Justin Fox and his brother Austin visited Front Row Motorsports on a Monday to view the car that will pay tribute to their great-grandfather. “It was awesome,” Justin shared with NBC Sports. “I know my dad’s very excited for it. My brother is. Our whole family is just really excited. It’s a thrill moment to see it come to life and how good they made it.”
In a sport where family legacy holds immense significance, Ray Fox, the patriarch of four NASCAR generations, will be honored on a car driven by Todd Gilliland, a third-generation racer. At the upcoming Cup race at Darlington Raceway during NASCAR’s throwback weekend, Gilliland’s No. 34 car for Front Row Motorsports will pay homage to Ray Fox, lauded as a mechanical wizard and an early nominee for the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
Beyond being an observer, Justin Fox, the latest NASCAR generation of his family, will participate as the rear tire changer on Gilliland’s car. His connection to the sport is rooted in Ray Fox, a storied mechanic, car owner, and later, a NASCAR official. Ray Fox’s illustrious career includes building the engine for the car that Fireball Roberts drove to victory in the 1955 Daytona beach course race. He joined Carl Kiekhafer’s team in 1956, helping secure 22 of the season’s first 26 races, earning him the mechanic of the year title.
Ray Fox’s built car clinched Junior Johnson’s 1960 Daytona 500 win, and between 1962 and 1974, Fox’s team saw 16 wins, including nine victories with Johnson and a 1964 Southern 500 win with Buck Baker. Although he retired in the early 1970s, Ray Fox returned in 1990 as NASCAR’s engine inspector until retiring at age 80 in 1996. The car that Gilliland will drive at Darlington Raceway is a testament to Ray Fox’s legacy.
The Fox family’s enduring influence continues with Ray Fox II, who worked for Robert Yates Racing, and Ray Fox III, who joined Robert Yates Racing in 1988, worked for various teams, and contributed significantly to Team Penske, winning a Cup title in 2018 with Joey Logano. He currently serves as the car chief for Ryan Blaney’s team. Justin Fox made his Cup debut as a tire changer in July at Pocono with the Wood Brothers and is currently with Front Row Motorsports with Todd Gilliland’s team this season.
The idea to honor Ray Fox emerged after Justin Fox sent a group text seeking throwback scheme suggestions for the race. The tribute holds a special place for Gilliland, whose own family shares a deep racing heritage. “It definitely gives me more of an appreciation for it,” Gilliland expressed, reflecting on the family ties. “I thought it was fitting also in Darlington’s 75th year of running, going back to kind of where it started for that racetrack was really cool.”
Justin Fox, familiar with many of his great grandfather’s tales, delved deeper into Ray Fox’s history while researching paint schemes for Gilliland’s car. A particularly memorable story involves Ray discovering David Pearson roofing a house in 1962 before persuading him to drive in seven races, showcasing Ray’s astute talent recognition.
The tribute car this weekend raises hopes of reigniting interest in Ray Fox and bolstering his candidacy for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. “It would mean a lot,” Justin affirmed. “It would just show his hard work and what all he had to do in order to get my family to where we are today.”
As engines roar to life on Sunday, Justin, alongside other family members, will stand before the car honoring his great-grandfather, capturing the poignant moment in photos, immortalizing a legacy that has shaped his family’s journey in NASCAR.
