Gas Ronda

{{Short description|American drag racer (1926–2017)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2026}} {{Infobox racing driver | name = Gas Ronda | image = | image_size =  | caption = | nationality = American | birth_name = Gaspar Ronda | birth_date = {{birth date|1926|8|25}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2017|10|25|1926|8|25}} | death_place = | retired = 1970 | relatives =  | last_series =  | years_active = | teams = | starts = | wins = | poles = | fastest_laps =  | best_finish =  | year =  | prev_series =  | prev_series_years = | titles =  | title_years = | awards = International Drag Racing Hall of Fame | award_years = }}

'''Gaspar Ronda''' (August 25, 1926 – October 25, 2017),<ref name=NHRAobit>{{cite web |last=Burgess |first=Phil |title=Remembering Gas Ronda |date=26 October 2017 |url=https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/remembering-gas-ronda |publisher=NHRA.com |accessdate=16 September 2018}}</ref> better known as '''Gas Ronda''', was an American drag racer. He was also a restaurateur. In 2016, Ronda was inducted into the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.

== Racing career == Always looking for the unusual ride, Ronda started in Stock, driving Hudsons and Buicks, early in the 1950s, in Southern California.<ref name=Waldron>Waldron, Alex, ''National Dragster'' editor. "Gas Ronda", written 18 February 2016, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2016/gas-ronda NHRA.com] (retrieved 24 May 2017)</ref> He switched to a Corvette,<ref name=Waldron/> like other racers,<ref>[http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=20442 Ultimateracinghistory] (retrieved 6 October 2018)</ref> but was disappointed by the lack of variety from his competition, which also mainly drove Chevrolets.<ref name=Waldron/> Instead, he picked a {{convert|352|cid|cc|abbr=on}}/{{convert|360|hp|kW|abbr=on}} 1960 Ford Starliner.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda joined forces with engine builder Les Ritchey (owner and operator of Performance Associates in Covina, California).<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda moved up to Super Stock,<ref name=HOF>NHRA News. "Int'l Drag Racing Hall of Fame welcomes new members" (18 March 2016) at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2016/int-l-drag-racing-hall-fame-welcomes-new-members NHRA.com] (retrieved 9 June 2017)</ref><ref>[https://www.60sfunnycars.com/ 60sfunnycars.com] (retrieved 10 June 2017)</ref> where his 1962 Ford Galaxie, with a tri-power {{convert|406|cid|cc|abbr=on}}, was a match for the {{convert|409|cid|cc|abbr=on}} Impalas.<ref name=Waldron/> At first, he was based at George Newtell's Downtown Ford car dealership in Los Angeles, where Ronda was a salesman.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda changed over to a {{convert|427|cid|cc|abbr=on}} Galaxie in 1963, but, though it was "one of the quickest and fastest" in the U.S., it was overweight compared to its competition.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

To be able to more easily collaborate with Ritchey, Ronda moved to Covina midway through 1964, taking a job with Russ Davis Ford.<ref name=Waldron/><ref name=NHRAobit/>

Because Ford had sold more than the fifty required to homolgate the 427 Fairlanes, they were eligible for Super Stock, rather than F/X (Factory Experimental). Ronda got one, which he had repainted "bright poppy red", like the (then-new) Mustang.<ref name=NHRAobit/> Ronda faced Butch Leal's Thunderbolt in the final of the 1964 Winternationals, and won, recording a pass of 11.78 seconds at {{convert|123.40|mph|abbr=on}}.<ref>Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "Favorite Race Car Ever voting: Early Door Cars/Roadsters", written 11 July 2008, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2008/favorite-race-car-ever-voting-early-door-carsroadsters NHRA.com] (retrieved 27 September 2018)</ref> He also took NHRA's national Top Stock crown that year, at the wheel of a 427 Fairlane.<ref name=Waldron/>

It was in the Thunderbolt, as part of the Bill Waters Ford Racing Team in 1964, that Ronda won Super Stock at the first Hot Rod Magazine Championship Drag Races, in Riverside, California.<ref name=Waldron/> He was also a member of the Ford factory drag racing team, running one of their 427-powered Fairlane Thunderbolts.<ref name=HOF/>

Ronda was one of the top drivers of Fords in Super Stock, and in the early days of Funny Car.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

For the 1965 season, Ronda got a 427 SOHC ("Cammer") A/FX Mustang (with a four-speed manual transmission), which was capable of ten-second e.t.s. At the time, however, the Ramchargers, led by Jimmy Nix, were match racing injected nitro-burning altered-wheelbase Dodges, banned in A/FX, capable of eights, and they eclipsed the legal A/FX cars.<ref name=NHRAobit/> That year, Ronda went to the Mr. Stock final at the 1965 AHRA World Championship at Lions Drag Strip in Wilmington, California, where he lost to fellow Ford Drag Racing Team member<ref name=NHRAobit/> Dick Brannan; this earned Ronda US$700.<ref>[http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=37598 Ultimateracinghistory] (retrieved 6 October 2018)</ref> Ronda said, “Of all the cars I raced, the 1965 Mustang was the most fun to drive.”<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda's new longer-wheelbase 1966 Mustang proved extremely quick, clocking E.T.'s into the mid-eights.<ref name=NHRAobit/> Then Ritchey, who played a significant part in Ronda's success, was killed in a racing accident at Fontana, California;<ref name=Waldron/> Ronda pulled back on the car's setup and only ran nines for months afterward.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

After winning AHRA's Top Fuel Stock event at Lions (beating Hayden Proffitt and winning $1500<ref>[http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=37644 Ultimateracinghistory] (retrieved 6 October 2018)</ref>), Ronda graduated to A/FX which morphed into Funny Car <ref>Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "The Super Mustang", written 27 April 2018, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2018/super-mustang NHRA.com] (retrieved 16 September 2018)</ref>) full-time later in 1966.<ref>[https://www.60sfunnycars.com/ 60sfunnycars.com] (retrieved 10 June 2017)</ref>), driving a Russ Davis Ford-sponsored C/FD<ref>Photo at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/it-s-gas-gas-gas-more-memories-gas-ronda NHRA.com] (retrieved 16 September 2018)</ref> Ford Mustang.<ref name=HOF/> This car turned "record-breaking" E.T.'s in the eights, on the way to Ronda's win at the 1967 March Meet in Bakersfield, California, that year.<ref name=Waldron/>

Ronda made a brief return to Super Stock in 1968, when Ford introduced the 428 Cobra Jet Mustang, at the Winternats.<ref name=Waldron/>

In 1967, Ronda got a new tube-frame Mustang, again owned by Davis, prepared by Holman Moody; Ronda painted it "poppy red", also.<ref name="60sfunnycars.com">[https://www.60sfunnycars.com/ 60sfunnycars.com] (retrieved 10 June 2017)</ref> With a stock body, tilt front end, and working doors,<ref>[https://www.60sfunnycars.com/ 60sfunnycars.com] (retrieved 10 June 2017); Burgess, Phil. "Remembering Gas Ronda", Written 26 October 2017, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/remembering-gas-ronda NHRA.com] (retrieved 16 September 2018)</ref> it ran a best of 7.90 seconds at {{convert|184.04|mph|abbr=on}},<ref name="60sfunnycars.com"/> after Ronda added a supercharger toward year's end.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

This was replaced by Ronda's last, and quickest, car, a Logghe Bros.-chassised Mustang Mach 1, in 1969.<ref name=Waldron/> The Mach I gave him a win at OCIR's Manufacturers Championships that year,<ref name=Waldron/> defeating the ''Chi-Town Hustler'' (owned by Pat Minick, tuned by Austin Coil, and driven by John Farkonas) in the final round.<ref name=NHRAobit/> Ronda won the same event several more times.<ref name="NHRA.com">Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "Favorite Race Car Ever voting: Early Funny Cars", written 21 July 2008, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2008/favorite-race-car-ever-voting-early-funny-cars NHRA.com] (retrieved 1 October 2018)</ref>

It was in this car Ronda suffered a career-ending fire, when his engine exploded at the AHRA Winter Nationals at Beeline Dragway in Mesa, Arizona, on 25 January 1970.<ref name="NHRA.com"/><ref name=Waldron/><ref>[http://www.ultimateracinghistory.com/race.php?raceid=37759 Ultimateracinghistory] (retrieved 6 October 2018)</ref> Transmission fluid burned through the car's firewall, severely burning his lower body.

It was as a direct result of that accident that onboard fire extinguisher systems were made mandatory for all funny cars.<ref name=Burgess2017>Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "It's a Gas, Gas, Gas ... more memories of Gas Ronda", written 1 November 2017, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2017/it-s-gas-gas-gas-more-memories-gas-ronda NHRA.com] (retrieved 16 September 2018)</ref>

It took Ronda close to a year to recover, and he had undergo a number of plastic surgeries to reconstruct damaged areas. The injury provoked him to promise his father, who had never approved of him racing, he would quit.<ref name=Burgess2017/>

Ronda had a reputation for "being a tough racer but also a true gentleman racer".<ref name=Burgess2017/>

== After retirement == Ronda took a radically different tack after retiring from drag racing. Four years later, he opened the Funny Car Tavern, located in Azusa, California.<ref name=NHRAobit/> In time, he moved to West Covina, establishing a nightclub called Ronda's Gas House, with three bars and two dance floors, right on Interstate 10 east of Azusa Ave.<ref name=NHRAobit/><ref name=Burgess2017/> Over the following eighteen years, it kept Ronda so busy, he could not even attend races.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Only in the 1990s did Ronda have time to begin becoming involved again, at events like the NHRA Motorsports Museum Hot Rod Reunions, or the 2016 Winternats, where one of his early Funny Cars was on display by NHRA, celebrating 50 years of the class.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

== Off track == Ronda became a fan favorite among funny car drivers on the U.S. West Coast.<ref name=HOF/>

When he started racing, Ronda's day job was as a dance instructor.<ref>Burgess, Phil, ''National Dragster'' editor. "Favorite Race Car Ever voting: Early Door Cars/Roadsters", written 11 July 2008, at [https://www.nhra.com/news/2008/favorite-race-car-ever-voting-early-door-carsroadsters NHRA.com] (retrieved 27 September 2018)</ref><ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda made it a point to be well-dressed, even in the pits, which made him stand out.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

In 2014, Ronda suffered a stroke.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

In 2016, Ronda was made a member of the International Drag Racing Hall of Fame.<ref name=HOF/>

Ronda died of cancer on 25 October 2017. He was 91.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

Ronda was married to his wife Nina, and had two sons, Gaspar "Gas", Jr., and John, and a daughter, Tyline.<ref name=NHRAobit/>

== Notes == {{reflist}}

== External links == * [www.draglist.com Draglist.com]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ronda, Gas}} Category:1926 births Category:2017 deaths Category:Dragster drivers Category:American restaurateurs Category:Businesspeople from California Category:20th-century American businesspeople Category:21st-century American businesspeople Category:Racing drivers from California Category:20th-century American sportsmen