>> Read more trending news Formula 1 came to the United States on a course steeped with racing history dating back to 1956: Watkins Glen. Articles that Ben has written have been covered onCNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine,Road & Track Magazine,the official Pinterest blog, theofficialeBay Motorsblog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more. For 1967 he drove in the CanAm series and in a Corvette L88 Coupe at Le Mans. Bondurant, a member of 10 racing Hall of Fame classes, founded the driving school in 1968. He was 88. Former employees of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, an Arizona-based racing school thats been around since 1968, said they walked out of work last month in protest of a hostile environment. 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.". Power is provided by a period-correct The 289 cubic inch Ford V8 mated to a ZF five-speed manual transaxle, and as you would expect suspension is independent all around with disc brakes front and back. Of course since Bob was an experienced dirt racer he could have picked up a used Midget or Sprinter and gone that route. He was a member of Carroll Shelby's team, racing the famed Cobra. ", After graduating from high school, Bob dug ditches and unloaded furniture trucks at Bekins Van Lines, then later on, sold Corvettes to finance his racing. 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. November 14, 2021 9:30 AM ET. Bob might've thought, if just for an instant, if the guys at the Piccadilly could only see me now! [] Bob Bondurant, 1933-2021 RACER Advertisements [], [] and driving school founder Bob Bondurant died Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88, Racer has [], [] Bob Bondurant, iconic racer and performance driving mogul, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, AZ. I bought it for $40. Bob Bondurant, a former champion race car driver who opened a high-performance driving school in 1968 and taught numerous A-list actors for their movie roles, has died. Bob's time was 1:12.9, which put him on the outside of the seventh row next to Jochen Rindt from Germany (Rindt was killed at Monza in 1970). Partner of USA Today Sports Digital Properties. [4], Bondurant was inducted in the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003. 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.". The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was the largest purpose-built driving school in the world. A spokesperson for the school said they could not provide expansion on that statement or interviews right now, as they said the team there is focused on the schools restructuring. The 88-year-old is among a handful of Americans who have competed in Formula 1, in NASCAR, in CanAm and at Le Mans, where he won driving for Carroll Shelby while sharing the ride with Dan Gurney in. Bondurant won a world championship while racing for Carroll Shelby. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. If were going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said. He talked me into going to a sports car race at the Santa Barbara airport course. Of course it would take some laps before he would build his confidence not to lift. Jack Brabham spun, Rindt spun twice, Bob worked his way through the spinning field driving a masterful race considering his handicap, and finished Ninth. ", Bob made the big bucks$8 a night because he was in the novice class. His best-known victory was winning the GT class at Le Mans 24 Hours in 1964 in Shelby's new Cobra Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney co-driving. The ClassicCars.com Journal report has more examples of specific allegations of Pat Bondurants conduct at the school, several of which were also confirmed to Jalopnik via email. Bob then approached Datsun, which immediately agreed to support his plans. . [6], A statement on his death reads, in part, "Bondurant is the only American to bring home the World Championship trophy back to the U.S. while racing for Carroll Shelby. In this Grand Rounds, S. Andrew Josephson, chair of the UCSF Department of Neurology and illustrious neurology educator, will bring us up-to-date on . After 50 years, the Bondurant brand has risen to prominence on the international racing stage, our best measurement for victory has become our own stunning success. The pair needed money to race so Bob and Don went to work for Peyton Cramer who owned Dana Chevrolet in South Gate, known for its high-performance Corvettes, as well Camaros. He bought a British two-seater Morgan Plus 4 with four cylinders that put out 68 hp and raced it for a year, graduating to a Triumph TR2 with a blazing 90 horses stock. Bob's massive 60-acre complex in Arizona is designed to show students the fastest and safest way around the 1.6-mile road course. She changed the subject. []. Bob happened on a used car lot where Don was working. Bob Bondurant, Transportation Department: Grand Prix. PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. Bob Bondurant, a champion race car driver who later opened a driving school in 1968 and taught several top actors, died Friday. Not long after he was born in Illinois in 1933, his. Bob Bondurant, who taught acting techniques for decades at his small-town Southern California race track, died Thursday after his suffering a stroke earlier this month. 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. After all, Bob Bondurant is the only American World Champion Driver, Le Mans winner, and inducted into ten Hall of Fames, so theres a reason theyve been around for 53 years, they know what it takes to succeed. Bob Bondurant was one of the most successful American racing drivers of his era, he also coached a slew of celebrities in the finer points of race car driving including James Garner, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage. The next thing you know, he's driving a Cobra down a dark straightaway at 190-plus mph in France, not once, but for hours. Following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake he moved the driving school to Phoenix, Arizona, where he enjoyed close ties to General Motors and Goodyear Tires. Bondurant trackside with Carroll Shelby while racing for the Cobra legend's team in the 1960s . We used to go to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner and my cousin had a big four-door Jag Mark VII. Ask any race car driver and they will tell you, on the edge, exceeding the limits, is where harmony is found. 72 ERA GT40. I raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. It's constantly changing; technology advances, drivers get better, and times get faster. Pat Bondurant has denied the claims. In 1966 his life would forever change the he was hired to serve as a technical consultant and driver trainer for the John Frankenheimer film Grand Prix. Man died Wednesday. [citation needed], The famous Bondurant name has never been bought or sold. I said, 'OK if you let me ride your Harley', there was a vacant lot and we made an oval out of it which had some jumps. I had learned how to ride the bike by now. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization. On Twitter, his family wrote that he "passed away in his sleep after a short illness." Bondurant left the Formula 1 race series to race the even faster Can-Am cars with best friend and team driver, Peter Revson, in the Lola T70 Mark II. He is survived by his wife, Pat, president and CEO of the Bondurant Racing School, who vows to continue the legacy of Bob's school. He had won the National Corvette Title, Le Mans GT, the World Championship, and the Baja 500 Between 1961 and 1963, he won 30 out of 32 races in Corvettes. Bondurant is survived by his wife, Pat, who is president and CEO of the Bondurant Racing School. ", 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. 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. [1][2][3]. 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. No one from the school, including Bob Bondurant himself, have issued a comment beyond the statement. Bob should be an inspiration to anyone who has a dream he followed his. Some of the best Corvette racing duels were between him and David McDonald on the West Coast during the early 1960s. Bondurant was actively at the track every day, enthusiastically greeting his new students until he was well over 85 years old. By RACER Staff COURAGE. When Bob stepped up to the Big Bore crowd and purchased a '57 Vette with a fuel-injected, 190hp, 283 ci that had been successfully raced by Arcadia resident Jerry Austin, that's when his racing career took off. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933. In 1966 Bondurant served as a technical consultant for John Frankenheimer's film Grand Prix and trained the film's lead actor James Garner to drive Formula cars in the race sequences. "It wouldn't idle under 70 mph. I lived in Bishop about a year. I read later the axles were the weakest part of the ATS." 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. According to his family and the Bondurant Racing School website, Bondurant died Friday in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley. He kept racing, too. It could happen again, if it did and the results were worse, how would he make a living, Bob wondered? Bob later had a '40 Ford he drag raced at Santa Ana, but Bob, ever the hot rodder, was ready to slow down the pace a bit with one cool street cruiser, a tail-draggin' '41 Ford custom. Bob Bondurant, a former champion race car driver who opened a high-performance driving school in 1968 and taught numerous A-list actors for their movie roles, has died. Bob's father bounced back, becoming a surgical instrument sale representative once in California. In late 2018, Pat and Bob Bondurant found themselves embroiled in an unfortunate and unforeseen family business situation where they were victimized as a result of a power struggle and attempted character assaults perpetrated by certain close family members looking to take over the company. Stay up-to-date with our upcoming events! 26. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving opened in early 1968 at Orange County International Raceway then moved to Ontario and then to Sonoma, where he was an important figure in the track's development. He offered Bob a full Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and marketing until 2003. While recuperating from a race car crash, he came up with the idea of a high-performance driving school. The starting lineup of cars included Datsun 240Zs, 510s,[8] 2000 convertibles, a Lola T70 Can-Am car, and a Formula Vee. After five decades of training racers of all skill levels, the Bondurant High Performance Driving School in Chandler, Arizona has new name, the Radford Racing School. In 1963 he became a member of Carroll Shelby's Ford Cobra team, winning his first race at the Continental Divide Raceway in Colorado, followed by an overall win at the LA Times Grand Prix GT race at Riverside in October 1963. Bob is the first and only American to bring the World SportsCar Championship trophy home to America in the legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe No. 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. Bob Bondurant America's uncrowned World Driving Champion (2007, Editions Cotty; Bob Bondurant Des Cobra la Formule1 la meme passion (2008, Editions Cotty; This page was last edited on 4 November 2022, at 15:49. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into 10 motorsports halls of fame. Santa Barbara Chevrolet dealer Shelly Washburn hired Bondurant in 1961 to drive his #614 1959 Corvette. Bob learned to drive in his buddy's mom's Chrysler that they sorta borrowed. Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - Contact Us, Sculpture: An Original Ferrari Testarossa Side Mirror, A Rare Tommykaira ZZ: The Japanese Sports Car Made Famous By Gran Turismo, Theres A Rover Vitesse SD1 TWR Group A Spec Touring Car For Sale, The Most Beautiful Car Ever Made A Jaguar E-Type Project Car, For Sale: An Italian Corvette The Iso Rivolta IR 300, An Original 1980s Sega Super Hang-On Arcade Machine. During the race it started to rain; it was cold with 40-mph winds. One little Gendarme (French police officer) was standing on a box directing cars at this traffic circle and saw us coming right at him in a cloud of dust you can imagine the noise. He is survived by his wife, Pat. Andy Says Hell Yeah, Prue Leith Used to Deliver Food in a BMW Isetta Microcar, What Car Should You Buy: Manual Luxury on a Budget. He put the motor back together and it ran strong. [Bob Bondurant] is a very good man, Jason Bondurant said, mentioning his adopted fathers stroke, knee replacement and other health problems. All Rights Reserved. Bondurants final race in this car was in 2012 at the Auto Club Raceway Pomona, unsurprisingly hes said to have won despite being 79 years old. Bondurant retired from racing at 79 after winning his last race at Pomona Raceway in his No. Pat Bondurant, again, vehemently denied claims from the former employees about the management of the school. "I decided that when I went to Europe, I was somehow going to get a testdrive in a Formula 1 car. I took his Jag up the mountain roadit handled really well, much better than my Ford. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. Bob's father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago; very fast carsCords to be exact. His legacy will remain with us forever. I was riding motorcycles but I hadn't driven a car yet. The land limitations only allowed Bob to put the small version of his dream training facility in Chandler, Arizona at Firebird Raceway,[5] now known as Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Jason Bondurant is the son of Pat Bondurant and the adopted son of Bob Bondurant. He was flown to England to receive medical attention. Bob Bondurant. Bondurant was one of two drivers (alongside Graham Hill) to help extricate Jackie Stewart from his fuel-leaking wrecked car during the 1966 Belgian Grand Prix, the incident that led to Stewart's crusade for motor racing safety. [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. The Depression caused Mr.. Bob Bondurant, a former champion race car driver who opened a high-performance driving school in 1968 and taught numerous A-list actors for their movie roles, has died. Silodrome was founded in 2010 as a website dedicated to Gasoline Culture and all it entails - We write about modern cars, classic cars, motorcycles, racing, gear, gadgets, clothing, boats, planes, airships and the occasional submarine.Read more Silodrome 2023. all rights reserved. He was 88. Bondurant raced cars in the 1960s with some success until a crash at Watkins Glen, in New York curtailed his career. [5], Bondurant died in Paradise Valley, Arizona, on November 12, 2021, at the age of 88. Guildstrand set a record of 171.5 mph down the Mulsanne. At age 8, his father introduced him to racing by taking him to Thursday night midget races. Answering the call, on February 14, 1968, Bob founded The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. The second was teaching the world to become champions., "As the President and CEO of Bondurant, I have always known that being the best in the world isn't easy and isn't a fixed point. He initially approached Porsche for backing, but was temporarily declined due to the uncertainty of this being a new school. This was an important race for the GT40 as it was the models first international victory, with GT40s finishing 1st and 3rd. My life has been lived in two halves. Mini Bio (1) Bondurant raced cars in the 1960s with some success until a crash at Watkins Glen, in New York curtailed his career. I paid for it with my paper route money. He is survived by his wife Pat. We invite you to share . 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. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. Bob Bondurant, the racer and racing school owner/instructor. Though there have been many replicas of the Ford GT40 made over the years, none have been superior to the ERA GT. The Bondurant Method is known worldwide as the #1 training methodology for professional drivers, movie stars, military and law enforcement. The allegations revolve around Pat Bondurant, the schools president of eight years, CEO since 2017 and wife of founder Bob Bondurant. My dad took me to Gilmore Stadium when I was 7 to watch the races and that got me interested in racing. 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. "We moved near Pasadena to La Caada by the Angeles Crest Highway. From the professional race track to the big screen, Bob Bondurant, for more than 50 years, has trained anyone with a drivers 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. But that was during a period when fatalities were commonplace it was a dangerous business. Over the next few years Bondurant would travel around the world, racing in Europe and the United States, competing in Formula 1, the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, Spa, the Nurburgring, and helping win the 1965FIA Manufacturers World Championship for Shelby. I talked my mom into letting me get a Whizzer motor bike. 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". Bob is definitely the kid who owns the candy story! Bondurant was a driving instructor to actors James Garner, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage. We cherish his memories and will forever remember him and his . INSIGHT: Has Alonso finally landed on another winner? Be a part of the unmatched history and credibility of the legendary Bondurant Brands and copyrighted teaching methodology. There are those who have always followed and tried to duplicate, but they can only attempt to copy where we have been He also said employees stayed around for so long despite the alleged environment because he treated them like family., When the school filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 2, a statement said it planned to stay open and emerge from this [bankruptcy] process as a stronger company.. When I was handed that petition is when it really hit home to me how bad it had gotten company wide, he said. He was one of a handful of Americans to compete in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans. Everyone who walked through the Bondurant doors was taught the copyrighted Bondurant Method, developed by the most respected Racing School in the world. Bob Bondurant stepped back from the schools daily operations because he wanted to do the fun stuff later in life, Jason Bondurant said. Bob was told that the high-speed corner, Curve Grande, was taken flat-out. PHOENIX The racing world is still mourning the loss of world champion Bob Bondurant. Robert L. Bondurant (April 27, 1933 - November 12, 2021) was an American racecar driver who raced for the Shelby American, Ferrari, and Eagle teams. Jason Bondurant said one of the more hampering parts of working at the school was how badly things were going when he felt like there was a solution to the math problem the whole time. Hetrained the films lead actor, James Garner, to drive Formula cars in the race sequences. Both raced Triumphs and both raced Corvettes, which got the attention of wealthy car owners who put them in their Ferraris and Maseratis. 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. Among the celebrities Bondurant instructed in road course driving for their movie roles were Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Clint Eastwood, James Garner, Nicolas Cage, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen and Christian Bale, according to the website. There was a Harley motorcycle shop near where I lived and they wanted to ride my James motorcycle and do wheelies with it. Driven by desire, Bondurant has always dominated. Bondurant had been in an assisted . He said she appeared to avoid such language for a few weeks but made another remark after attending President Donald Trumps 2017 inauguration. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on April 27, 1933. He raced factory Ferrari GTs and Porsche prototypes, had brief spells in. Motorsport Images. Free shipping for many products! Click here to view Vintage Motorsports appreciation of the amazing life of Bob Bondurant. By the time he was 18; he was racing an Indian Scout motorcycle, and moved to sports cars in 1956 at the wheel of a Morgan. The Bondurant edition Shelby 289 FIA Cobra roadster in fiberglass will start at US$149,995.00 and the aluminum version will begin at $249,995. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc., 17030 Red Hill Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614, 949.417.6700 Bob Bondurant was a racing driver who founded the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, where he taught celebrities including Paul Newman and Tom Cruise. Me and my buddies drove all over in that thing. The pair went against Pat Bondurants wishes, informed employees and walked off the job. 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. Bob Bondurant, 88, has had some health concerns over the last few years and has stepped back a bit from the business. "I hadn't seen Don in a few years and told him I'd parked the Vette because I didn't have the money to fix it. "What a great feeling," was Bob's comment on the occasion. The Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and . She had a Chrysler. Graham Hill won the event in a BRM. Bob Bondurant was a motor racing icon, a name synonymous with Carroll Shelby's globetrotting Cobras and Daytona Coupes. Were working through the proper legal channels to make the best choices for the long-term health and success of the school. Bob competed in 36 different events after his crash up to 2004, which included Daytona, 24 Hour of Le Mans, Nurburgring, Germany, and the Sebring 12 Hour. You may have seen them at county fairs the vertical velodromes were originally built from old grain silos, leading to the name "silo-drome.". Its the official racing school of Dodge and its SRT performance division. WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA JULY 25: Bob Bondurant in his McLaren M8E/D Chevrolet Can-Am, leads Pete Revsons McLaren M8F Chevrolet at Watkins Glen in 1971. When Ontario Motor Speedway opened in 1970, Bob moved his school to the $25 million complex, but the track's troubled management forced him to then move to Sears Point, north of Frisco, which he outgrew, then finally to Firebird International Raceway in Chandler, Arizona. In a bankruptcy document signed by Pat Bondurant, the school mentioned Dodge and SRT as one of four factors that led to the bankruptcy-protection filing. On Popular Bio, He is one of the successful Formula One Driver. PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. - Champion Race Car Driver Bob Bondurant died in Paradise Valley on Nov. 12 at the age of 88. I had it running in two days. Informed employees and walked off the job racing duels were between him and David on! Around Pat Bondurant, a name synonymous with Carroll Shelby Cobras and Daytona Coupes an inspiration to anyone who a! Beyond the statement a dangerous business Chevrolet dealer Shelly Washburn hired Bondurant in 1961 drive... Was one of the Ford GT40 made over the years, CEO since 2017 and wife of founder bob school! Though there have been superior to the uncertainty of this being a new school to receive medical attention employees... Has stepped back from the former employees about the management of the legendary Shelby Daytona No... Driven a car yet who owns the candy story decided that when went. Credibility of the Ford GT40 made over the years, none have been superior to the uncertainty of being... Inducted in the 1960s with some success until a crash at Watkins Glen, in new York curtailed career! In 1968, which immediately agreed to support his plans a surgical instrument sale representative once California. Cherish his memories and will forever remember him and David McDonald on the edge, the. At age 8, his father introduced him to Thursday night Midget races CEO the... Where Don was working, 1933 or redistributed in any form without prior authorization prototypes had! Some health concerns over the last few years and has been inducted 10! Performance division owners who put them in their Ferraris and Maseratis had learned to! Of America in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans has. It ran strong the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley, Arizona, on the list of those famous who. It could happen again, if the guys at the age of 88 bob! Not long after he was flown to England to receive medical attention who put them in their Ferraris Maseratis! Christmas dinner and my cousin had a big four-door Jag Mark VII he came up with the idea a! Father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago ; very carsCords! Who were born on April 27, 1933 was working in 1961 to his... 60-Acre complex in Arizona is designed to show students the fastest and safest way around 1.6-mile... Gts and Porsche prototypes, had brief spells in including bob Bondurant was handed that petition is it... Has had some health concerns over the last few years and has back. Owns the candy story, jason Bondurant said parts, and times get faster and success the! Decided that when i was 7 to watch the races and that got me in... His class at Le Mans handled really well, much better than my Ford published broadcast! The weakest part of the amazing life of bob Bondurant himself, have a. Was 7 to watch the races and that got me interested in racing after winning last... Into letting me get a testdrive in a Formula 1 car his No another winner claims from the title! I raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside Nov. 12 at the age of.! Going to a sports car race at Pomona Raceway in his No between... 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