There could never have been a better match than Marion and Nina Cox. The two knew each other from early childhood in Hemingway, S. C., but it took a lot of what Nina calls “serious flirting” by her to really catch his eye, and then to “reel him in”.

On March 24, 1947, the two married and from then on it was a sea of love for the couple and a respect for one another that is hard to describe. Togetherness meant everything for to these two and throughout raising six children, the entire family remains as close as anything could be even though Marion passed away 11 years ago.

 Nina, Marion and all their children were true Believers in God and Ninawas a Sunday School teacher for many years, even though she led a busy life in the racing world. When Marion was running the timed “Flying Mile” on the beach at Daytona, Nina and the kids wereright there. They would load up the children and head south each February and Marion would come back home with a certificate saying he was the winner in his class.

Then, Marion took to the beach/road course, with his drivers competing against all the great names in racing, and Nina and the kids were right there in the infield. She noted that it was rough on everybody who had to walk around in the sand on the dunes for hours and there were few if any facilities.

As her husband got more involved in the longer events, NASCAR required each car have a scorer, so Nina was the one who kept up with where the famous No. 50 was at all times. When the races were not being run, she looked over their kids who were playing with other kids in the paddock area. No matter what, when Marion Cox rolled into the pits, the drivers, crew members and friends knew that “Miss Nina” would have ample food for everybody.

Nina said, “I attended every race the car ran except for a two-year period when our daughter was deathly ill and eventually passed away at age 16.”

She has remained very active in the community and worked with the Senior Citizens of Williamsburg County for a number of years and served as the van driver until she was 82 years old.

Nina also served as a referee between her husband and his drivers. Marion wanted to win every race, but he despised having his car dented. His famous last words to every driver was “Go out there and win the race, but don’t tear up my car.”

Haskell Willingham was talking the other day, and said he won a race at Raleigh, but roughed the car up fairly well, so when he pulled into the pits, heclimbed out of the car and went straight to Nina and asked if "Mr Marion" was mad. Her answer was, "He's plenty mad, but don't you worry, I'll take care of him  on the way home."

Nina will also be riding in the third annual Historic Racing Legends Beach/Road Course Parade with Florida Congressman Bill Posey on February 15.

Banquet ticket information can be gotten from June Vogt Wendt at 386-763-0681 or Linda Reeves at 386-767-3929.