My Dad, Herb McCandless, just called and told me that Ronnie Sox passed away today after a long battle with cancer. There are no arrangements at this time - I will post them as soon as they are available.

This is a great loss for the Mopar world !

NNOOOOoooooo! Aww man. I thought he was doing better.
I will pray for him and his family. RIP Mr 4 speed.

You will be missed Ronnie!

Another great one gone, but NEVER forgotten.

Very sad to hear, he will be greatly missed!

I had hoped to meet him in person one day....

No - that is so sad to hear. We were just talking about him earlier.

Godspeed Ronnie

RIP Mr 4 speed.......



take care Ronnie

Very sorry to hear of Ronnies passing, at least he's not suffering anymore. I'm sure he enjoyed his time's spent with family & friends reminiscing about the days when he ruled drag racing..

Sad news indeed.
This needs to be a sticky.

My thoughts and prayers go out to his friends and family. Dave

Man that sucks. I just hung his picture up today in the basement.

Crap. Another one of my childhood heros passes.

Terrible news! I cant believe he is gone, I was just reading his thankyou note again today in MCG. We are loosing the great ones too fast! I hope he has many fun trips down the 1320 in the sky, godspeed "BOSS"

Oh man, A great man and a legend, Very Sad to hear,

That's terrible. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family.

Very sad news. It appeared he was fighting very hard and staying positive in the note in the last MCG. His family will be in my thoughts

RIP Ronnie! He wont be forgotten

RIP, A very big loss to the Mopar world.

This is the announcement that we all knew would happen someday, but weren't prepared to hear. Another of the greats is gone, but has forever taken his place in legend. We will all miss you, Ronnie.

...RIP, Ronnie...GODSPEED......

Oh no, that is sad. Ronnie was a great ambassador to our sport. I am so glad I got to talk with him last year and say hi again at MATS this year. RIP, Mr. Sox.

A true racer right there! im real sorry to hear he's gone. what a history there.

Thank you Ronnie for all you brought to Drag Racing and the MoPar world... you will NEVER be forgotten.

RIP, Mr. 4 Speed. I'll get to meet you one day.

Tim

This is terrible not only to the mopar world but in the fact that I never got to meet him, I was really looking forward to meeting him at the Nats this year was truely someone I looked up to. Godspeed

man sorry to hear that.. i thought he had been doing better...

Thats sad. In my eyes he was the best there ever was. RIP.

Sheldon

Thoughts and prayers to the Sox family.Sad news indeed.

Thats terrible!

I bet his elapsed time from earth to heaven set a new record.

Fondly remembered and never forgotten, we just gained one great

Warmest regards to friends and family,
Barry

This is a Great Lost. My Prayers go out to the Family.

Hats off to the Great One!

A big loss in our world, RIP Mr. 4 Speed

Gone but not forgotten

Sorry to hear this news. My thoughts are with his friends and family.

I am very sad to hear that the "BOSS" has passed. I missed my chance to meet him earlier at MATS but I look forward to meeting him in a better place. GODSPEED MR 4 SPEED

Our thought & prayers are with Ronnie and his family.

This saddens me beyond words. How fortunate I am to have memories like this one:



And that I was lucky enough to have met him and talked with him a couple times. A legend, one of my idols and a genuinely nice guy...

Again, another of our heroes passes. So sad, yet more every day. Mortality really slaps at you at moments like this. Godspeed Ronnie.

RIP

To qoute a line from the Sandlot- " Heros get remembered, but legends never die." Ronnie Sox will never be dead in my mind. He will always be here.

Very sad

RIP Ronnie.

What a great loss this is for not only the Mopar Faithful but to the whole Motorsports world. Ronnie Sox was a Hero to all of us who bleed Hemi orange, but more so was a class act that will never be matched in the Drag Racing world ever. To those of you have a 4 speed behind that Mighty Mopar engine, do us automatic guys a favor and grab a gear in memory of Mr 4 Speed cause God definately took the best home today. God speed Ronnie cause if anyone can Powershift a 4 speed on streets of Gold he's doing it right now.

This saddens me greatly. It was a great honor to meet him for the first time this year at the MATS. I got a picture taken with he and my son. Got to talk with him and shake his hand. May God bless his family and friends in this time of need. Rest in peace Ronnie.

I am heartbroken. That man was the best and he was also a great person. What a loss the the Mopar world and to all. Ron

I was fortunate to meet him in person at the 2003 Houston Mopar Show. Very nice man.

This is a very sad day

RIP Ronnie

RIP...
Ronnie was a tremendous asset...
And influence to our Mopar world...
Now he is banging the slick shift upstairs in heaven.....

My God's peace be with the family and friends.

RIP Mr 4 speed

I too thought he was doing better. So sad to see him go.

Sad news indeed...

I recall my last meeting with him I was in Charlotte NC for a show featuring some of the great racers of the past of both Drag and NASCAR. The show was a bust and was not promoted well however It was a golden opportunity to meet Ronnie and his wife. I think there was a few dozen spectators at the entire event. That was good for me because I got to speak at length with him and his wife for a good long time. He signed a bunch of stuff for me and was very giving of his time. We sat out back of the event on a picnic table and discussed a wide variety of subjects. Truly a magical time. I recalled to him when he signed for me many years ago a flyer/catalog from the Performance car clinics he did for Chrysler.

R.I.P.Ronnie Sox

Sad news, as Ronnie was truly a legend.
I was fortunate enough to meet him once at Englishtown back in the 80's. Blessings to his family and friends, he will forever be remembered.

The Red, White and Blue........flying higher than ever.

DCM71cuda, sorry to hear the bad news. My father was friends with your dad and Ronnie and raced both of them. I have him racing on tape in 67 @ Houston dragway. He will be remembered like those before him, may he race many races and rest in peace. Steve DeTar

I'm old enough that I have seen Ronnie race, in the '60s and early '70s at Fremont Ca. Nobody could stir a 833 crash box like " Mr. Four Speed " . Rest easy Ronnie I'm sure the Good Lord has a brand new red,white and blue Hemi 4 speed waiting in the pits for his new driver.

RIP

This is a sad day indeed. RIP Ronnie. It was great to meet you at York last summer. You will be remembered as the Legend you are and a true gentleman.

Anthony

Ronnie in my Cuda.

R.I.P. Mopar bretheren. You are the best!

Truly a heartbreaking thing to read.
R.I.P. Ron, never met you, but I smiled every time I saw a Sox&Martin picture or video, you left an impression in many of our "hard to impress" minds....


Gone, but NEVER forgotten.

Used to watch him race on TV and at State Capitol Dragway in Baton Rouge, LA. Never thought I'd ever meet him. Last year at the York show...there he was. It was an honor and privilege to meet him. May he rest in peace. Goodbye Ronnie!
Mr. 4 Speed will live forever in our memories!!

Dave

Just a thought in his remembrance.
I think that the Stick car race at the Nationals should NOW without a doubt happen in his honor.
I think alot of the guy's rowing gears at this race are all going to shed a tear of respect, remembrance and graditude for his teachings.
If any thing, it (The Stick Race) will raise the hairs on every one's arms knowing that Ronnie influenced or maybe invented this lost art of racing.
On another note, Hemi-Fred, How are you doing?

PROFANITY IS NOT ALLOWED ON THIS WEBSITE

Anyone ever see the movie "For Love or Money"?
Anyway, God Bless and Thank You Ronnie.

Met the man in the 60s. Greatest gear jammer of all times. Ronnie will be missed.

Here are some archived pictures [B&W - nothing wrong with your monitors]:







Links to more:

Starting line

10 year olds helping push Barracuda

Ronnie in front

Thrashing between tounds

Barracuda

The men

The shop

I did'nt know him at all after 68, I just I'm stuck in 63,64,65,66,67 kind of nut. I like those realy early pic's.

This came as a complete shock. I haven't been keeping up with the latest posts of him but, as others have said,I thought he was doing better. I unfortunately never met Ronnie but saw his old rides up close and personal. After reading so much about him as a kid and later as an adult,I almost felt like I knew him somewhat. I only wish that I had met him. What a truly gifted man and all around great sportsman. My thoughts and prayers also go out to his family. We'll miss you Ronnie...

Rest in peace my man when I think of 4spds and racing I think of Ronnie Sox.

God Bless Ronnie, He will be missed.

Damn lifes a b1tch sometimes..I hope his wife and kids get all the support they need..

Wow, our thoughts and prayers for all of the the family ...

Very Sad!!!! R.I.P. Mr. Four Speed.

My prayers are with him. Rest in peace Ronnie.

That is so sad, rest easy Ronnie, you were a legend the world over

Very Sad News.... another one of my heroes passes on. My condolences to the family

Being from Ronnies hometown, I have a lot of wonderful memories about Ronnie and his brother David and his dad. May God bless his family, Diane, and all of his well wishers as we all struggle to understand our loss. Ronnie had many friends and my heartfelt sympathy goes out to his racing friends with the McCandless family and Buddy Martin especially, and to his close friend Fred Ristagno. Ronnies wish was to be remembered for his efforts to please his fans, and he sure did know how to do just that.

~ Don ~

That's terrible. Thoughts and prayers to him and his family. He lead a good life

WOW, that is very sad news!!!
I am glad his suffering is over

I had the pleasure of meeting Ronnie at the Summer Nationals in 1972. Stayed at the same motel and he invited us to hang out with them in the evenings. I couldn't believe how friendly and helpful he was.
I saw him again over the years at various shows and he always had time for you.
Will miss him
R.I.P. Ronnie

RIP

Rest In Peace Ronnie. It truely is a sad day for all of Ronnie's family,friends and fans. My thoughts and prayers are with all who love him.

very sad to hear this.........rip.

R.I.P. Mr. Sox

Saddens me to here of Ronnies passing. But he's in a better place now with no suffering. I remember being at Rockingham in late 60's and early 70's and having privilage to meet him in pits with my uncles. I was only 17 years old. I will forever remember those passes he made down the 1/4 mile. I was so impressed with the way he ran a 4 speed. He left such and impression on me, that I've been a Mopar fan and owner all my life.

R.I.P Ronnie God Bless your family and friends in there time of sorrow

We have lost a true Mopar legend. I was honored to have met him and I am saddened to hear of his passing. Rest In Peace Ronnie.

Mike Gray

R.I.P. Ronnie, there will never be another.

What a shame! Truely one of the greatest legends in drag racing and Mopar history. I'm sure everyone of us has admired the man. A personal hero to me and many others. Ronnie we will all miss you, everything you've accomplished and stood for.
God speed Ronnie Sox!
DC426

RIP Mr.Four speed!

Sitting here stunned...and sniveling like a baby..

I am thankful for the all times I was able to meet Ronnie over the years(most recently at York) but wish he could of gotten that one last ride.... He surely deserved it.

All of us will never be able to thank him enough for what he has contributed to the sport of drag racing.

I will never forget when he let a snot nosed kid (me) sit in his 68 Cuda at Englishtown, and when he was under his pro mod Comet at Norwalk sledge hammering his bent suspension for almost a hour and then winning the event.


Thanks for all the great memories Ronnie...

Sad news indeed.

I emailed him a while back just
to say I was thinking of him and told him
I had just completed my first ever trip down
the quarter mile. Here is the response I got:

"Thank you for taking time to send Ronnie get well wishes.
I printed this email down for him to read and he enjoyed
hearing that you took a trip down the quarter mile and was thrilled
and ready to go again.

Ronnie says now you know, there’s nothing like it…

Thanks again for thinking of him.

Diane Sox"

the great legend will be missed

Being born in 72 I was too young to remember him in his hayday.I did meet him a few times and he was the nicest guy you could meet.He autographed a picture for me and talked to us for a while.Im feeling pretty down due to this news,but worst yet Ronnie was my dads all time favorite.When Ronnies address was posted here my dad wrote him and sent him a christmas card.Ronnie responded back and sent my dad a christmas card.My dad was on cloud nine for weeks because his hero Ronnie wrote him.Last night I had to be the one to tell my dad Ronnie passed

RIP Ronnie. You were a major, positive influence on thousands upon thousands of people and will NEVER be forgotten.

Dale

Rest in Peace Ronnie Sox "THE BOSS"

You are one classy guy and am sure you will watch
over your fellow mopar family...
God Bless you and your family!!!
We all know God has already Blessed us with your presence!

You and Your Family are in our Prayers
Ronnie T. and Family

RIP Ronnie and thanks for all the wonderful memories that we all get to keep. We will never forget you.

Rest in Peace Ronnie.

BIG, BIG loss. Very sad news in our deteriorating world. RIP Ronnie - I hope you had a chance to read my letter - you were an icon.

My deepest condolences to all his family & relatives.

very sad day indeed.rest in piece mr.sox....

May Ronnie rest in peace.
He was a hero and an inspiration to me in my short drag racing career.
I will never forget his greatness and his impact on the sport.

very sad news-prayers to his family-man-that's just so sad after hearing that he seemed to be improving- REST IN PEACE MR. 4 SPEED -

A truly sad day for racing and Mopar fans, another legend gone to soon! Can you imagine the bench racing going on in Heaven between Ronnie, Dyno Don, Lee Shepard and Don Carlton?

I'm sure he faced death with dignity and strength. Forever our drag king...

R.I.P. Ronnie. , you were an inspiration. I know the grief your family is going thru, as
i lost my father 3 weeks ago.
Say hi to my dad Ronnie, i know the 2 of you
would get along quite well.

RIP to a true Mopar gentleman and someone who raced A-B-E bodies but drove a '68 New Yorker as his personal vehicle back in the day.

RIP Ronnie Sox

My deepest sympathy goes to Ronnies family. Ronnie was and will always be my hero. RIP Ronnie Sox you will be greatly missed. I think Ronnie set the bar on how a racer should conduct him or herself on and off the track and few will ever reach that bar. IMO
Donald Carter

Yes, gone but not forgotten. The good do die
to young. I was racing yesterday.Did not hear
untill today. Was a good way to remember him!!!

Sad Day He will be missed!