Bob Bondurant Is Dead At 88

We mourn the loss of a motorsports legend…

Multiple reports confirm that legendary championship race car driver and driving instructor Bob Bondurant is dead at 88. Few have made such a lasting impact on the world of motorsports as Bondurant. He passed away at his home in Paradise Valley, Arizona, which is in the Phoenix metropolitan area. No cause of death was announced by the family or the Radford Racing School, formerly the Bondurant Racing School.

Watch the Carroll Shelby Racing video Ford made back in the day here.

Bondurant got his start in racing when he was a teenager, racing motorcycles on dirt tracks and later switching over to cars. During his career he raced for Shelby American, Ferrari, Eagle, and more. Arguably his crowning achievement, the man helped his country win its sole FIA Sports Car World Championship.

Not only did Bondurant achieve fame for his racing skills, the man taught countless people how to drive better. He founded the performance driving school back in 1968, instructing stunt drivers, police officers, actors, bodyguards, and chauffeurs how to handle getting around a track quickly and negotiating any number of real-world threats they might face. Many racers, both professional and amateur, credit Bondurant for teaching them valuable skills.

Mike Kessler, General Manager of Radford Racing School, released the following statement after news broke: “The team at Radford Racing School is saddened to learn of the passing of Bob Bondurant. We salute a man who channeled his passion, tenacity and talents into every endeavor.

A champion on the track, he earned a place among the pantheon of racing heroes when he helped America win its only FIA Sports Car World Championship. Bob dedicated his life to helping others develop their driving skills, both on the street and the track, training some of the biggest names in racing, celebrities, professional athletes, and everyday drivers who would go on to credit his teaching methods for keeping them safe behind the wheel.

Bob Bondurant will be missed and his legacy will live on for years to come.”

Many others had kind words for Bondurant and the lasting legacy which outlives him.