martin dominated that inaugural season, collecting three of the seven event titles en route to a World Championship. They doubled the win total in 1971, taking home six victories and their third-straight NHRA World Championship.

“Ronnie’s skills as a driver were a gift,” Martin said. “He was very coordinated with the hand and foot. In addition to his shifting, his reaction times were outstanding.

“Everybody drove four-speed cars at that time, and other drivers would miss gears left and right. That never happened with Ronnie. Everybody had an excuse, but Ronnie could get into anyone else’s car and have no problems whatsoever.”

Bristol Dragway general manager Jeff Byrd remembers the innovative tandem.

“Ronnie and Buddy were good at everything they tried,” Byrd said.

Sox and Martin continued racing as a team until 1975. Sox raced in the IHRA competition through the 1980s and early 1990s, yet never experienced the same success as he did when he was paired with Martin.

In 1998, the pair made a brief return to NHRA competition, racing in the short-lived Pro Stock Truck category.

“I’m certainly glad that I was able to race at the time that I did,” said Sox during a 2001 interview. “Back in the days of the four-speeds, the driver had a lot more to do with the outcome of the race, and I couldn’t imagine anything being more fun that that.”

Sox passed away on April 22, 2006 after a long battle with cancer. He was 67. Martin currently lives in the Carolinas and operates an automobile sales and leasing company with his son.

Last year’s inaugural Legends class, selected by a media vote, included Bruton Smith, Wally Parks, Larry Carrier, Rickie Smith and Don Garlits.

Smith, a Pro Stock great who was unable to attend last year’s ceremony, was honored Sunday.

“I’m real proud of this deal,” said an emotional Smith. “It shows that hard work does pay off.”

NOTES: As usual, a contingent of NASCAR racers and crewman attended Sunday’s eliminations.

The VIP list included Sprint Cup driver Kevin Harvick, former Nationwide Series champion David Green and several members of the Richard Childress Racing crew, including crew chief Todd Berrier. Harvick has expressed interest in joining forces with the Bob Vandergriff Top Fuel team.

The interest in drag racing among the NASCAR community is expected to increase as time nears for the inaugural NHRA Carolinas Nationals on September 11-14 in Concord, N.C.

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