Ray Romund

[Andamo]

This article is from the NHRA web site:

Ray Romund, one of a contingent of plucky underdog Funny Car racers who competed regularly with self-funded efforts on Southern California racetracks in the late 1970s and early 1980s, died Dec. 13 following complications from a heart attack. He was 65.

Romund suffered a heart attack Dec. 5 and was hospitalized at Western Medical Center in Santa Ana, Calif. Doctors performed a quadruple bypass surgery, but complications arose during his recovery and he ultimately passed away from those complications.

Romund first competed in the Alcohol Funny Car class before making his move to nitro with a 392-powered Pontiac Astre-bodied machine. His final “Romund’s Chariot” machine was this shovel-nosed Donovan-powered Corvette, which ran as quick as 6.18, but met a fiery end at Orange County Int’l Raceway in 1982. Romund retired from racing after the fire.

He is survived by his son Gordon Curry, daughters Judy Segoin and Amanda Gutteridge, sister Marleen, brothers Kent and Tiny, grandsons Noah, Nicholas, Broderick, Oliver, and granddaughters Miranda, Brianna, Anna, and Grace.

My condolences to the Romund family.

[jim sanders]

[pro70z28]

R.I.P. Ray

[draglist]

Sorry to hear this. I saw him race at OCIR in 1977. bp

[racersforcoffee]

Thanks Andamo. Ray was part of a cultural heritage that chose to continue in the face of diminishing local options. I'm glad he was able to stick it out to the point where OCIR was on an upswing- and could draw families of new appreciative fans who dug the 'Chariot'.