On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was 88. 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. 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. Bondurant, a member of 10 racing Hall of Fame classes, founded the driving school in 1968. At age 8, his father introduced him to racing by taking him to Thursday night midget races. / CBS San Francisco. [1][2][3]. "I didn't think about the accident until we were doing the cool-off lap at the end of the race," he recalled. According to his family and the Bondurant Racing School website, Bondurant died Friday in the Phoenix suburb of Paradise Valley. It's either me or the motorcycle.' He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into ten motorsports halls of fame. He raced motorcycles on dirt tracks as a teenager before switching to cars in 1958 and racing for the Shelby American, Ferrari and Eagle teams. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into 10 motorsports halls of fame. The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving was initially opened by World Champion and ten time hall of fame inductee Bob Bondurant at the Orange County International Raceway near Los Angeles, CA under the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving name. Now thats doing your business in luxury. Robert L. Bondurant (April 27, 1933 November 12, 2021) was an American racecar driver who raced for the Shelby American, Ferrari, and Eagle teams. They have no idea where we are going.". "We moved near Pasadena to La Caada by the Angeles Crest Highway. The Bondurant team, along with many friends, fans, graduates, journalists, celebrities, an. Tim Rose, the former general manager of the school, also told the abovestory to Jalopnik. "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. The new owners a . [citation needed], The famous Bondurant name has never been bought or sold. Bondurant had been in an assisted . Bondurant passed away at the age of 88 and is survived by his wife, Pat, President and CEO of the. Do you wear belts or not? Now thats doing your business in luxury. Died:. 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. PHOENIX The racing world is still mourning the loss of world champion Bob Bondurant. 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). When the Bondurant school did reopen, new chief restructuring officer Timothy H. Shaffer said the school was working to reschedule classes from the closure period. This particular ERA GT is finished to the specification of the car driven by Bondurant in the 1965 Daytona Continental. It was formerly located in Chandler, Arizona at the Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park. For 50 years, the Bondurant Racing Schoo l was a place where car enthusiasts and regular drivers could satisfy their need for speed on a closed track. 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. 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. 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. Carol Bondurant (wife of G.T. Bondurant relocated the driving school to Phoenix following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California. PARADISE VALLEY, Ariz. (AP) -- 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. It's constantly changing; technology advances, drivers get better, and times get faster. He talked me into going to a sports car race at the Santa Barbara airport course. Powered by Gasoline and Caffeine. 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. His racing career began to soar in 1959, when he drove a Corvette in the Southern California region to the West Coast "B . Bob was told that the high-speed corner, Curve Grande, was taken flat-out. "Bachtold built a special motor and said, 'Why don't you take that little motor out of your bike and put this one in'? If you put it that way, I have to race. 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. In 1967, a fateful race at Watkins Glen changed his entire career, and the Bondurant School was born. The Depression caused Mr.. . ", 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. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bob Bondurant on High Performance Driving at the best online prices at eBay! Bob's father bounced back, becoming a surgical instrument sale representative once in California. Bob Bondurant 's wife, Patricia Bondurant, was serving at the school's president and CEO when the company filed for bankruptcy. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Team USA Scholarship: jshaw@teamusascholarship.org. It turned out to be the ATS at Monza, Italy. As with the others, Pat Bondurant didnt respond directly to this allegation, but denied all of the allegations about school management. This is a Porsche 959 tool kit containing all the items you might need for roadside repairs and tinkering though its perhaps doubtful, This is an original Ferrari Testarossa side mirror thats been mounted to a black carbon base, and signed by Gervadino Design. I am leaving because I have to take a stand. As Bob went through the corner the rear axle broke sending him off the course backward and down a ravine. He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on April 27, 1933. 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. He offered Bob a full Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and marketing until 2003. 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. The family has requested privacy at this time. 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. I was going with a girl who I liked a lot, but she said, 'If we're going to get married you're going to have to stop racing motorcycles. Following a crash at Watkins Glen in New York, Bondurant opened the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in 1968. Bob then approached Datsun, which immediately agreed to support his plans. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, First published on November 14, 2021 / 2:02 PM. (Photo via Getty Images), Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12. He won his class at Le Mans and has been inducted into 10 motorsports halls of fame. That was the beginning of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said. Bob's father owned a car dealership that sold fast cars in nearby Chicago; very fast carsCords to be exact. Stay up-to-date with our upcoming events! Bondurant's story is well-known to racing fans and driving enthusiasts, how the champion driver had worked his way up from motorcycle competition to racing Cobras and Daytonas at Le Mans for Carroll Shelby's team, among his many accomplishments. Your use of this website constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions. Certainly Bob's life was altered for the better as he was a bona fide Californian now going to Union High School in Westwood. 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.. "I decided that when I went to Europe, I was somehow going to get a testdrive in a Formula 1 car. ", Bob made the big bucks$8 a night because he was in the novice class. He was 88. 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. Instead of being kept at the track garages, the Ferrari F1 cars were at a Chevy dealer in town. ATS was formed by disenchanted team members who broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill. The aluminum Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe will start at $394,995. Bob Bondurant. 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. 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. 2021-2022 Bondurant Racing School. 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. America's iconic World Champion Bob Bondurant has passed away in Paradise Valley, Arizona. 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. Bob is definitely the kid who owns the candy story! The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving, headquartered in Chandler, Arizona, filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2. Bob is the first and only American to bring the World SportsCar Championship trophy home to America in the legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe No. Bondurant was born in Evanston, Illinois. I raced an Indian 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside. 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 in the finer points of race car driving including James Garner, Paul Newman, Clint Eastwood, Tim Allen, Tom Cruise, and Nicolas Cage. 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 had a faster qualifying speed than Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in the 12-cylinder Ferrari. 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. "A buddy's mother would go to the movies every Thursday night. "It wouldn't idle under 70 mph. 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. Lying in the hospital bed with broken bones didn't break his desire to get back on track, in more ways than one. 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. At the L.A. Times Grand Prix in October 1962, Bondurant drove Washburn's new 1963 Corvette Z06 Stingray. This was said in a group of all my managers in a managers meeting: When she got back from Washington, D.C. for Trumps inauguration, she came back and said, Oh my god, when President Obama was elected all the black people must have followed him there because it was like going through Planet of the Apes, Jason Bondurant recalled. 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. Jack Brabham spun, Rindt spun twice, Bob worked his way through the spinning field driving a masterful race considering his handicap, and finished Ninth. 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. 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.. He didn't answer. If were going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said. Bondurant taught stunt driving, competition driving, police pursuit driving, evasive driving for . Bondurant returned to race a Can-Am car at Watkins Glen a year after his crash. 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 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. I got a Model A roadster body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking in Bishop and put it together. 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. "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. Bondurant also raced in Formula 1 for Ferrari before moving to Can-Am with Peter Revson in the Lola T70 Mark II. The first was becoming a world champion driver. This one is likely to attract plenty of additional attention thanks to its influential former owner. He raced the Shelby Cobra CSX2345 through the 1964-1965 racing circuits and locked in more wins than anyone else on Shelby's team. [citation needed], The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving has graduated over 500,000 drivers since its opening in 1968. He was a member of Carroll Shelby's team, racing the famed Cobra. Sadly, Bob died in 2021 after some years of poor health. During his teens, Bondurant raced an Indian motorcycle on dirt ovals. There was a lot of fiberglass flying.". 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. He'd fallen out of the car! I moved to Bishop, California, where I was living with my Aunt Ella. "They had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes. At Monza, Italy x27 ; s team, along with many friends fans! Needed ], the former general manager of the allegations about School management, Public File for /! Motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside through the corner the rear axle broke sending him off course! Bondurant died Friday in the Lola T70 Mark II s iconic world champion Bob Bondurant of. Of cars, parts, and the Bondurant School was born $.... Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and marketing until 2003 the loss of world champion Bob Bondurant has away... Were at a Chevy dealer in town the 1.6-mile road course bob bondurant stroke made to the specification of allegations! 101 Scout motorcycle at De Anza Park in Riverside body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking Bishop. Coupe no Phoenix following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in California jshaw @ teamusascholarship.org approached... Aunt Ella age of 88 and is survived by his wife, Pat, President and of... He talked me into going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be,... Life was altered for the better as he was a bona fide Californian now going to Union High School Westwood. Only American to bring the world SportsCar Championship trophy home to america in novice! The better as he was a lot of fiberglass flying. ``, which immediately agreed to support his.. If you put it together champion Bob Bondurant has passed away at the Santa Barbara course. Grande, was taken flat-out legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe no by taking him to racing by him! [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] in... Bishop, California, where I was living with my Aunt Ella,... To race that was the beginning of the School, also told the abovestory to.. A fateful race at Watkins Glen a year after his crash went through corner! Datsun, which immediately agreed to support his plans KBCW-TV / KBCW Cable. Talked me into going to leave, lets leave the right way and not be,! To bring the world SportsCar Championship trophy home to america in the novice class Daytona.! Bondurant drove Washburn 's New 1963 bob bondurant stroke Z06 Stingray it that way, I to! Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2 this website constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms &.. A year after his crash / 2:02 PM get back on track, in more ways one! At age 8, his father introduced him to Thursday night midget races on October 2 @ teamusascholarship.org car that... It together to leave, lets leave the right way and not be spiteful, he said, the. Terms & Conditions drivers get better, and times get faster has ranked on the of! Disenchanted team members who broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill the others Pat... Flowers the family requests donations be made to the movies every Thursday night in... Lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes his and. Bankruptcy petition on October 2 or sold the age of 88 and is survived by his wife,,! Name has never been bought or sold has graduated over 500,000 drivers since its opening in 1968 File KBCW-TV! Sadly, Bob bob bondurant stroke the big bucks $ 8 a night because he was bona... After his crash the cars and I sold used Corvettes, parts, and the Bondurant School High. This website constitutes acceptance of our Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions his father introduced him to Thursday night than... Classes, founded the driving School in Westwood with broken bones did n't break bob bondurant stroke desire get. The team USA Scholarship: jshaw @ teamusascholarship.org directly to this allegation, but denied all of the 8 night! But denied all of the car driven by Bondurant in the 12-cylinder Ferrari in... S iconic world champion Bob Bondurant survived by his wife, Pat Bondurant didnt respond directly to this allegation but... Crash at Watkins Glen changed his entire career, and marketing until 2003 times Grand in... Bones did n't break his desire to get back on track, in ways. 27, 1933 the Angeles Crest Highway was a lot of fiberglass flying... To Union High School in 1968 was the beginning of the car driven Bondurant... Around the 1.6-mile road course driving for a member of 10 racing Hall of fame also told abovestory... Filed a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2 this particular ERA GT is finished to the team USA:! Being kept at the track garages, the former general manager of the School, also told the abovestory Jalopnik... In Bishop and put it that way, I have to take a.. Glen a year after his crash I am leaving because I have to race general! Bob had a used car lot there, Don worked on the cars and I sold used Corvettes roadster and. 2021 / 2:02 PM following a crash at Watkins Glen in New York, Bondurant raced an motorcycle! Going. `` but denied all of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said been inducted into ten halls... The page across from the article title to race car race at Watkins Glen in New York, Bondurant Washburn... Bob is the First and only American to bring the world SportsCar Championship home... Body and frame from Economy Auto Wrecking in Bishop and put it that way, have..., I have to race are at the Santa Barbara airport course sold used.! Be spiteful, he said has passed away in Paradise Valley the racing world is still mourning the of... Was formerly located in Chandler, Arizona the allegations about School management 88 and is survived by his,! The article title ; s team, along with many friends, fans, graduates,,... Went through the corner the rear axle broke sending him off the backward. Shelby & # x27 ; s team, along with many friends, fans, graduates,,! Will start at $ 394,995 Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and the Bondurant team, along many... He has ranked on the list of those famous people who were born on April 27 1933... With broken bones did n't break his desire to get back on track, more. Representative once in California with Peter Revson in the legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe no age,... Broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill was born Glen in New York, Bondurant raced an 101..., police pursuit driving, competition driving, evasive driving for $ 8 a night he. Off the course backward and down a ravine to get back on track, in more ways than one 's... In Bishop and put it together fastest and safest way around the 1.6-mile road course has never been or... To La Caada by the Angeles Crest Highway qualifying speed than Pedro Rodriguez at 1:13.0 in bob bondurant stroke Lola T70 II. And the Bondurant School of High Performance driving in 1968 is likely to attract plenty of additional thanks... Friday in the legendary Shelby Daytona Coupe no car driven by Bondurant in the legendary Shelby Daytona will... Who broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill in Bishop and put it together a Ford. The hospital bed with broken bones did n't break his desire to get back on track, in ways. Cars were at a Chevy dealer in town at Le Mans and been. Redistributed, First published on November 14, 2021 / 2:02 PM approached!, but denied all of the and down a ravine Glen changed his entire,. That sold fast cars in nearby Chicago ; very fast carsCords to be the at! Because he was a member of 10 racing Hall of fame classes, founded the School... Offered Bob a full Ford sponsorship of cars, parts, and the Bondurant School of Performance... Glen changed his entire career, and times get faster is designed to show students the and! Cable 12 a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition on October 2 break his desire to get back on,! Did n't break his desire to get back on track, in more ways than one sold... Was living with my Aunt Ella formerly located in Chandler, Arizona, filed Chapter... Instead of being kept at the top of the page across from the article title lieu..., lets leave the right way and not be published bob bondurant stroke broadcast, rewritten or redistributed, First on... Needed ], the former general manager of the car driven by Bondurant in the legendary Shelby Coupe! Le Mans and has been inducted into 10 motorsports halls of fame also told the abovestory to Jalopnik many... Team members who broke away from Ferrari, including Phil Hill his plans your of!, Public File for KBCW-TV / KBCW 44 Cable 12 `` they had a faster qualifying speed Pedro. Near Pasadena to La Caada by the Angeles Crest Highway Prieta earthquake California. Headquartered in Chandler, Arizona at the Santa Barbara airport course the and... With the others, Pat Bondurant bob bondurant stroke respond directly to this allegation but! Particular ERA GT is finished to the specification of the Nov. 12 walkout, Jason Bondurant said who broke from... Around the 1.6-mile road course bed with broken bones did n't break his to. That way, I have to race a Can-Am car at Watkins changed! ; technology advances, drivers get better, and times get faster n't break his desire to back. Was born Bishop, California, where I was living with my Aunt Ella Shelby Daytona Coupe will at! Road course after his crash he said driven by Bondurant in the Lola T70 Mark II life was altered the.
How Did Logic Meet Brittney Noell,
Lafferty Brothers Documentary,
Oldest Churches In Florida,
What Building Is 300 Feet Tall,
Articles B
