History Rich Gausco, Pure Hell, calls it quits!

LONGTIME rodder/racer is calling it quits! The last tour of the legendary fuel altered Pure Hell is this summer. From Hemmings:

"

Posted by Daniel Strohl - Pure Hell in 1966 at Lions. Photo by Stephen Justice, courtesy Pure Hell Racing. Unlike the big-name rock band farewell reunion tours that never seem to end, Rich Guasco said he's for sure done with racing perhaps the world's most famous Fuel Altered dragster, Pure Hell, after this season. "No, man, I'm done," he said. "I'm 79 years old and I'm tired, and I've been doing this since the early 1950s." And yet, he keeps adding dates to this summer's farewell tour for Pure Hell."
more info here:


More info here: blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2015/05/21/rich-guasco-calls-it-quits-with-the-pure-hell-fuel-altered-after-53-years/?refer=news

 

if you get to see it run you'll always remember it.

 

I have seen that run and it's awesome.

 

Are my eyes playing tricks on me, or did it blow the front zoomie off? 79 years young, and still tearin' it up, Damn!

 

Thanks for the info, Gary. Anyone else having trouble with the link?

 

79? Makes me want to get off my lazy 67 year old butt and go racing!! ( the head says "yes", but the back says "fugget-a-bout it") Even the insane fuel cars today can't hold a candle to the guys that drove the true Altereds. Like the guy that drives the "Winged Express" says, hitting the gas in one of those is like pulling the pin on a hand grenade! Thanks, Rich, for all the years and all the amazing memories!

 

I have. I will.

 

I ran my '55 Gasser at Lions in '64, '65 and '66 and the crowd went wild when the fuel altereds fired up. That's part of our drag racing history that won't be duplicated. Great times.

 

Doesn't work for me either.

 

Just go to www.hemmings.com and click on blog. About half way down on the 1st page.
KK

 

The man and the car were the stuff of real legends.
The shows that this car put on are something most will never forget!!

Thanks for the wonderful memories. Jimbo

 

We properly remember Rich Guasco for Pure Hell, but he made the cover of the old "Speed Mechanics" magazine eons ago with his flathead 29 roadster, which later won the AMBR cup at Oakland, then raced fuel dragsters (getting badly hurt when a rear end turned on him), then came Pure Hell....with lots of input from the late Pete Ogden...Guasco was a hot rodder, plain and simple!!

 

Wouldn't it be great if Ryan could get Mr. Guasco to make a run, or 12, at MoKan this August? What a great addition that would be to the HAMB Drags party! -Dave

 

I bought my first flathead block from Rich, went to Pleasanton to pick it up. His workshop in his backyard is the coolest thing ever and Pure Hell sits proudly on display front and center. Nice guy, I was there a while after loading up my block and he was willing to spare some knowledge to this once novice hot rodder.

 

I wonder how much fuel that thing has burned?

 

The OP missed the leading 'B' in the link. Try this:

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...-hell-fuel-altered-after-53-years/?refer=news

 

Rich,
I never met you. I never saw your car in person make a run. But to me you are a rock star, a hero. Not unlike the admiration baseball fans have for "The Babe" or hockey fans have for "Gordie Howe" I admire the pioneers of my sport - our sport. You are truly one of those giant men of drag racing.

Happy Trails Buddy.

 

I saw Larry Huff run Pure Hell 236 @ 6.56 at Pomona in the late 90's. I know that pass is forever in my mind!

 

If anyone has NOT seen a AA/FA run - put in #1 in the bucket list. Way better then any Funny car or dragster...

 

Hope to see him run one last time at Beech Bend

 

He's earned a rest! Thanks for the memories, Rich!

 

Gotgas - thanks! The lead photo with the #2 header pipe missing also shows a mechanical fuel pump on the SBC. Was this used for push starting the car? No starter motor on it.

 

amazing, inspiration to all of us old timers, and hats off to Rich for knowing when to take the curtain. Thanks for all the excitement and enjoyment you have given the sport.

 

I looked all over that picture and can't find that pipe anywhere.

 

Rich Guasco = Ruler!

Here's the Goodguys press release (by @John D) regarding the "Pure Hell Farewell Tour" ...

Pure Hell Farewell – Goodguys Proud to Feature Guasco’s Last Ride
Tuesday, 28 April 2015 13:10

International Drag Racing Hall of Fame member Rich Guasco will embark on his “Farewell Tour” this summer and fall, campaigning the legendary “Pure Hell” Fuel Altered roadster one last season and you can be part of it! Guasco and driver Brian Hope will race Pure Hell against Ron Hope’s “Rat Trap” Fuel Altered in two special match races giving fans an opportunity to be thrilled by two of history’s most significant nitro-burning roadsters. It will be the last time you’ll see Pure Hell run so bring your camera!

​

The two precocious race cars will first square off Friday Night, June 5th at Lucas Oil Raceway @ Indianapolis. As headliners of the Goodguys Indy Nationals Friday Night Dags, they’ll go head to head at least twice, bringing fans to their feet with headler flames and plenty of thunder and excitement. Later on this year, Pure Hell and the Rat Trap will square off in a weekend-long match race battle as headliners of the Goodguys 4th Nostalgia Nationals September 18-20 at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

​

A headline-stealing race car since its 1964 debut, Rich Guasco’s Pure Hell is one of America’s longest running Fuel Altered roadsters as well as being one of drag racing’s most significate machines. Pure Hell has a best ¼ mile performance of 6.053 @ 244.74! For more visit www.purehellracing.com

"One of the most Bad Ass Fuel Altereds in the world! This shot was taken at Sears Point Raceway in
Sonoma in the early 90’s by Marc Gewertz. Larry Huff was the pilot at the time. Fire Burnouts are a
NO NO per the NHRA. We got a nice little letter from them letting us know that! This PR stunt was
hugely successful – this photo has been seen around the world!" - Marc Meadors (President / COO)​

 

I saw it run back in the 1960's and at the California Hot Rod Reunion. I wonder how much longer Mousie will bring out the Winged Express?

 

The engine in post #1 isn't a hemi, not sure when that photo was taken but I was under the impression that it always ran one.

 

If you read Daniel (@Foul) Strohl's Hemmings Blog article linked in the OP (http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/...-hell-fuel-altered-after-53-years/?refer=news), it explains that the "Pure Hell" Altered ran SBCs in 1963 through 1966 ... then switched to 392ci Chrysler HEMIs in the 1967 season.

 

The blokes in the UK got their "Pure Hell / Rich Guasco Farewell" last year ...

Pure Hell burnout at Santa Pod Raceway



Rich Guasco & Pat Coyle​

 

Rich and Pure Hell at the '13 CHRR. Pic by me.