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History Rich Gausco, Pure Hell, calls it quits!

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Gary Reynolds, May 21, 2015.

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  1. Roadsir
    Joined: Jun 3, 2006
    Posts: 4,018
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    Roadsir
    Member
    from Down by the river

    That's one hellava drag racing career.
     
    Roadsir, May 25, 2015
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  2. 296ardun
    Joined: Feb 11, 2009
    Posts: 4,682
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    296ardun
    Member
    from montgomery, alabama

    Didn't Troy Cagle have Gary's ashes packed inside Pure Hell's parachute when Larry Huff was driving, distributed them at Bakersfield when Larry pulled the chute at around 240?
     
    296ardun, May 25, 2015
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  3. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    @296ardun - You're correct! ... at the March Meet in 1994.
     
    HEMI32, May 26, 2015
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  4. mgtstumpy
    Joined: Jul 20, 2006
    Posts: 9,214
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    mgtstumpy
    Member
    from Brisbane Australia

    mgtstumpy, May 31, 2015
    SHARE POST#34
  5. fatkoop
    Joined: Nov 17, 2009
    Posts: 713
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    fatkoop
    Member
    from Foxfield, Co.

    I met and talked with Rich at Goodguys in Loveland, Co. a few years ago. Very personable and just seemed to be "normal". He doesn't know all the years I've idolized and respected him. A great lifetime of racing, street rods, AMBR winner, and a hands-on, one-of-us kind of person. It just don't get any better than that!
     
    fatkoop, May 31, 2015
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  6. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
    Posts: 8,119
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    From the "Pure Hell Racing" Facebook page ...

    Goodguys 2nd INDY Nationals - "Friday Night Drags" (June 5, 2015) at Lucas Oil Raceway - Indianapolis, IN:

    Pure Hell Fuel Altered @ Goodguys INDY (1).jpg
    Pure Hell Fuel Altered @ Goodguys INDY (2).jpg
    images by Allen Tracy​

    Event one in the books. Ran a 6.27 at 218 off the trailer and Brian {Hope} clicked it at about 900 ft. Second run we had an issue with the injector, got it repaired and then spun the tires immediately. Car then made a hard move to the left and Brian was able to gather it back and ran a pedaling 7.47 at 213. All in all a good outing, great seeing the fans, and the shiny and paint are still on the car. Headed back to Rat Trap HQ for service, then off for West Virginia next Saturday night.​
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2015
    HEMI32, Jun 6, 2015
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  7. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    Saturday night June 13th under the lights. Kanawha Valley Motorsports Park, West Virginia. Brian Hope in "Pure Hell" vs. his dad Ron Hope in the "Rat Trap":

    June 13, 2015 event at Kanawha Valley Motorsports Park, West Virginia.jpg ​
     
    HEMI32, Jun 6, 2015
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  8. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    NOTE: The West Virginia event ^^^ was RAINED OUT! :(
     
    Last edited: Aug 31, 2015
    HEMI32, Jun 15, 2015
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  9. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    The next stop on the "Pure Hell Farewell Tour" was the 13th annual National Hot Rod Reunion held at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, KY (June 18-20, 2015) ... Here's a few pics:

    Rat Trap & Pure Hell burn-outs at NHRR Bowling Green (June 22 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell staging at NHRR Bowling Green (June 22 2015).jpg
    Goose backs up her dad at NHRR Bowling Green (June 22 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell staged at NHRR Bowling Green (June 22 2015).jpg
    ​
    ... and a video clip ...
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2015
    HEMI32, Aug 31, 2015
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  10. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    The "Pure Hell Farewell Tour" continued last weekend at the New England Hot Rod Reunion held at New England Raceway in Epping, NH (August 28-30, 2015) ... Here's a some pics:

    Pure Hell in the pits at NEHRR (Aug 28, 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell in the pits at NEHRR (August 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR (August 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR (Aug 29, 2015) by Paul Malinowski.jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR - front (Aug 30, 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR - rear (Aug 30, 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR (Aug 30, 2015).jpg
    Pure Hell at NEHRR (Aug 30, 2015) by Dave Kommel.jpg ​

    NOTE: On Sunday's last run, Pure Hell ran a crowd pleasing 6.51 @ 218 MPH to Rat Trap's 6.52 @ 206 MPH ... Here's a video clip (by @scoundrel1) ...

     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2015
    HEMI32, Aug 31, 2015
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  11. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
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    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    Last edited: Sep 23, 2015
    HEMI32, Sep 23, 2015
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  12. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    HEMI32, Sep 23, 2015
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  13. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    Perhaps E.j. Kowalski (@scoundrel1) will post-up some of his excellent videos from last weekend ... ???

    His video clips are simply awesome !!! ... especially the one from his GoPro mounted on the roll cage (i.e., a drivers view) ... and the one from his GoPro mounted on the right front (looking back at the engine) :D

    UPDATE: Here's a few of them ...

     
    Last edited: Oct 26, 2015
    HEMI32, Sep 23, 2015
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  14. ME.GASSER
    Joined: Sep 18, 2007
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    ME.GASSER
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from SKOWHEGAN, MAINE

    I was so happy to get to see Pure Hell run at at the New England Hot Rod Reunion. Love it.
     
    ME.GASSER, Sep 23, 2015
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  15. oldsjoe
    Joined: May 2, 2011
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    oldsjoe
    Member
    from a small village

    Glad to see the runs at Bowling Green last weekend, was Fun watching the car go down the track and see Rich tuning and wrenching in the pits. Did get a chance to talk to Rich in the pits and get an picture autographed! Joe
     
    oldsjoe, Sep 26, 2015
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  16. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
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    HEMI32
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    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    Here's yet another video from Goodguys Bowling Green event:


    by Bill Huseth​
     
    HEMI32, Oct 7, 2015
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  17. Jimbo17
    Joined: Aug 19, 2008
    Posts: 3,959
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    Jimbo17
    Member
    from West Coast of Florida

    There is only one "PURE HELL" that's for sure.

    Great show always.
    Jimbo
     
    Jimbo17, Oct 7, 2015
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  18. 40StudeDude
    Joined: Sep 19, 2002
    Posts: 9,540
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    40StudeDude
    Member
    from Aurora, CO USA

    Saw Pure Hell run the Rat Trap at GoodGuy's Bowling Green event...what an awesome sight...

    R-
     
    40StudeDude, Oct 7, 2015
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  19. Jeff Norwell
    Joined: Aug 20, 2003
    Posts: 14,846
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    Jeff Norwell
    MODERATOR
    from Palookaville
    Staff Member

    Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 7.34.08 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 7.34.18 PM.jpg Screen Shot 2015-10-07 at 7.28.57 PM.jpg One of my biggest heroes ever. Real nice man… Met Rich and his daughter at this past Autorama.
    Great man.Candyman got his pic with him.
     
    Jeff Norwell, Oct 7, 2015
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  20. SlamIam
    Joined: Oct 8, 2007
    Posts: 468
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    SlamIam
    Member
    from Kingsburg California

    My boys and I saw it run at CHRR - it has been a favorite ever since
     
    SlamIam, Oct 7, 2015
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  21. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
    Posts: 8,119
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    The "Pure Hell Farewell Tour" came to a bittersweet conclusion last weekend at the California Hot Rod Reunion (held at Auto Club Famoso Raceway in Bakersfield, CA ... Octiober 23-25, 2015).

    Pure Hell came into Sunday in the #2 spot, but Randy Bradford bumped them out with a great 6.34 ET.

    They ran next and got back in with a 6.33, and then had an agonizing wait to see if the Hough family's Nanook would bump them out again.

    As they waited at the scoreboard, Nanook went by and posted a 6.35 ... so they returned to the pits and hopped it up to give the Sullivan Fiat a run for the final.

    (Pure Hell pilot) Brian Hope did his job by leaving first, and both cars were side by side until the very end when the Sullivan car edged them out.

    Here's a few videos:

     
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2015
    HEMI32, Oct 26, 2015
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  22. HEMI32
    Joined: Sep 6, 2006
    Posts: 8,119
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    HEMI32
    Member
    from Bay Area, California
    1. HAMB Old Farts' Club
    2. The DOG - Deuce Owner's Group
    3. Landspeed Addicts
    4. Early Hemi Tech
    5. Hot Rods of The Dry Lake Era

    Rich is "officially" retired! :rolleyes: :D ...

    Gausco\'s Retirement Ride.jpg ​
     
    HEMI32, Oct 27, 2015
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  23. wingnutz
    Joined: Aug 25, 2003
    Posts: 7,634
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    wingnutz
    Member
    from In a Van down by the river (WisTexan)
    1. H.A.M.B. Chapel
    2. WISCONSON HAMBERS

    Couldn't run one more year???

    Congrats on a successful exit!

    Sent from my LG-LS980 using H.A.M.B. mobile app
     
    wingnutz, Feb 29, 2016
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  24. stanlow69
    Joined: Feb 21, 2010
    Posts: 7,348
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    stanlow69
    Member Emeritus
    from red oak Iowa

    I first saw him make a run in a smalltown dragstip in the Midwest in about 2009. When they announced his name, Me and my buddy and a few others were cheering like crazy. He arrived late(coming from Indy) to fill in a cancellation at the last minute. He then made a run and stole the show. A few hours later when they announced his name as he was about to enter the burnout box, every person in the grounds went crazy cheering. He stole the show that night and left an impression on everybody. Saw him run a few years later at Bakersfield at the Hot Rod Reunion. Put that show on your bucket list. I talked to him a little in the pits about that night. He asked if I wanted to buy an autographed picture of Pure Hell. I told him I`d rather have an Autographed picture of his Okland Show winning Roadster. I bet he didn`t expect that.
     
    stanlow69, Feb 29, 2016
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