Former employees of the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving say their workplace was a hostile environment. There are claims of racism, belittlement, and unfair treatment, according to a report from the ClassicCars.com Journal. Recently, the school made news when it closed its doors ahead of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing. Classes eventually resumed, but the picture painted by former employees is grim.
Jason Bondurant is the adopted son of school founder Bob Bondurant. His mother Pat Bondurant ran the school before stepping into a consulting role. She maintains a 51% stake in the business. Jason stands by the claims of his employees and he too states that the workplace is a hostile one. Pat denies these claims while stating that the school is working to ensure its future and long-term success.
The allegations are numerous and serious. Read about the ongoing state of affairs at the ClassicCars.com Journal (and Jalopnik, as well).
No matter the full truth, it’s a shame to see this performance driving school fall into its current state of disrepair. Bob founded his namesake school in 1968. That was after tremendous success at the wheel of many race cars. Bondurant drove some all time greats and won at the highest levels of motorsport. His first school, the Bondurant Driving School, opened in 1968 in Riverside California. A handful of locations at other tracks soon spawned before the massive purpose-built facility opened in Chandler, Arizona in 1990.
Bob Bondurant stepped away from the grind of his driving school empire because he wanted to enjoy life during his later years. He’s 85 years old now, and his son says Bob would never let his business get into this shape had he been running the show.
