The Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving Has Closed Its Doors

It’s been barely more than a month since the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving declared bankruptcy. And now it’s reportedly ceased operating and closed its doors.

One of America’s premier advanced driving and racing schools had been in operation (under a different name) since 1961 when it was founded by Carroll Shelby at Riverside Raceway near Los Angeles. He hired Bob Bondurant, already one of his top racing drivers, as one of its instructors, and Bondurant took it over in ’68 after a crash at Watkins Glen ended his racing career prematurely.

It’s since taught an endless string of celebrities, racing drivers, and ordinary citizens, moving to its current home in Arizona in the late 1980s. The past few years saw it partner with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, using an array of Vipers, Challenger and Charger Hellcats, and Abarth Fiats as its rolling classrooms – much as it had previously used Fords and Corvettes.

Bondurant filed for bankruptcy in Arizona under Chapter 11 on October 2, apparently collapsing under the weight of its debts, which are said to amount to between $1 million and $10 million – about the same value as its assets that may now be liquidated.

Though the school itself has made no official announcement regarding its status since declaring bankruptcy, Motor Authority received confirmation from a Bondurant spokesman that it has closed its doors. But for how long, we don’t know. Here’s hoping new owners can be found to bring the American racing institution back, just as rival school Skip Barber was taken over by another driving school following its bankruptcy last year.