The copyrighted Bondurant teaching method caters to professional drivers, military, law enforcement, and actors. Lying in the hospital bed with broken bones didn't break his desire to get back on track, in more ways than one. She changed the subject. []. There were no driving schools then," Bob laughs. "We get off the plane at the Paris-Orly Airport and there was just a small diesel truck but no trailer and an Opel waiting for us. It was boring because you'd run down the dragstripthat part was great, but then it took a half-hour before you got to do it again.". [1] In 1968, it was originally located at Orange County International Raceway in California, later moving to Ontario Motor Speedway in 1970, and to Sears Point International Raceway in 1973. [5] Bob Bondurant's copyrighted method taught competition driving . I raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside. In the same year he drove a works Ferrari Formula 1 car during the United States Grand Prix at Watkins Glen, and handled a Lotus 33 for Reg Parnell at the following Mexican race. The new owners a . There was still no real comment about the closure itself until last week, when multiple employees of the Arizona driving school told the Arizona-based ClassicCars.com Journal about the claimed walkout a month after it happened. Bondurant had four NASCAR starts, all at Riverside International Raceway, with his highest finish of 18th in 1981. Others followed suit, which forced the brief closure. I talked my mom into letting me get a Whizzer motor bike. He was 88. Bondurant sustained serious rib, leg, foot and, most seriously, back injuries in the subsequent accident in which his car flipped eight times. Bob Bondurant, Bondurant School, Industry, Race highlights of 2023 MX-5 Cup Round 2 at Daytona International Speedway, Garage 56 coach role more about give and take for Jordan Taylor, RACER's 2023 IndyCar season preview: Dale Coyne Racing. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. [citation needed], The current operators of the formerly leased facility have renamed the facility and has no affiliation with Bob Bondurant or the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving/ Bondurant Racing School. The Bondurant team, along with many friends, fans, graduates, journalists, celebrities, an. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2. More importantly, he was in hot rod country that flourished 365 days a year rather than the "Windy City" area whose average temp was 49 degrees F. "I was always into cars and motorcycles. Bob Bondurant is a member of 10 Racing Hall of Fames and founded the famous driving school in 1968, teaching with his copyrighted Bondurant Method. This racing school is still going strong today and you can enroll for training here. He is survived by his wife, Pat, president and CEO of the Bondurant Racing School, who vows to continue the legacy of Bobs school. At Le Mans he led the GT class until a wrist pin failed putting the car out in the early morning. While recuperating, Bondurant drafted an idea for a high performance driving school borrowing from the experiences he had while training James Garner for Grand Prix. Bondurant began his racing career as many did in the United States, riding an American built motorcycle around an oval track. ", Bob acquired the ultimate for any hot rodder, a severely chopped '34 Ford three-window coupe: "I found a chopped-and-channeled '34 coupe on a used car lot and I went drag racing with it at Santa Ana. Complete Formula One World Championship results, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, "Legendary World Driving Champion Bob Bondurant to Open New Location of Famed Racing School", "Bob Bondurant 'iconic American racing hero' dies at 88 in Paradise Valley", Bondurant Driving & Racing School Programs, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bob_Bondurant&oldid=1120005560, North American Racing Team Formula One drivers, Anglo American Racers Formula One drivers, SCCA National Championship Runoffs participants, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles lacking reliable references from November 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. "A buddy's mother would go to the movies every Thursday night. This is an ERA GT that was built for Bob Bondurant, it was driven by the famed American racing driver a number of times and kept in his private collection. Jack Brabham spun, Rindt spun twice, Bob worked his way through the spinning field driving a masterful race considering his handicap, and finished Ninth. For 50 years, the Bondurant Racing Schoo l was a place where car enthusiasts and regular drivers could satisfy their need for speed on a closed track. American racing legend Bob Bondurant has passed away aged 88. This team, driven to exceed all expectations, set out to bring the most exhilarating, inspiring, school of high-performance driving to motor sports fans around the world. Answering the call, on February 14, 1968, Bob founded The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. At 62, Bob grabbed a Third place podium finish at Road Atlanta in a Saleen Mustang in 1995. But that was during a period when fatalities were commonplace it was a dangerous business. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. He kept racing, too. In the interim, Bob did get back on track (or the horse so to speak), knowing he had a growing business to fall back on should anything catastrophic happen again, entering a Can-Am race June 1970 driving a Chevy Lola T160. It was really cool because I could do wheelies with it. In 1973, Bob moved his already famous school to the track he purchased, Sears Point International Raceway (now Infineon Raceway) near Sonoma, CA in 1973. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Formula One Driver. The ClassicCars.com Journal report includes numerous detailed, on-the-record accounts from multiple former employees, and many of those accounts are substantiated in the sites comment section. Nissan Motor Company (under Datsun name in the U.S.) was Bondurant's sponsoring partner in his school from its beginning, and continued in that role at the Sonoma Raceway driving school. Paul Newman and Robert Wagner were the third and fourth students to enroll in the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving for the movie "Winning". The first was becoming a World Champion driver. Image courtesy of the Bondurant Archives. Bob Bondurant was a motor racing icon, a name synonymous with Carroll Shelby's globetrotting Cobras and Daytona Coupes. November 14, 2021 / 2:02 PM I got a Model A roadster body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking in Bishop and put it together. He raced the Shelby Cobra CSX2345 through the 1964-1965 racing circuits and locked in more wins than anyone else on Shelby's team. He said you buy the crank and I'll put the motor back together, and for every race you win I won't charge you. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933. I actually live in Gilbert so I let her know. The Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and . She said, 'You can't do that.' ", Bob knew the circuit well, having raced Le Mans in 1964, winning the GT Class in a Ford Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney. The Scottish World Champion, Jim Clark, was on the pole with a time of 1:11.35 around the 2.3-mile circuit. (But this was Formula 1, it's supposed to rain, be windy, and cold.). "They had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes. Tim Rose, the former general manager of the school, also told the abovestory to Jalopnik. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston on April 27, 1933. The name Bob Bondurant is synonymous with the Shelby Cobra. Bob happened on a used car lot where Don was working. The Great Depression altered countless lives and maybe some for the better. It's either me or the motorcycle.' Now thats doing your business in luxury. April 10, 2022 | Fort Lauderdale, FL | Friend. The document said the primary factor was the schools inability to pay rent in September without jeopardizing its ability to do payroll and expenses, and others were a training contract from the U.S. government canceled with little warning, inconsistent payments from primary sponsors Dodge and Fiat, Dodge requiring the school to return its Vipers for safety and regulatory reasons, and a potential investor agreement that hasnt been reached yet. Its a car that was developed to be indistinguishable from the original, despite the fact that it has a stronger chassis, a more heavy duty body, and even optional air-conditioning. When Bob wasnt using the car on track it was stabled in the Bondurant Museum, where it was seen by countless thousands of visitors over the years. He raced motorcycles on dirt tracks as a teenager before switching to cars in 1958 and racing for the Shelby American, Ferrari and Eagle teams. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was initially opened by World Champion and ten time hall of fame inductee Bob Bondurant at the Orange County International Raceway near Los Angeles, CA under the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving name. Since February 14th, 1968, Bondurant has been the premier driver-training destination for everyone from racing professionals looking for that winning edge to daily commuters seeking to become more proficient behind the wheel. Me and my buddies drove all over in that thing. "I talked my mom into letting me get a '32 Chevy roadster when I was in junior high; at 14 you could get a Junior Operating License. From the professional race track to the big screen, Bob Bondurant, for more than 50 years, has trained anyone with a driver's license and a set of keys to handle any vehicle at extremely high speeds by combining the oft-chased union of precision, safety and self-confidence. Bob Bondurant, Transportation Department: Grand Prix. We damn near blew him off the box but he gives us this great big French salute. "Bob Bondurant has had a worldwide impact on the motorsports industry, and his legacy will live on eternally as the Bondurant Racing School moves forward into the future," Phoenix Raceway President Julie Giese said in a statement. If you leave, youre leaving on your own. He drove for Carroll Shelby and teamed with Dan Gurney. Bob is definitely the kid who owns the candy story! The Bondurants intend to reopen their school under an all-new ownership and management structure, at an exciting new location, and are currently entertaining investor inquiries on opportunities to purchase the Bondurant Trademark License Rights. The car you see here isnt an original GT40, its a replica built by ERA GT for Bondurant in the same specification and livery of the car he drove at Daytona in 1965. Bondurant passed away at the age of 88 and is survived by his wife, Pat, President and CEO of the. Graham Hill won the event in a BRM. Man died Wednesday. Here are allegations of more general derogatory comments, via the ClassicCars.com Journal report: Two years ago, on the advice of an external human relations company, Jason Bondurant said he sent his mother home for two weeks after a worker overheard her making racist comments. Badly injured in a 1967 crash at the racetrack in Watkins Glen, New York, Bondurant drafted an idea for a high-performance driving school while recuperating. Both raced Triumphs and both raced Corvettes, which got the attention of wealthy car owners who put them in their Ferraris and Maseratis. Motorsport Images. Legendary American racing driver Bob Bondurants name will be forever linked with the Ford GT40, a car he drove at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965, helping the team win theInternational Championship for GT Manufacturers. By 12 years old, his parents were divorced, and he persuaded his mother to purchase a Whizzer electric bike to deliver his newspapers faster. We're blasting down the road in a red, white, and blue Corvette with the side exhaust pipes making a huge amount of noise down a lot of dirt roads. ", Guildstrand and Bob decided to fill the Corvette's tank with essence (fuel) and drive it to Le Mans. I moved to Bishop, California, where I was living with my Aunt Ella. "[4], (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap). He was a member of Carroll Shelby's team, racing the famed Cobra. That's when other car owners took notice of Bob's driving ability. This story has been updated with allegations from the Bondurant schools former general manager, Tim Rose, and comment from FCA. Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois. Bob Bondurant was one of the most successful American racing drivers of his era, he also coached a slew of celebrities This is Bob Bondurant at Riverside Raceway with the Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965. The catalyst of the walkout was this, according to the ClassicCars.com Journals conversation with the schools vice president Jason Bondurant: Jason Bondurant said he and former financial controller Lavida Arvizu were instructed by Pat Bondurant not to tell employees the school was running out of funds as she mulled filing for Chapter 7, which would have immediately shut down operations. This is a Porsche 959 tool kit containing all the items you might need for roadside repairs and tinkering though its perhaps doubtful, This is an original Ferrari Testarossa side mirror thats been mounted to a black carbon base, and signed by Gervadino Design. In 1956 he switched to sports car racing with a Morgan and started to attract attention when he won the West Coast "B" production Championship, in a Chevrolet Corvette winning 18 out of 20 races. It featured a 15-turn, 1.6-mile road course, an eight-acre asphalt pad for advanced training with more than 100 race-prepared vehicles, sedans, and open-wheel cars. Some of the best Corvette racing duels were between him and David McDonald on the West Coast during the early 1960s. [citation needed], The famous Bondurant name has never been bought or sold. Jason Bondurant also told Jalopnik that he didnt lead the employee walkout, but rather gave Pat Bondurant a pre-planned ultimatum that Monday that either he was staying at the school or she was. This is Bob Bondurant at Riverside Raceway with the Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965. A man who made his F1 debut in a Ferrari no less and won Le Mans in a Shelby Cobra Daytona alongside Dan Gurney. Bob Bondurant. The walkout, he claimed, included all of the employees at work that day26 including the night shift. Bondurant, who passed away Nov. 12, at the age of 88, collected an enviable pile of trophies throughout the decades competing at tracks like the Nrburgring, Le Mans and Sebring, and in series including NASCAR CanAm and Formula 1. [citation needed], The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving has graduated over 500,000 drivers since its opening in 1968. Racer.com traced his life story: [], [] driving school founder Bob Bondurant died Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88,Racerhas [], [] and driving school founder Bob Bondurant died Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88, Racer has learned.The son of a car dealer, Bondurant began racing in Corvettes on the West Coast in the [], Bob Bondurant, 1933-2021 RACER - Jakhala.com, Racing legend Bob Bondurant lifeless at 88 Abrar Gadget Shop, Racing legend Bob Bondurant dead at 88 AutoSector.com , BOB BONDURANT 1933-2021 The Road Racing Drivers Club, Racing legend Bob Bondurant dead at 88 - Aftermarket Alloy Wheels, Racing legend Bob Bondurant dead at 88 Born To Be Wild, All contents copyright 2023, Racer Media & Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. Our goal is always to be better than we were before because looking forward doesn't just happen on race day; it happens every day.". "I even tried selling insurance once, but that was boring. Funeral plans were not immediately available Sunday. Her feeling was that was why we were attracting lower-caliber people I asked whats wrong with Gilbert and she said that is where the poor people live. ATS was formed by disenchanted team members who broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill. The Depression caused Mr. Bondurant (and Cord) to fall victim to hard times when he lost his business, telling the family, we're going to move as far west as we can. He then rose to the highest level in racing with Ferrari in Formula 1 and prototypes. This as around the time he caught the attention of Carroll Shelby, who was looking to hire the best drivers he could find for his new Ford Cobra team. In Evanston on April 27, 1933 when other car owners who put them in their Ferraris and.! Many friends, fans, graduates, journalists, celebrities, an with many friends, fans,,. In 1968 and me get a Whizzer motor bike followed suit, which forced the brief closure icon a. 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