Ronny Hissom

8/11/1936 - 10/3/2005

Record updated 07-Nov-06

Ronny was an avid sports car enthusiast and a nationally ranked polo player who long with Jim Hall and Hap Sharp was one of the original partners and drivers in Chaparral Racing.

Ronny Hissom
Ronny was an avid sports car enthusiast and a nationally ranked polo player who long with Jim Hall and Hap Sharp was one of the original partners and drivers in Chaparral Racing. Driving with Jim Hall and Hap Sharp, they won the 1965 12 hour endurance race at Sebring, one of the first of a string of important racing victories for the Chaparrals.

This was during the golden age of American sports car racing when a team comprised of very talented amateurs from a small West Texas town could compete on the world stage with the major entities in the sport like Ford and Ferrari.

Once when Ronny and some associates were in New York having lunch at the famed "21 Club", Ronny had to visit the men's room. He found himself face to face with none other than the legendary Aristotle Onassis. Ronny approached Mr. Onassis and said, "Sir, I'm Ronny Hissom visiting from Texas with business associates and it would be a great honor and enhance my standing among these men if you would come to my table and act like you know me. My close friends call me "Hiss".

Sure enough presently Mr. Onassis arrived at the table and said, "Hiss good to see you, where have you been....give me a call sometime soon". Whereupon "Hiss" said to Mr. Onassis, "Ari, dammit can't you see we're busy right now, please don't interrupt"!

Ronny was a four goal polo player and a founding member of the Midland Polo Club. He was an avid world traveler and hunter extraordinaire who made frequent trips to the Dark Continent for his beloved big game safaris.



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