GAS Ronda

Mike Keener · 10-26-2017, 10:10 AM

With great sadness I'm sorry to report the passing of my friend Gas Ronda yesterday in CA.

God Speed Gaspar!

Floyd Staggs · 10-26-2017, 01:38 PM

RIP Mr. Rhonda.

Bobby Rashid · 10-27-2017, 11:32 PM

Gas Ronda- truly an icon to drag racing.Saw him in the early sixties at Detroit Dragway.Those were the formidable days of our sport that bonded many of us.Great racer for sure! Rest in peace.

Mike Jones · 10-28-2017, 02:19 PM

Prayers and condolences to his family...

Mike A114

BOB KIRKBRIDE · 10-30-2017, 08:18 PM

I first met Gas Ronda in 1961 when he had a brand new Red Starliner Super Stock at Half Moon Bay drag strip. He always had class. He had a black turtle neck and grey slacks and loafers. He taught me how to power shift a 4 speed and I could shift my new 409 in '62 as fast as he could. We used to have breakfast in the coffee shop at Half Moon Bay drag strip/airport and that's when Gas first brought out his Thunderbolt. He raced Tommy Grove's "Melrose Missile" (the '63 car that he borrowed back from the new owner) Tommy beat Ronda's Thunderbolt running in the 11.70s. Gas could only run 11.90s. The next week at Fremont Tommy had the new '64 hardtop missile and he beat Butch Leal's new Thunderbolt. I have kept in touch with him when I ran my N/SS Thunderbolt at the California Hot Rod Reunion over the years. He would always hang out in our pit area and he still was the classy guy he always was. He lived a long life and none of us old time racers will ever forget him. RIP Gaspar Ronda. A great racer! I forgot to mention he did win the Super Stock World Championship with that Thunderbolt and he received a new Barracuda as a prize. He also won the Orange County Funny Car meet one year. That was one accomplishment he was most proud of.

600ci · 11-14-2017, 02:48 PM

met gas a few years back a really COOL guy lots of class a legend RIP

10-26-2017, 10:10 AM	#1
Mike Keener Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Posts: 294 Likes: 102 Liked 25 Times in 13 Posts	GAS Ronda With great sadness I'm sorry to report the passing of my friend Gas Ronda yesterday in CA. God Speed Gaspar! __________________ Mike Keener A/S B/S C/SM

10-26-2017, 01:38 PM	#2
Floyd Staggs VIP Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Cucamonga, CA Posts: 1,510 Likes: 132 Liked 220 Times in 95 Posts	Re: GAS Ronda RIP Mr. Rhonda. __________________ Floyd Staggs 787 SST

10-27-2017, 11:32 PM	#3
Bobby Rashid Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Grosse Pointe Woods Posts: 158 Likes: 1 Liked 108 Times in 24 Posts	Re: GAS Ronda Gas Ronda- truly an icon to drag racing.Saw him in the early sixties at Detroit Dragway.Those were the formidable days of our sport that bonded many of us.Great racer for sure! Rest in peace.

10-28-2017, 02:19 PM	#4
Mike Jones VIP Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,110 Likes: 1,166 Liked 660 Times in 283 Posts	Re: GAS Ronda Prayers and condolences to his family... Mike A114 Last edited by Mike Jones; 10-28-2017 at 02:22 PM.

10-30-2017, 08:18 PM	#5
BOB KIRKBRIDE Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 62 Likes: 4 Liked 15 Times in 2 Posts	Re: GAS Ronda I first met Gas Ronda in 1961 when he had a brand new Red Starliner Super Stock at Half Moon Bay drag strip. He always had class. He had a black turtle neck and grey slacks and loafers. He taught me how to power shift a 4 speed and I could shift my new 409 in '62 as fast as he could. We used to have breakfast in the coffee shop at Half Moon Bay drag strip/airport and that's when Gas first brought out his Thunderbolt. He raced Tommy Grove's "Melrose Missile" (the '63 car that he borrowed back from the new owner) Tommy beat Ronda's Thunderbolt running in the 11.70s. Gas could only run 11.90s. The next week at Fremont Tommy had the new '64 hardtop missile and he beat Butch Leal's new Thunderbolt. I have kept in touch with him when I ran my N/SS Thunderbolt at the California Hot Rod Reunion over the years. He would always hang out in our pit area and he still was the classy guy he always was. He lived a long life and none of us old time racers will ever forget him. RIP Gaspar Ronda. A great racer! I forgot to mention he did win the Super Stock World Championship with that Thunderbolt and he received a new Barracuda as a prize. He also won the Orange County Funny Car meet one year. That was one accomplishment he was most proud of. Last edited by BOB KIRKBRIDE; 10-30-2017 at 08:21 PM.

11-14-2017, 02:48 PM	#6
600ci Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 163 Likes: 5 Liked 3 Times in 1 Post	Re: GAS Ronda met gas a few years back a really COOL guy lots of class a legend RIP