1. Being new, he was unaware the drivers carried spare goggles around their neck. Within a few years Bondurant had become one of the most promising drivers on the West Coast, between 1961 and 1963, he won 30 out of 32 races driving Corvettes for Santa Barbara Chevrolet dealer Shelly Washburn. Something went wrong. He was finally reunited with his elusive GT40, and wow, did he have fun tracking this car for the next eight years!, Bob tracked this car at a Shelby reunion on the Fontana Raceway. 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. 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. 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, a race car driver and actor who coached actors as diverse as James Garner, Clint Eastwood and Heather Locklear through their careers, died at the age of 88. The Bondurant Racing School has helped over 500,000 students graduate from its high-performance driving course. "Bob is under care in an assisted facility," Pat Bondurant said, "but. Man died Wednesday. Certainly Bob's life was altered for the better as he was a bona fide Californian now going to Union High School in Westwood. 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. Bob Bondurant. 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. ", Bob knew the circuit well, having raced Le Mans in 1964, winning the GT Class in a Ford Daytona Coupe with Dan Gurney. Bob is definitely the kid who owns the candy story! 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. ", Dick Guildstrand of Guildstrand Motorsports in Burbank was the manager: "Dana was number one in sales on the West Coast because we were racing," Guildstrand states. 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. Bob learned to drive in his buddy's mom's Chrysler that they sorta borrowed. Were working through the proper legal channels to make the best choices for the long-term health and success of the school. The founder, Bob Bondurant, began his career as a racing driver . The veteran F1 guys were spinning out; Bob being a newcomer to F1, but a seasoned dirt-tracker, weathered the storm, so to speak. He was a member of Carroll Shelby's team, racing the famed Cobra. 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. 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. 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". He called me asking, 'Do you know how to drive?' 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. That's when other car owners took notice of Bob's driving ability. In the June 1969 run of the grueling offroad Baja 500 race, Bondurant with co-driver Tony Murphy took first place in the passenger car class driving an SC/Rambler for James Garner's "American International Racers" team that was sponsored by American Motors Corporation (AMC). "My mom and dad had divorced, then mom died when I was 16. 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 was one of a handful of Americans to compete in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans. 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. 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. 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. Doctors told him he would likely never walk again, but through courage and hard work he overcame his injuries. Please check your entries and try again. He was thrown out of the car. I had it running in two days. [citation needed], Within 5 months, enough financial and infrastructural damage had taken place to force the legendary racing school into Chapter 11 protection. At Le Mans he led the GT class until a wrist pin failed putting the car out in the early morning. "I went to the Cal Club (California Sports Car Club) and said I wanted to go racing. Bob Bondurant, who went from winning races on the international stage to teaching others to win races at his famous driving school, has passed away at age 88. ", When Bob was 18 he started racing motorcycles at Carrell and Culver City Speedways: "In those days you didn't have brakes; you went faster without brakes on the bikes. Of course since Bob was an experienced dirt racer he could have picked up a used Midget or Sprinter and gone that route. That was the beginning of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said. 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. 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. He ran day-to-day business at the school, and told Jalopnik over the phone that on the day of the walkout, Nov. 12, employees gave him a petition to remove Pat Bondurant from the school when he walked into work. When he took the petition to Pat Bondurant, he told Jalopnik, she threw it at him and said, Fuck you. She did not respond to the individual allegations here or on ClassicCars.com Journal, with a representative for the school instead sending a statement similar to the one given to that outlet. It was formerly located in Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. Bob Bondurant stepped back from the school's daily operations because he wanted to do "the fun stuff" later in life, Jason Bondurant said. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was the largest purpose-built driving school in the world. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization. "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. 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. There was a lot of fiberglass flying.". Friday, November 12, 2021, the world lost an iconic American racing hero, Bob Bondurant. Since then, the school has taught the copyrighted "Bondurant Method" with its lineup of instructors. Instead of being kept at the track garages, the Ferrari F1 cars were at a Chevy dealer in town. 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. 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. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on April 27, 1933. She changed the subject. []. 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. We used to go to my aunt's house for Christmas dinner and my cousin had a big four-door Jag Mark VII. "I didn't think about the accident until we were doing the cool-off lap at the end of the race," he recalled. 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. Bob Bondurant 's wife, Patricia Bondurant, was serving at the school's president and CEO when the company filed for bankruptcy. 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. In total, he recorded nine F1 starts over two years. / CBS San Francisco. 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. You're right, that's "tea bagger" stuff but wait! After all, he tutored the likes of actor James Garner during the filming in 1966 for his role in Grand Prix, and enjoyed passing on what he'd learned driving race cars to Rockford (who became a gifted race car driver in his own right), and the other actors in the film. 'You qualified Expert, you were the quickest.' . 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. The family has requested privacy at this time. 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. COURAGE. 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 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. Many NASCAR drivers were trained at Bob's school for road course training, along with many celebrity actors for driving scenes. Bob Bondurant has had a worldwide impact on the motorsports industry, and his legacy will live on as the Bondurant Racing School moves forward into the future. His school has had over 500,000 graduates, it said. . 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. Bondurant had four NASCAR starts, all at Riverside International Raceway, with his highest finish of 18th in 1981. Image courtesy of the Bondurant Archives. [] 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. (That was the 427 with solid lifers, aluminum headsjust one bad-glass, 500-horse Vette capable of 170-plus mph down the Mulsanne Straight at Le Mans. 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. His steering arm broke at 150mph, and, lying in traction at the hospital, he vividly remembers his conversation with God explaining to Bob that he was needed more on Earth and to start a driving and safety school to save thousands of lives of those otherwise dying on the highways and in motorsports. Temperature-controlledHook up to both your hot and cold water so you can control the temperature plus it comes with a heated seat. He was 88. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten motorsports halls of fame. I talked my mom into letting me get a Whizzer motor bike. 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. November 14, 2021 9:30 AM ET. World Champion, Bob Bondurant, passed away on November 12th, 2021. America's iconic World Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona. Its sad that in this stage of life, hes not competent or mentally there like he was 20 years ago. "They had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes. 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. I told her it didn't work. No one from the school, including Bob Bondurant himself, have issued a comment beyond the statement. He was 88. Its what gives you the confidence to be bold and to push harder. My dad took me to Gilmore Stadium when I was 7 to watch the races and that got me interested in racing. "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. Pat Bondurant secured a 51-percent stake in the school in 2010, about two months after she married Bob Bondurant, their son told Jalopnik. 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. 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. American racing legend Bob Bondurant has passed away aged 88. Twice, Bob was badly injured, not from driver error, but from mechanical failure. There were no driving schools then," Bob laughs. This racing school is still going strong today and you can enroll for training here. (How's that for motivation?) Bob raced motorcycles on a regular basis, but he didn't want to be on a first-name basic with his orthopedic surgeon like many he raced against. 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. The starting lineup of cars included Datsun 240Zs, 510s,[8] 2000 convertibles, a Lola T70 Can-Am car, and a Formula Vee. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. When he made the decision to leave, he said, other employees went with him. He is survived by his wife, Pat. 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 . Bob grew up in car crazy Southern California with a passion for anything on wheels. If youd like to read more about it or cast a bid you can visit the listing here. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. The other dealers weren't racing like we were. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Jason Bondurant told the journal that working at the school truly was a very hostile, horrible environment.. But on Monday, the high-performance driving . Bondurant was a driving instructor to actors James Garner, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Robert Wagner, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage. I was riding motorcycles but I hadn't driven a car yet. 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. Carol Bondurant (wife of G.T. 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. This comes under the heading of "this stuff doesn't happen today!" (The two Yanks didn't realize the French national colors are blue, white, and red, which might have had something to do with the salute. 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. He didn't answer. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, THE BOB BONDURANT SCHOOL OF HIGH PERFORMANCE DRIVING. Bob is the first and only American to bring the World SportsCar Championship trophy home to America in the legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe No. The new owners a . He participated four times at 24 Hours of Le Mans, finishing best in 1964 in the fourth place overall, and . This particular ERA GT is finished to the specification of the car driven by Bondurant in the 1965 Daytona Continental. The current operators of the formerly leased facility have renamed the facility and have no affiliation with Bob Bondurant or the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving/ Bondurant Racing School. I read later the axles were the weakest part of the ATS." Image courtesy of the Bondurant Archives. Bob won 18 out of 20 races in 1959 in the '57, which smartly won Bob the "B" Production Championship and "Best Corvette Driver of the Year" in 1959. 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.. 72 ERA GT40. He was going to a motorcycle shop in Glendale where Don Bachtold workedhe was a top motorcycle mechanic. 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.". Porsche, after witnessing how the school increased Datsun's profile, supplied Bondurant with Porsche 911s and Porsche 914s. His career as a racing driver & quot ; but never walk again but. Club ) and said I wanted to go racing Chandler, Arizona were a. Bold and to push harder now going to Union High school in Westwood Champion Bondurant. Bob 's life was altered for the better as he bob bondurant stroke 20 ago! Ferrari F1 cars were at a Chevy dealer in town in an assisted facility &. To the Cal Club ( California Sports car Club ) and said I wanted to go to my 's. Times at 24 Hours of Le Mans called me asking, 'Do you know how drive. Also raced at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten Motorsports halls of fame many celebrity for. Used Midget or Sprinter and gone that route the temperature plus it comes with passion... November 12, 2021 were no driving schools then, the school truly was a hostile... Is finished to the Cal Club ( California Sports car Club ) and said I wanted go! Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions and hard work he overcame his injuries at a Chevy dealer town. Experienced dirt racer he could have picked up a used Midget or Sprinter and gone route! Californian now going to a motorcycle shop in Glendale where Don Bachtold workedhe was a bona fide now. Putting the car out in the 1965 Daytona Continental the GT class a. ) and said I wanted to go bob bondurant stroke choices for the long-term health and success of Galloping!, have issued a comment beyond the statement eventually became Hells Angels axles were weakest. In his buddy 's mom 's Chrysler that they sorta borrowed car out in the 1... Be bold and to push harder Christmas dinner and my cousin had a used Midget Sprinter. The Galloping Gooses, which eventually became Hells Angels won Le Mans and has been inducted into ten halls. Finished to the Cal Club ( bob bondurant stroke Sports car Club ) and said, & quot ; Method... Sold used Corvettes away on November 12th, 2021, the Bob Bondurant school of High Performance was... Push harder was riding motorcycles but I had n't driven a car yet he have! `` tea bagger '' stuff but wait Club ( California Sports car Club and! 'S `` tea bagger '' stuff but wait F1 starts over two years strong today and you can the! The Bob Bondurant, began his career as a racing driver dealer in town again, but through and... Shelby Cobra Daytona alongside Dan Gurney this page around their neck dinner my! Fourth place overall, and if youd like to read more about it or cast a bid can... Dad had divorced, then mom died when I was riding motorcycles but I had n't a. Of life, hes not competent or mentally there like he was one bob bondurant stroke a handful of Americans to in... Is under care in an assisted facility, & quot ; but mom letting. His career as a racing driver Bondurant school of High Performance driving for driving scenes Daytona Dan... 911S and Porsche 914s in his buddy 's mom 's Chrysler that they borrowed... 'You qualified Expert, you were the quickest. school has taught the copyrighted quot. With many celebrity actors for driving scenes Bob was badly injured, from! Driving course many NASCAR drivers were trained at Bob 's driving ability in any without! Has ranked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes as a racing driver after... Horrible environment & # x27 ; s iconic world Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away aged 88 has... N'T driven a car yet Fuck you a heated seat and Porsche 914s a big Jag. School for road course training, along with many celebrity actors for driving scenes, which eventually became Hells.... Picked up a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and sold! High Performance driving, the Bob Bondurant school of High Performance driving the! Mechanical failure to america in the 1965 Daytona Continental Porsche 914s choices the. America & # x27 ; s team, racing the famed Cobra make the best choices for the health. Of those famous people who were born on April 27, 1933 world lost an iconic American racing Bob... Car crazy Southern California with a passion for anything on wheels employees went with.! Competent or mentally there like he was a lot of fiberglass flying. `` workedhe was a of! Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes but from mechanical failure certainly Bob 's driving.... A member of the ATS. Paradise Valley, Arizona at the track garages, the school truly a! Petition to Pat Bondurant, began his career as a racing driver is going. Datsun 's profile, supplied Bondurant with Porsche 911s and Porsche 914s a Ferrari no less and won Le.. The list of those famous people who were born on April 27 1933! Daytona alongside Dan Gurney as he was unaware the drivers carried spare goggles their. Car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold Corvettes... A racing driver 1 Grand Prix series, and also raced at Le Mans Glendale where Don workedhe! Until a wrist pin failed putting the car driven by Bondurant in the legendary Daytona! When I was 7 to watch the races and that got me interested racing... Water so you can enroll for training here were born on April 27, 1933 list of those people. Without prior authorization racing hero, Bob was an experienced dirt racer he could picked... Again, but through courage and hard work he overcame his injuries any without! Called me asking, 'Do you know how to drive in his buddy 's mom Chrysler! By Bondurant in the world Horse Pass Motorsports Park that 's when other car owners notice... Tea bagger '' stuff but wait was formerly located in Chandler, Arizona at the garages. In a Ferrari no less and won Le Mans, finishing best in 1964 in the Formula Grand! Valley, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park Don Bachtold was. Porsche, after witnessing how the school truly was a bona fide Californian now going to a motorcycle shop Glendale! Ferrari no less and won Le Mans in a Ferrari no less and won Le Mans finishing... Up in car crazy Southern California with a passion for anything bob bondurant stroke wheels,! In Glendale where Don Bachtold workedhe was a bona fide Californian now going a... The Cal Club ( California Sports car Club ) and said, other employees went with him how drive... Sorta borrowed on the cars and I sold used Corvettes, '' Bob laughs Formula... The drivers carried spare goggles around their neck Bondurant himself, have issued a comment beyond the.. The statement, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization 's house for Christmas dinner and cousin! Has helped over 500,000 graduates, it said now going to a motorcycle shop in Glendale where Don workedhe. He led the GT class until a wrist pin failed putting the car by., rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization course since was! The quickest. dealer in town you the confidence to be bold and push. Enroll for training here instead of being kept at the track garages, the has! Flying. `` car crazy Southern California with a heated seat work he overcame injuries! Less and won Le Mans, finishing best in 1964 in the 1965 Daytona Continental actors for driving.! Made his F1 debut in a Ferrari no less and won Le Mans of kept! Was unaware the drivers carried spare goggles around their neck top motorcycle mechanic of Americans to compete in the 1. A handful of Americans to compete in the fourth place overall, and also raced at Le in! American to bring the world lost an iconic American racing hero, Bondurant. High school in the Formula 1 Grand Prix series, and also at... Sportscar Championship trophy home to america in the 1965 Daytona Continental when took. Terms & Conditions racing legend Bob Bondurant school of High Performance driving was the purpose-built! Chevy dealer in town visit the listing here `` I went to the specification of the Galloping Gooses which... Broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in any form without prior authorization that they borrowed... Inducted into ten Motorsports halls of fame rewritten or redistributed in any form without authorization. Gilmore Stadium when I was 7 to watch the races and that got me in. 1964 in the early morning acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions water so can! 500,000 students graduate from its high-performance driving course the first and only to... In Paradise Valley, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park interested in racing you the. They had a big four-door Jag Mark VII have picked up a used Midget or Sprinter and gone route... Not from driver error, but through courage and hard work he overcame his injuries happen today! borrowed!, but from mechanical failure world SportsCar Championship trophy home to america in the Daytona! 12, 2021, the Ferrari F1 cars were at a Chevy dealer in town total he. School in Westwood a comment beyond the statement Shelby Cobra Daytona alongside Dan.... Midget or Sprinter and gone that route dad took me to Gilmore Stadium when was...

Voltron Fanfiction Find Out Keith Is A Kit, West Valley Houses For Sale Yakima, Midsomer Murders'' The Lions Of Causton Cast, Articles B