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Marion Cox
For many years, one of the most respected car builders/owners lived in a small
rural community of Hemingway, South Carolina. Marion Cox was not only
respected for his ability to build race cars, but he, his wife Nina and their entire
family were devout Christians and their word was their bond. Cox believed that
the Sabbath was meant for the Lord and he would not, under any
circumstances, allow his car to participate in a race on Sunday. If you were a
driver of one of his cars on a Saturday night and you had the lead, you'd better
win the race before the stroke of midnight! In fact one of his drivers, Haskell
Willingham, was leading a race one Saturday night when he was waved off the
track when the midnight hour became Sunday morning.
Cox raced all over the south and the list of his drivers read like the "Who's
Who" of auto racing. Names like Dink Widenhouse, Haskell Willingham,
LeeRoy Yarbrough, Roy Mayne, Dick Poling, "Little Bud" Moore, Cale
Yarborough, Morgan Shepherd and Darrell Waltrip were among the list of
drivers who drove for Cox. During his lifespan, he was a good as there was.
rural community of Hemingway, South Carolina. Marion Cox was not only
respected for his ability to build race cars, but he, his wife Nina and their entire
family were devout Christians and their word was their bond. Cox believed that
the Sabbath was meant for the Lord and he would not, under any
circumstances, allow his car to participate in a race on Sunday. If you were a
driver of one of his cars on a Saturday night and you had the lead, you'd better
win the race before the stroke of midnight! In fact one of his drivers, Haskell
Willingham, was leading a race one Saturday night when he was waved off the
track when the midnight hour became Sunday morning.
Cox raced all over the south and the list of his drivers read like the "Who's
Who" of auto racing. Names like Dink Widenhouse, Haskell Willingham,
LeeRoy Yarbrough, Roy Mayne, Dick Poling, "Little Bud" Moore, Cale
Yarborough, Morgan Shepherd and Darrell Waltrip were among the list of
drivers who drove for Cox. During his lifespan, he was a good as there was.
In the early days of Daytona International Speedway, the Saturday
race was a combination of modified and sportsman cars and drivers who
competed together for 300 miles. Shown here is LeeRoy Yarbrough in a
Lincoln-powered Studebaker starting on the outside while Bobby Johns
started his Pontiac Sportsman on the inside. Starting behind Yarbrough
is Cale Yarborough in a Marion Cox prepared Ford Modified. (Photo
Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
race was a combination of modified and sportsman cars and drivers who
competed together for 300 miles. Shown here is LeeRoy Yarbrough in a
Lincoln-powered Studebaker starting on the outside while Bobby Johns
started his Pontiac Sportsman on the inside. Starting behind Yarbrough
is Cale Yarborough in a Marion Cox prepared Ford Modified. (Photo
Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
Marion Cox is shown behind the wheel of one of his cars in 1963.
(Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
(Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
Dink Widenhouse drives the Marion Cox prepared #50 through the
turns in the early 60's. The driver of the #50-A is unidentified.
(Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
turns in the early 60's. The driver of the #50-A is unidentified.
(Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
Young spectators look over a Marion Cox owned car driven by Dink
Widenhouse in the early 60's. (Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
Widenhouse in the early 60's. (Photo Courtesy of Dargan Watts)
Marion Cox is shown standing against the inside guardrail at Columbia
Speedway in the late 60's. (Photo by Dargan Watts)
Speedway in the late 60's. (Photo by Dargan Watts)
When Columbia, Savannah, Myrtle Beach and Greenville Pickens were
paved, Cox switched from dirt to asphalt. This purple Comet was driven
by Roy Mayne, LeeRoy Yarbrough and Darrell Waltrip, among others.
(Photo by Dargan Watts)
paved, Cox switched from dirt to asphalt. This purple Comet was driven
by Roy Mayne, LeeRoy Yarbrough and Darrell Waltrip, among others.
(Photo by Dargan Watts)
Cox's wife, Nina would pack a cooler full of some of the best
food in the world and was thrilled to death to see how much we
all enjoyed her fried chicken. Nina never missed a race! (Photo
by Dargan Watts)
food in the world and was thrilled to death to see how much we
all enjoyed her fried chicken. Nina never missed a race! (Photo
by Dargan Watts)