By Robin Smith Miller

This year's points banquet for the Charlotte County Speedway drivers was very special to me. First off, I actually got to enjoy the banquet and celebrate the accomplishments of my racing "family". More importantly, I got to do it with someone very near and dear to my heart, my racing buddy of almost a quarter of century, Randy "Hondo" Fox. The best part of the evening's presentations was when the speedway awarded him "The Big Heart" award for his leadership and commitment to community service.

Don't get me wrong; Fox is no saint, not by a long shot. Just ask his racing competitors through the years. He has been sent to the back of the pack for rough driving more times than I can count. Most of the time though, you don't have to show him to the rear, he knows where to go without being told. What most people don't know is under that gruff exterior, lies the heart of one of the kindest, most giving people I have ever had the pleasure to call my friend.

His hero is Dale Earnhardt, Sr. and his heart broke the day he died. He even closed his business, Randy Fox, Inc. the day of the Intimidator's funeral so he and all his employees could mourn with the rest of the country. He had the Lee County Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Tribute at he and business partner, Clayton Olding's truck shop. Most folks didn't know what a wonderful person Earnhardt was until he left us. He did so much good for racing and his community but he never wanted people to know about it because he didn't want to spoil his bad boy image. That's how Randy Fox is too.

When I was media and public relations director at Charlotte County Speedway, Fox was the first person I went to when I needed something for a fundraiser. He has never said "no" to me for anything and probably not anyone else either. Whether it was a racecar for a public appearance or a parade, he was there. When I coordinated a March of Dimes racecar show, he was the first driver there. The first Mid-season Blowout the Speedway held to benefit the Junior Fan Club, his was the first rig on the lot although he was off in the great North doing business.

When my friend Sara Carmean and I got this notion to have a local car show to benefit the needy families of our community for the holidays, Randy was the first driver to come on board. He was actually the one who kept prodding me to get it organized and was the driving force, along with his wife, Scarlett, in making the first annual Lee County Racing Community Noise for Toys Car Show, such a rousing success. He even called in favors from other drivers to get them to bring their cars to the event.

That is only one small thing he has done for the Lehigh Acres community since moving there several years ago. He has allowed his trucks to be used in the Lehigh Spring Festival Parades to tow floats. He sponsors the Lehigh Lightning varsity cheerleading squad, the Junior Wrestlers from the East Zone area and a Little League team. He even sponsors local beauty queen contestants, such as past Miss Charlotte County Speedway, Allison Carmean. He continuously helps his fellow racers from the goodness of his heart and doesn't hesitate to lend a fellow competitor a part if they need it at the track. I remember one time, he let a good friend drive one of his cars in a late model race and the other driver knocked him off "the bubble" in qualifying by having a faster time. Fox didn't begrudge him that though and has also had drivers such as Lehigh's Danny Caylor and Immokalee's Lee Collins in his car this season.

This year was Fox's tenth season competing in local racing but prior to the end of this season, he had never won a track championship. In true Fox fashion, when he does something, he does it big.he brought home two championship trophies this year in the limited late model six pack series and the regular limited late model division. He is only the second driver to do this in Charlotte County Speedway history. This year was special though because he shares that honor with Cape Coral's Danny Yates, who took the sportsman and modified mini stock division championships, But then not many drivers know the 3/8 mile asphalt track like Fox and Yates do.

Randy has raced at most of Florida's short tracks and has won well over fifty feature races in various short track series. He was the USA Late Models Rookie of the Year in 1992 and racked up two wins in that series. He also raced for three years in the Hooters Cup Series and his car carried Hooters Restaurant, Jackaroo BBQ Sauce and Naturally Fresh Dressings logos at that time. He was on the road continuously during that time and just got wore out. That's when he decided to come "home" to Charlotte County Speedway and concentrate on racing there again. He was also busy with his business, Randy Fox, Inc., a trucking company. He has dump trucks and semis that haul tomatoes all over the country.

This season he hooked up with Mark Bruno and drove his white #88 limited late model, quite a change from his usual black #4 that his fans were accustomed to. They make a successful team and will carry on next season with a new car on order with a famous Pletcher chassis and Joe's Performance motor. He is hoping to repeat his championship in the 2002 season. With sponsors behind him such as Progressive Racing Engines, AVCO Shops, Dave Pletcher Racing, Curveball Sports Bar and Grille, Radio Shack of Lehigh Acres, Clayton Olding, Auto Hydraulics and James A. Neill, Attorney-at-law, it is a very real possibility.

Fox has one of the most dedicated pit crews in racing. His crew chief, young T.J. Johnson, has been with him since he was in diapers (or so it seems) as has Guy Wotring, Don Lang, George Luna, Robert Brown, Lee Phillips, and Joey Gilbert, Jr. Randy's wife, Scarlett, has been staunchly behind his racing throughout his career and has been married to him for over 18 years. Between them they have four children, Chastity, Monica, Travis and Ashley.

So while I was extremely happy for all of "my champions" I have to say Fox's was the most special one yet because I have seen him do so many great things for the Charlotte County Speedway family through the years. As I always say "when you do good, good happens" and it is definitely time for the good to come to my friend, Randy Fox.

-Robin Smith Miller

Click Here for links to all 2002 News Articles

Copyright© Future Enterprises 1997-2002 KARNAC.com is electronically published by Future Enterprises. The KARNAC© name, logo and trademarks are owned by and used with the permission of Future Enterprises of Florida. Reproduction or republishing in whole or part for inclusion in any work is strictly prohibited without prior written permission of the electronic publisher. Information may, however, be printed for the sole purpose of contacting our advertisers.