Ray Fox facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ray Fox
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A Fox-prepared 1961 Pontiac, driven by David Pearson
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| Born |
Raymond Lee Fox I
May 28, 1916 |
| Died | June 15, 2014 (aged 98) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | NASCAR crew chief NASCAR Team Owner |
| Years active | 1950–1972 |
Raymond Lee Fox, Sr. (born May 28, 1916 – died June 15, 2014) was a very important person in NASCAR racing. He was known for building powerful engines, owning his own race cars, and later, for checking engines to make sure they followed the rules.
Cars that Ray Fox worked on won 14 big races in the Grand National Series. They also started from the very front of the race (called a pole position) 16 times! His son and grandson also became mechanics in NASCAR, continuing the family's racing legacy. Ray Fox was so respected that he was honored in many special "halls of fame," including the famous International Motorsports Hall of Fame.
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Ray Fox's Early Life
Ray Fox was born on May 28, 1916, and grew up in Pelham, New Hampshire. He first saw car racing at a 2-mile long track made of wood, called a board track, at Rockingham Park.
After serving in the United States Army, he moved to Daytona Beach, Florida in 1946. There, he worked at car repair shops and later for a company called Fish Carburetor. He even drove special "Modified" racecars himself in Florida and Georgia. He raced against famous drivers like Fireball Roberts and Marshall Teague.
Building Engines for NASCAR
Ray Fox became well-known for building amazing engines. In 1955, he built an engine for driver Fireball Roberts for a race on the Daytona Beach Road Course. Ray worked all night, from 8 PM until 4 AM, to get the engine ready!
Roberts' car started fourth and led every single lap of the race, winning by a huge margin. However, 24 hours later, NASCAR said the car was illegal because some parts were too short. The win was taken away from Roberts, and Tim Flock was given the victory instead. This was the last time NASCAR took a win away from a driver. Now, rule breaking usually means fines or losing points.
In 1956, a car owner named Carl Kiekhaefer hired Ray Fox. Ray said Kiekhaefer hired him because he was one of the few who could beat his cars! Kiekhaefer's cars won 22 of the first 26 races that year. Ray Fox was even named the "Mechanic of the Year." After that season, Ray opened his own shop to build engines.
The 1960 Daytona 500
In 1960, car owner John Masoni asked Ray Fox to build a car for the 1960 Daytona 500. The car would be driven by Junior Johnson. Ray built the entire car in just seven days!
In practice, the car was much slower than the other Pontiac racecars. Junior Johnson noticed that if he drove very close behind a faster car, he could keep up. This trick is called "drafting" or "slipstreaming." It helps a car go faster by reducing air resistance.
In the race, Johnson used this drafting trick to stay with the faster cars. Near the end, Bobby Johns was leading. But with 10 laps left, Johns' rear window fell out! Johnson then took the lead and won the race. Drafting became a very important strategy in NASCAR, especially on fast tracks. That same year, a new driver named David Pearson won three races in a car prepared by Ray Fox.
Ray Fox as a Car Owner
In 1962, Ray Fox started owning his own race cars. Many famous drivers raced for him, including Buck Baker, Buddy Baker, Junior Johnson, Fred Lorenzen, Fireball Roberts, Cale Yarborough, and LeeRoy Yarbrough.
In 1965, LeeRoy Yarbrough drove a Ray Fox-prepared Dodge Coronet to set a new world speed record on a closed track. He reached an amazing 181.818 miles per hour! On his third lap, the car started smoking. NASCAR stopped him, and his pit crew found a bolt in the tire. A flat tire at such high speed could have been very dangerous.
Ray Fox retired from owning his team in 1972 and sold his company to his son, Ray Fox, Jr.
NASCAR Engine Inspector
In 1990, NASCAR hired Ray Fox to inspect engines. This meant he had to check other teams' engines to make sure they followed all the rules. He retired for a second time in 1996. After retiring, he became the president of the Living Legends of Auto Racing, a group that celebrates racing history.
Honors and Awards
Ray Fox received many awards for his contributions to racing:
- He was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2003.
- He is also a member of the Jacksonville (Florida) Raceway Hall of Fame.
- He is in the National Motorsports Press Association Hall of Fame.
- He was honored in the Oceanside Rotary Hall of Fame in 1999.
- He is a member of the Western Auto Mechanics Hall of Fame.
Ray Fox's Family Life
Ray Fox's son, Ray Fox, Jr., worked for a long time at Robert Yates Racing before he passed away. His grandson, Ray Fox III, continues the family's racing tradition and currently works for Team Penske.
Ray Fox was married to Mrs. Patti Fox, who supported him throughout his NASCAR career. Patti passed away in 2004. Ray often said how much he missed her, calling her "the best thing that happened to me." Ray Fox passed away on June 15, 2014, at the age of 98, from pneumonia in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Biography
- Ray Fox...Sly in the Stock Car Forest (2006); ISBN: 978-0-9724378-7-5; Carbon Press
