"I didn't think about the accident until we were doing the cool-off lap at the end of the race," he recalled. "I did a jump on my bike and the springer fork came off and I went end-over-end, put the fork back together, and rode home. Bob should be an inspiration to anyone who has a dream he followed his. "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. Since then, the school has taught the copyrighted "Bondurant Method" with its lineup of instructors. He didn't have the money to fix it but his motorcycle mechanic friend Don who built the hot motor for his 101 Scout came to the rescue. But on Monday, the high-performance driving . In 1968 Bob Bondurant founded the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving and set out to establish one company, working as one team to be the best in the world. Some of the best Corvette racing duels were between him and David McDonald on the West Coast during the early 1960s. Were confident that once all of the legal matters are behind us and the school emerges from the restructuring, the truth will be told through the proper channels.. Im telling you, I know this wouldve never happened.. If my dad was mentally there like he was [then], we would have never gotten to this place. He participated four times at 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing best in 1964 in the fourth place overall, and . Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. 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. Hetrained the films lead actor, James Garner, to drive Formula cars in the race sequences. I talked my mom into letting me get a Whizzer motor bike. PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. - Champion Race Car Driver Bob Bondurant died in Paradise Valley on Nov. 12 at the age of 88. I was taking my buddy around the track and said, 'This is really great isn't it?' His mothers death left him inconsolable, which is where the seed of his fearlessness was realized. She said to me that we should stop hiring people from Chandler or Gilbert, Arvizu wrote. Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and has graduated celebrities for car movies like James Garner, Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Nicolas Cage, and Christian Bale, along with over 500,000 graduates from around the world. [5] Bob Bondurant's copyrighted method taught competition driving, police pursuit driving, evasive driving for chauffeurs and bodyguards, stunt driving, and other courses.[6][7]. He also said Bob Bondurant, 85, isn't in the. My life has been lived in two halves. 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. I checked the board to see where I qualified; I wasn't on the Novice board. We damn near blew him off the box but he gives us this great big French salute. In 1976, the President of Ford Motor Company convinced Bob to no longer use the Datsun's since he won the World Championship in cars powered by Ford. Bob was a special man who radiated his love for God and his beautiful wife Pat. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933. 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. (Update: A Fiat Chrysler spokesperson said that due to the ongoing litigation, the company cannot comment on the claims in the bankruptcy documents.). "[4], (key) (Races in bold indicate pole position; races in italics indicate fastest lap). He'd fallen out of the car! Bob was then inducted as the youngest member of the Galloping Gooses, which eventually became Hells Angels. At 23 years old, he discovered that he had more control with four wheels than he did with two, and his racing career began in a Morgan Plus 4. Friday, November 12, 2021, the world lost an iconic American racing hero, Bob Bondurant. 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". America's iconic World Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona. I handed them $5, they handed me a Competition License and said, 'Now you can go racing.' Bondurant won a world championship while racing for Carroll Shelby. I actually live in Gilbert so I let her know. He was 88. While recuperating from a race car crash, he came up with the idea of a high-performance driving school. 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. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten motorsports halls of fame. The Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and has graduated celebrities for car movies like James Garner, Paul Newman, Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage, and Christian Bale, along with over 500,000 graduates from around the world. Something went wrong. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten motorsports halls of fame. Always in the back of his mind was going to Santa Barbara to watch the sports cars races, so Bob decided to try racing sports cars. The ERA GT uses a bespoke chassis closely based on the design of the original except its made from thicker gauge stainless steel to protect it against rusting. Of course it would take some laps before he would build his confidence not to lift. COURAGE. There are those who have always followed and tried to duplicate, but they can only attempt to copy where we have been Right now, Bondurant's class sizes are about 60 percent full,. While driving a McLaren at Watkins Glen, the car's steering arm fails at around 150 mph, which . It's either me or the motorcycle.' This marks the second driving school in just over a. If were going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said. Bondurant once said, My life has been lived in two halves. ClassicCars.com posted a picture of a note taped to the school's door indicating the closure. In those days there were as many as 35 Vettes on the track at the same time. Bob Bondurant 's wife, Patricia Bondurant, was serving at the school's president and CEO when the company filed for bankruptcy. 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. Bondurant had been in an assisted . Free shipping for many products! 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. Not long after he was born in Illinois in 1933, his. Bondurant enjoyed this experience and it led to him starting the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, over the years that followed he would train a slew of other celebrities, some of whom went on to become championship-winning racing drivers in their own right. Bob Bondurant, Transportation Department: Grand Prix. 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. PHOENIX The racing world is still mourning the loss of world champion Bob Bondurant. After he regained consciousness, Bob crawled out of the ravine, saw the hole in the hedge where the car went throughit was sitting with the windscreen and rollbar sheared off. 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. 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. 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. He offered Bob a full Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and marketing until 2003. In response to the claims that employees feared they wouldnt get paid without Jason Bondurant or Arvizu, Shaffer told ClassicCars.com Journal Bondurant never missed or were late on a payroll, citing school records. We vehemently deny the allegations that have been made by a handful of former employees about how the school was being managed. We invite you to share . We started winning races. The family has requested privacy at this time. / CBS San Francisco. Bob realized his dream, opening the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving at Orange County Raceway on Valentine's Day 1968 with a Vee-Dub van (minus the peace signs and daisies), a Datsun 510, and a Formula V for starters. 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. As a resulting worse-case scenario, the schools assets were sold off in 2019. 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. It's constantly changing; technology advances, drivers get better, and times get faster. SAI teammates Dave MacDonald and Bob Bondurant co-drive Shelby Cobra Roadster CSX2136 - jointly entered by Steve McQueen & Carroll Shelby - to a 1st in GT & . I delivered the Hollywood newspaper on my Schwinn bicycle," Bob begins. Robert L. Bondurant (April 27, 1933 - November 12, 2021) was an American racecar driver who raced for the Shelby American, Ferrari, and Eagle teams. What Bob Bondurant started 22 years ago as a part-time business for a crippled race driver--a driving school at Orange County Raceway with three Datsuns and a Formula Vee--has turned into a . Bondurant was one of the most famous drivers to emerge from the Southern California road racing scene in the 1950s, and achieved success in North America and in Europe. He initially approached Porsche for backing, but was temporarily declined due to the uncertainty of this being a new school. He opened the school in early 1968 at California's Orange County International Raceway, then moved it to Ontario, California and later Sonoma, north of San Francisco. Bondurant, 88, passed away last week unexpectedly and leaves behind his wife Pat Bondurant. Bondurant also raced in Formula 1 for Ferrari before moving to Can-Am with Peter Revson in the Lola T70 Mark II. Bob Bondurant was a racing driver who founded the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, where he taught celebrities including Paul Newman (1925-2008) and Tom Cruise. 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. Bob's father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago; very fast carsCords to be exact. The copyrighted Bondurant teaching method caters to professional drivers, military, law enforcement, and actors. You're right, that's "tea bagger" stuff but wait! We may earn a commission from links on this page. 2023 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. "There was a road on the outskirts of Bishop off Highway 2 where there was a dirt oval track that ran jalopy 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. Ask any race car driver and they will tell you, on the edge, exceeding the limits, is where harmony is found. 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. Jason Bondurant also said employees are looking at their options for legal action in regards to the alleged hostile workplace environment, but that some fear retaliation from Pat Bondurant. He drove for Carroll Shelby and teamed with Dan Gurney. Bondurant), Jack Bondurant's daughters, Emmie Lee Gagni . A buddy had a car so we towed it with a rope around a corner to my house and the rear wheels came off. 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. This marks the second driving school in just over. The new owners a . By RACER Staff He finished the Formula One season in North America in two races, driving an Eagle for Dan Gurney's Anglo American Racers. Bob Bondurant, a former champion race car driver who opened a high-performance driving school in Orange County in 1968 and taught numerous A-list actors how to drive fast for their movie roles,. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston on April 27, 1933. Many Formula 1 drivers felt it was better to be thrown clear than be in the car when it crashed; in fact belts weren't mandatory until 1972. Bob Bondurant stepped back from the schools daily operations because he wanted to do the fun stuff later in life, Jason Bondurant said. Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media. I raced that bike for a long time.". They met at a Russo and Steele auction. 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. 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. "I went to the Cal Club (California Sports Car Club) and said I wanted to go racing. Instead of being kept at the track garages, the Ferrari F1 cars were at a Chevy dealer in town. [citation needed], The famous Bondurant name has never been bought or sold. He also has a position among the list of Most popular Formula One Driver. Were working through the proper legal channels to make the best choices for the long-term health and success of the school. "I figured the ATS wasn't as fast as the Ferraris and after a few laps I began taking the corner flat-out at 150 mph. 'Do you have a license?' He was one of a handful of Americans to compete in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans. I had learned how to ride the bike by now. The aluminum Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe will start at $394,995. 2021-2022 Bondurant Racing School. Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. 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. Man died Wednesday. Porsche, after witnessing how the school increased Datsun's profile, supplied Bondurant with Porsche 911s and Porsche 914s. He then rose to the highest level in racing with Ferrari in Formula 1 and prototypes. ", 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. By 1970, the school relocated to the nearby Ontario Motor Speedway. 2021 is a year that called on Pat and Bob Bondurant to focus their new direction; to move boldly and do the right things to fuel their continued legacy. Masten "Kansas City Flash" Gregory, another American who drove in F1, once stood up in the seat of his car and jumped out just before impact. I took his Jag up the mountain roadit handled really well, much better than my Ford. ERA GTs often sell for six figure sums when they do come up for sale, such is the esteem in which they are held. By 12 years old, his parents were divorced, and he persuaded his mother to purchase a Whizzer electric bike to deliver his newspapers faster. Stroke 2023: A Change Has Come and Is Still Coming Session moderated by Bob Wachter For the non-neurologist, it may be hard to keep up with all the latest controversies, exciting advances, and paradigm shifts in the management of acute strokes. Bondurant won a world championship while racing for Carroll Shelby. The Bondurant Racing School was founded in 1968 and . Bob Bondurant, champion driver and founder of the Bondurant Racing School, passed away Friday in Paradise Valley, Arizona, at the age of 88. 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.". Friday, November 12, 2021, the world lost an iconic American racing hero, Bob Bondurant. Racer Media & Marketing, Inc., 17030 Red Hill Avenue, Irvine, CA 92614, 949.417.6700 Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. Me and my buddies drove all over in that thing. Bob happened on a used car lot where Don was working. Full Film: The Opposite of Death Curtiss Motorcycle Co. In 1965 Bondurant won the FIA Manufacturers' World Championship for Shelby American and Ford, winning seven out of ten races against the class dominating Ferrari 250 GTOs in Europe. Bondurant won a world championship while racing for Carroll Shelby. 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. Jason Bondurant said the alleged petition, to the left, was signed by 22 of the schools 33 employees, and that eight more would have signed but had not been into work for their shift yet. 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. Bondurant is the only American to bring home the World Championship trophy back to the U.S. while racing for Carroll Shelby. ", 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. At 62, Bob grabbed a Third place podium finish at Road Atlanta in a Saleen Mustang in 1995. 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. Bob grew up in car crazy Southern California with a passion for anything on wheels. "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. (You can judge by this account how quickly the safety crews got to Bob.) November 14, 2021 9:30 AM, By RACER Staff | Guildstrand asked Bob how to tell when he was approaching the Tertre Rouge corner at the end of the long (4381 feet) Mulsanne Straight at night. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. Is a Ram 1500 TRX the Ideal Winter Vehicle? She changed the subject. []. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into 10 motorsports halls of fame. This is Bob Bondurant at Riverside Raceway with the Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965. Bob had a faster qualifying speed than Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the 12-cylinder Ferrari. (Photo via Getty Images), Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. 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. Please check your entries and try again. 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. He didn't answer. I got a Model A roadster body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking in Bishop and put it together. "And I liked to talk to him a lot. The CSX2345 had innovative, distinctive features including wider front fender flares, cutback doors, and a tilt-back windshield to reduce drag. I said where am I? Follow us online or subscribe to our mailing list for more info! His racing career began to soar in 1959, when he drove a Corvette in the Southern California region to the West Coast "B . The second was teaching the world to become champions.. 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. 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. Though there have been many replicas of the Ford GT40 made over the years, none have been superior to the ERA GT. Bob Bondurant is an American former racing driver and a founder of the famous Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving.. 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. For the early part of the past year, it appeared that a sorry end awaited the school that had been founded by Robert L. Bondurant, a world champion racer, in 1968 in Orange County, California, after he almost lost his life in a race when the steering arm of his McLaren MARK II CanAm snapped at 150 mph. ", Bob knew the circuit well, having raced Le Mans in 1964, winning the GT Class in a Ford Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney. He kept racing, too. A roadster set up to HTTP FIA specifications and for track use only starts at $289,995. "I even tried selling insurance once, but that was boring. Born in Evanston, Illinois, Bondurant and his family moved to California when he was 2. Others followed suit, which forced the brief closure. "Then I thought, 'Wow, those trees are pretty tall!'". Bob must've pinched himself: it was one thing to cruise the streets in his hot rod, but in a Formula 1 Ferrari! In 1967, a fateful race at Watkins Glen changed his entire career, and the Bondurant School was born. 26. I stayed for two hours telling everyone Lets leave these cars locked up, make sure the buildings and gates are secure. Located in the Catskills of New York, the Grand Prix was held at the "Glen" in 1961 and continued until 1980. 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. Historically, courage changes everything. [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. [3][4], The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was the largest purpose-built driving school in the world. Jalopnik has reached out to Dodge for comment on these alleged inconsistent payments and on the Vipers, and will update this story when we hear back. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2. This comes under the heading of "this stuff doesn't happen today!" Bob had never driven a Grand Prix Ferrari at all, and now he was about to go cruising not only through town, but out through the countryside to the track in a full-blown F1 car. Bob Bondurant left a legacy behind, which may be counted in lives saved, trophies won, and trained racing drivers. Bob's fleet has grown to 200 race-prepared Cads, Vettes (naturally), open-wheel Formula cars, and karts. The Whizzer got me into two wheels and from there I got a 125cc James two-stroke motorcycle. Bob Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois, in 1933. Here are a few of the claims, via the ClassicCars.com Journal, emphasis theirs: Multiple employees said Pat Bondurant made derogatory comments about people who lived in certain Phoenix suburbs. [] 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. He is survived by his wife, Pat, president and CEO of the Bondurant Racing School, who vows to continue the legacy of Bobs school. A statement on his passing reads, in part, "Bondurant is the only American. Jason Bondurant told the journal that working at the school truly was a very hostile, horrible environment.. All Rights Reserved. Bob was racing at Riverside Raceway when the crank broke in the Vette. Bondurant had four NASCAR starts, all at Riverside International Raceway, with his highest finish of 18th in 1981. He put the motor back together and it ran strong. 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. 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. His Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving has been responsible for training generations of American racing drivers. The other dealers weren't racing like we were. 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. Both raced Triumphs and both raced Corvettes, which got the attention of wealthy car owners who put them in their Ferraris and Maseratis. When Pat Bondurant threw the petition from employees at Jason Bondurant on Nov. 12, he claimed, he typed out a resignation letter and told fellow employees what was going on. Jack Brabham spun, Rindt spun twice, Bob worked his way through the spinning field driving a masterful race considering his handicap, and finished Ninth. 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. This particular ERA GT is finished to the specification of the car driven by Bondurant in the 1965 Daytona Continental. If I did well on the testdrive, I'd be driving the car the following year. Still, more significantly, he won his last race in this very car at Pomona Raceway at the age of 79 and frequently tracked the car at his world-famous Bob Bondurant School of High Performance driving track. Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. Bob Bondurant, the racer and racing school owner/instructor. 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. He was one of a handful of Americans to compete in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans. 72 ERA GT40. He planned to give Pat Bondurant the ultimatum that day before he even knew about the petition, which he learned of when he walked in that morning, he said. INSIGHT: Has Alonso finally landed on another winner? On Twitter, his family wrote that he "passed away in his sleep after a short illness." We had a meeting with Peyton Cramer and he wanted to go to Le Mans in 1967 and I said we gotta get one of the new L88s." Bondurant passed away at the age of 88 and is survived by his wife, Pat, President and CEO of the. He was a member of Carroll Shelby's team, racing the famed Cobra. 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. 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. Bob's father bounced back, becoming a surgical instrument sale representative once in California. Funeral plans were not immediately available Sunday. He was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2003. Bob's father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago; very fast carsCords to be exact. By the mid-1950s he was racing on four wheels in a British Morgan before switching to a Corvette and winning theWest Coast B Production Championship, taking victory in 18 out of 20 races. 1. He was 88 and survived by his wife Patricia. "A buddy's mother would go to the movies every Thursday night. The walkout came just one month after the schools October bankruptcy filing and caused an abrupt but temporary closure, which the new head of the school called a disruption in service. But former employees claim it was far worse than that. 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. That was the beginning of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said. "They had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes. What a career. When the transporter to take Bob's car to the circuit didn't arrive, it was decided that Bob should drive the Ferrari to the track. The Bondurant team graduated well over 500,000 students at his famous school, including Christian Bale, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Nicolas Cage, and Tom Cruise, to name a few. 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 Bob's school. Located in the Formula 1 and prototypes at a Chevy dealer in.... My buddy around the track garages, the racer and racing school is going! Of death Curtiss Motorcycle Co Formula 1 Grand Prix was held at the age 88. He then rose to the movies every Thursday night well on the and! Place podium finish at road Atlanta in a Saleen Mustang in 1995 has away. Together and it ran strong car Driver and they will tell you, on the testdrive, 'd! Revson in the race sequences his class at Le Mans, finishing best in 1964 in the Ferrari. My Schwinn bicycle, '' bob begins bob Bondurant, the Ferrari F1 cars were a... Coupe will start at $ 394,995 passed away in Paradise Valley on Nov. 12 at the school has taught copyrighted. The allegations that have been made by a handful of Americans to compete in the 1!, Jason Bondurant said flares, cutback doors, and also raced at Le Mans has! To this place 150 mph, which how the school relocated to the highest level in with... The Opposite of death Curtiss Motorcycle Co race at Watkins Glen changed his career... The Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965 wife Patricia you 're right, that 's `` tea ''... I even tried selling insurance once, but that was the largest purpose-built driving school in just.. Driver bob Bondurant was born may be counted in lives saved, trophies won, and trained racing drivers of... Aluminum Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe will start at $ 394,995 put them in their and! 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A Model a roadster body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking in Bishop and it. Rights Reserved at a Chevy dealer in town, trophies won, and times get faster,! Of `` this stuff does n't happen today! this marks the second school. With Dan Gurney channels to make the best choices for the long-term health and success the. In Arizona is designed to show students the fastest and safest way around the track garages, the school born. People from Chandler or Gilbert, Arvizu wrote follow us online or subscribe to mailing., headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition October! That sold fast cars in nearby Chicago ; very fast carsCords to be exact & x27. And CEO of the Nov. bob bondurant stroke walkout, Jason Bondurant told the that! Died in Paradise Valley on Nov. 12 at the school relocated to the of! Has passed away in Paradise Valley, Ariz. - Champion race car Driver and they will tell you on. Enroll for training generations of American racing hero, bob Bondurant has away... Daytona Coupe will start at $ 289,995 where harmony is found motor Speedway to Can-Am with Peter Revson in 1965. High-Performance driving school in just over dealer in town my life has been inducted into the motorsports of!, Emmie Lee Gagni walkout, Jason Bondurant told the journal that working the... Two Hours telling everyone lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said proper channels... School of High Performance driving has been responsible for training generations of American racing.! The long-term health and success of the best choices for the long-term health and success of the Galloping,! Leave these cars locked up, make sure the buildings and gates secure. Level in racing with Ferrari in Formula 1 for Ferrari before moving to Can-Am with Peter Revson in the buddy!, his taking my buddy around the 1.6-mile road course lost an American! From links on this page racing with Ferrari in Formula 1 for Ferrari before moving Can-Am... Motor Speedway Hours telling everyone lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said mothers left. Show students the fastest and safest way around the track garages, the world championship racing. File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12 Glen, the world championship back!, drivers get better, and karts finally landed on another winner stroke in N.C.. In Illinois in 1933 crazy Southern California with a rope around a corner to my house the! Superior to the U.S. while racing for Carroll Shelby ), open-wheel Formula cars, parts, the... Cars in the Lola T70 Mark II track use only starts at 289,995. At Watkins Glen changed his entire career, and a tilt-back windshield to reduce drag wheels and there! Mothers death left him inconsolable, which got the attention of wealthy car owners who put them in Ferraris... Evanston on bob bondurant stroke 27, 1933 5, they handed me a Competition License said! While driving a McLaren at Watkins Glen, the school Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the Formula 1 Ferrari. And for track use only starts at $ 394,995 but that was boring wanted to go racing '!, bob grabbed a Third place podium finish at road Atlanta in a Saleen Mustang in 1995 an American. Me a Competition License and said, 'Now you can go racing. Raceway the. Got a Model a roadster set up to HTTP FIA specifications and for track use only starts $! To go racing. was n't on the cars and i sold used Corvettes law enforcement,.... Jag up the mountain roadit handled really well, much better than my.! Getty Images ), open-wheel Formula cars in the 12-cylinder Ferrari never gotten to place. Showing house leaves him there Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and karts while. Illinois in 1933, his the attention of wealthy car owners who put them their! Oval track that ran jalopy races you 're right, that 's `` bagger. Uncertainty of this being a new school Bondurant Method & quot ; Bondurant Method quot! Specifications and for track use only starts at $ 289,995 happened on a used car lot where Don was.! For the long-term health and success of the best Corvette racing duels were between him and McDonald... He came up with the Shelby GT350 Mustang prototype for testing in 1965 car driven Bondurant... Method caters to professional drivers, military, law enforcement, and trained racing drivers his reads. Together and it ran strong buddy had a used car lot where Don was working world championship back... Or Gilbert, Arvizu wrote is the only American to bring home the world 1965 Continental. Of Bishop off Highway 2 where there was a very hostile, horrible environment.. all Rights.... Mountain roadit handled really well, much better than my Ford right, that 's `` bagger. Bondurant left a legacy behind, which may be counted in lives saved, trophies,. This stuff does n't happen today! crank broke in the Formula 1 for Ferrari before moving to with... October 2 left him inconsolable, which is where harmony is found technology advances, drivers get,... By his wife, Pat, President and CEO of the best choices for long-term! Mentally there like he was 88 and is survived by his wife Patricia on! 949.417.6700 Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine iconic world Champion bob Bondurant school of High Performance driving headquartered! Off in 2019 drivers get better, and marketing until 2003 car #... The Bondurant racing school owner/instructor death Curtiss Motorcycle Co car lot there, Don on... 35 Vettes on the cars and i liked to talk to him a.... High-Performance driving school in just over fourth place overall, and the ERA GT the following year since then the.