THE RACERS, PART XVIII.

By Peter M. DeLorenzo

Detroit. Racing a car, motorcycle or anything with some sort of power is a pursuit like no other. It is a passionate endeavor requiring an obsessive single-mindedness that consumes the people involved to a degree that outsiders find hard to understand. Ask any driver who has competed at the top level, and they will tell you that there is nothing half-assed about what they do, because the focus required is almost incomprehensible. Drivers talk about being in "the zone" - a strange state of mind that takes over their entire being while they're racing - when the faster they go the more things seem to slow down for them. They're aware of everything around them, but at the same time their focus on the task at hand is impenetrable, because anything less can result in a mistake that will likely have severe consequences. Racers are indeed a rare breed, willing to sacrifice everything for the pursuit of what they love to do, to the detriment of everything else. These racers have left an indelible mark on the sport. Drivers who were fierce competitors, flawed heroes and incredible, gifted talents. Their legacies are what make the sport of motor racing so fascinating. In the most recent issues of "Fumes" I have been recalling some of my favorites. This week's issue is dedicated to the American racer's racer, Bob Bondurant.

Bob started racing bikes in his early 20s, but transitioned to four wheels at the age of 23. From the age of 23 to 34, Bob became one of the most successful racing car drivers in the world. He won SCCA National Championships in Corvettes, winning 30 out of 32 races from 1961 to 1963. But he was best known for his affiliation with Carroll Shelby and the Shelby American Cobras. Bob was the first and only American to bring the World Sports Car Championship trophy home to America, driving the legendary Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe to many memorable wins in Europe, including fourth overall and first in GT5.0 in the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, co-driving with Dan Gurney. He then drove for Ferrari in World Championship Sports Car prototype racing and in F1. He even raced in the Baja 500.

Bondurant left F1 to race in the Can-Am series on a team with his best friend, Peter Revson. But at Watkins Glen in 1967, while driving a Lola T70 Mk.2 Ford, a severe crash changed the direction of Bondurant's entire life and career. A steering arm broke at 150 mph, and while Bob was lying in traction in the hospital afterward, he recounted a vivid conversation he had with God. According to Bondurant, God explained to him that he was needed more on earth to start a driving and safety school to save thousands of lives of those who were dying on the highways and in motorsports. So, on February 14, 1968, Bob founded The Bob Bondurant School of High-Performance Driving, and for 50 years it earned the reputation as the finest racing school in the world. Using his own, copyrighted, "The Bondurant Method," Bob personally trained his hand-selected instructors to educate the world to be better racers and drivers. Bob and 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. Bondurant was actively at the track every day, enthusiastically greeting his new students until he was well over 85 years old. He kept racing too. Bondurant's last Championship was in 1997 for the World Cup Challenge, racing for Steve Saleen. Bondurant retired from racing at 79 after winning a vintage race at Pomona Raceway in his No. 72 ERA Ford GT40. Though his accomplishments with his driving school are indeed legendary, his exploits in racing still resonate to this day. He was a racer's racer, through and through. Bob Bondurant passed away at the age of 88 on November 12, 2021.

Bob Bondurant made his early reputation by racing Corvettes in sports car races up and down the West Coast.

(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Bob Bondurant in his distinctive racing helmet, 1965.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
12 Hours of Sebring, March 21, 1964. The Bob Bondurant/Lew Spencer No. 12 Shelby American Cobra qualified 11th and finished 5th overall.
Targa Florio, Sicily, May, 19, 1965. Bob Bondurant in the No. 194 Ford Advanced Vehicles Ford GT40 Roadster that he shared with John Whitmore. They didn't finish.
Targa Florio, Sicily, April 24, 1964. "Bondo" in the No. 142 Shelby American Cobra that he shared with Phil Hill. They didn't finish.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Riverside International Raceway, October 13, 1963. Dan Gurney (No. 97 Shelby American Cobra) leads Allen Grant (No. 96 Coventry Motors Shelby Cobra) and Bob Bondurant (No. 99 Shelby American Cobra) in a special 1-Hour GT race.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
12 Hours of Sebring, March 21, 1964. The Bondurant/Spencer No. 12 Shelby American Cobra in for a night pit stop. Lew Spencer buckling in.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
12 Hours of Sebring, March 21, 1964. The Bob Bondurant/Lew Spencer No. 12 Shelby American Cobra in the pits.
Nassau Speed Weeks, December 3, 1965. Bob Bondurant (No. 111 Pacesetter Homes Lola T70 Chevrolet) didn't finish the Governor's Trophy race.
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Laguna Seca, October 18, 1964. Bob Bondurant (No. 96 Shelby American Cooper King Cobra Ford) finished third in both heats of the Monterey Grand Prix behind Roger Penske (No. 66 Chaparral 2A Chevrolet) and Dan Gurney (No. 19 Lotus 19 B Ford).
(Photo by Dave Friedman)
Riverside International Raceway, October 13, 1963. My all-time favorite shot of "Bondo." He's on his way to leading a 1-2-3-4 Cobra sweep in his No. 99 Shelby American Cobra. Allen Grant (No. 96 Coventry Motors Shelby Cobra) was second, Lew Spencer (No. 98 Shelby American Cobra) was third and Dan Gurney (No. 97 Shelby American Cobra) finished fourth in the special 1-Hour GT race.

Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG