In performance driving, classroom goes 150 mph Paula Hubbs Cohen Special for The Republic Nov. 24, 2004 12:00 AM There's nothing like talking to a legend. Bob Bondurant is known worldwide for his racing prowess and his high-performance driving school adjacent to Firebird International Raceway. "I've been a racing driver since I was 22 years old, and I'm now 71, although I feel like I'm 35," Bondurant said, laughing. "I used to race for Carroll Shelby, who designed some very famous sports cars. We went to Europe in 1964 with a mission to beat Ferrari in the World Manufacturer's Championship. Ferrari had never been beaten, and the first year, we missed beating them by five points. Ford sent us back and we beat them for the first time in 1965." Bondurant eventually returned to the United States and was racing in the Canadian-American Challenge Cup Series when he survived a devastating accident that nearly killed him and put an end to his promising career. Nearly 40 years later, the accident is still seared in his memory. "It happened in Watkins Glen, New York, on June 23, 1967, right after lunch," he said, quietly recalling the tiniest of details. "I was going about 150 mph and coming out of a high-speed turn when all of a sudden the steering arm broke and the back end of the car started to slide out. I only had one wheel steering the car and I went off the road, hit an embankment and went up in the air and crashed into a pole. It took the whole bottom out of the car." Bondurant's car careened end over end eight times. "It seemed like it took about 20 minutes, but it was only a few seconds," he said. "I felt every bump and I sure didn't want to catch on fire. I remember taking a deep breath and relaxing my neck muscles and my arms, wrists and hands. That helped a lot, because I didn't break anything on my upper body." After coming to rest, he was pulled from the car with numerous serious injuries, including broken feet and legs and fractures in his neck and back. He spent a month in a New York hospital, where doctors told him he would never walk again. "As strange as it sounds, I actually have some fond memories of that time because the Watkins Glen people made sure to send someone over every day with cookies and magazines," he said. "It sure meant a lot." At a turning point in his career because of his injuries, Bondurant took stock of his skills and abilities. "I knew racing best, and I had trained James Garner for the movie Grand Prix in 1966, and I seemed to have a talent for that. I said if I could walk again, that's what I would do, teach people how to drive, and so I started my school in California on Valentine's Day in 1968," Bondurant said. "The schools grew and I needed more property, and when I came to Phoenix, I had a neat, warm fuzzy feeling in my heart, and I love sunshine. We set up the deal and designed and built our own facility and garages." Dubbed "the fastest 60 acres in America," the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving employs 65 people. Located on the property is a 15-turn, 1.6-mile road course designed by Bondurant for high-performance, race and advanced driving instruction. An 8-acre asphalt pad is used for advanced driver training exercises with intriguing names such as the Throttle Steer Circle, Slalom Course, Handling Oval and Accident Avoidance Simulator. Selected advanced racing and corporate group programs are taught on three of Firebird Raceway's tracks. "We have just under 200 cars here and run several different programs, including a lot of corporate team building," he said. Executive protection courses are also gaining in popularity. "We do the protection classes for politicians, celebrities and private individuals who just want to know how to get away if someone tries to force them off the road. It's also a great course for women to take just for personal safety." One of Bondurant's favorite classes is a teenage driving course. "It's a lot of fun, and it can save their life by teaching them skills to make them safer drivers." When asked what he enjoys most about his work, Bondurant is quietly philosophical. "I've really enjoyed working with a lot of actors and race car drivers. In fact, I helped train Paul Newman who then started his second career in racing," he said. "But the thing I love the most is teaching people skills that will make them safe but also leaves them with a smile. They often say it's the most fun they've ever had in their life. So we save lives, but we do it in a nice, fun, exciting way." http://www.azcentral.com/community/chandler/articles/1124cr-bondurant24Z6.html#
