View source for Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving

{{Short description|American performance driving school}}
{{Advert|date=November 2021}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving
| logo =
| foundation = 1968
| location = Chandler, Arizona
| key_people = Bob Bondurant, Pat Bondurant
| homepage = [http://www.bondurantracingschool.com]
}}
The '''Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving''' was an American performance [[Driver's education|driving school]] located in Chandler, Arizona at the [[Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park]].<ref>{{cite journal |date=February 2008 |title=America at 100 Miles per Hour |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ecYDAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Bondurant+School%22&pg=PA90 |journal=Best Life |location=Emmaus, PA |publisher=Rodale |volume=V |issue=1 |page=91 |accessdate=2011-11-03}}</ref>
At the time of its founding, the school was the largest purpose-built driving school in the world. 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.<ref name="history">{{cite web|title=Bondurant – History|url=http://www.bondurant.com/about/history|publisher=Bob Bondurant Driving School|accessdate=27 April 2012}}</ref>  [[Bob Bondurant]]'s copyrighted Bondurant Method taught [[racing|competition driving]], police pursuit driving, [[Bodyguard#Driving|evasive driving]] for [[chauffeur]]s and [[bodyguard]]s, stunt driving, and other courses.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Solheim|first=Mark L.|date=October 2003|title=My Need for Speed|journal=Kiplinger's Personal Finance|publisher=Kiplinger Washington Editors Inc|location=Washington, DC|volume=57|issue=10|issn=1528-9729|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O_4DAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Bondurant+School%22&pg=PA91|accessdate=2011-11-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|last=Mello|first=Tara Baukus|title=Stunt Driving|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AsrLvqdJhX8C&dq=%22Bondurant+School%22&pg=PA21|accessdate=2011-11-03|series=Race Car Legends|year=2007|publisher=Chelsea House|location=New York|isbn=978-1-4381-2282-3|pages=21–25}}</ref>
The school graduated over 500,000 drivers since its opening in 1968. Many [[NASCAR]] drivers were trained at Bondurant's school for road course training, along with many celebrity actors for driving scenes, including [[Paul Newman]] and [[Robert Wagner]] for the movie "[[Winning (film)|Winning]]".{{Cn|date=November 2022}}
==History==
The school was founded in 1968 by World Champion and ten-time hall of fame inductee [[Bob Bondurant]], and was located at the [[Orange County International Raceway]]. Bondurant initially approached [[Porsche]] for funding and support, but his request was turned down due to the uncertainty of the endeaver. Bob then approached [[Datsun]], which agreed to support his plans. The starting lineup of cars included [[Datsun]] 240Zs, [[Datsun 510|510s]],<ref name="datsun">{{cite web|title=The Bondurant Datsun Roadster Years|url=http://www.datsun.org/fairlady/Bondurant.htm|publisher=Datsun.org|accessdate=27 April 2012}}</ref> 2000 convertibles, a [[Lola T70|Lola T70 Can-Am car]], and a [[Formula Vee]]. By 1970, the school relocated to the nearby [[Ontario Motor Speedway]]. Noting how the school increased Datsun's profile, [[Porsche]] began supplying Bondurant with Porsche [[Porsche 911|911s]] and Porsche [[Porsche 914|914s]]. In 1973, with the school gaining popularity, Bondurant moved the operation to a track of his own, Sears Point International Raceway (now [[Infineon Raceway]]) near [[Sonoma, California|Sonoma, CA]].
In 1976, the president of [[Ford Motor Company]] convinced Bondurant to abandon Datsun's backing and work with Ford, with whom he had won the World Championship during his racing years. Ford offered Bondurant a full  sponsorship of cars, parts, and marketing until 2003.
In 1989, Bondurant was invited to Firebird Raceway (now known as [[Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park]]) in Chandler, AZ to consider an offer which promised the chance to build the world's first purpose-built driver training facility.<ref>{{cite web |date=February 17, 2014 |title=Last Year Firebird Raceway and the Arizona NHRA Nationals; In 2014 it's Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park |url=http://www.racewildhorse.com/wildhorse-firebird.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819135213/http://www.racewildhorse.com/wildhorse-firebird.html |archivedate=August 19, 2014 |accessdate=2014-09-11 |publisher=Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park}}</ref> However, land limitations only allowed a downsized version of his dream training facility.<ref name="history" />
In late 2018, citing financial troubles and infrastructural damage, the school and company were forced into [[Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code|Chapter 11 protection]]. As a result, the school’s assets were sold off in 2019.{{Cn|date=November 2022}}
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== External links ==
* [https://bondurantracingschool.com/ Bondurant Racing School]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1968]]
[[Category:Racing schools]]