Any new Abarth owners done the Bondurant Abarth Experience?

**Robert Nixon** · 08-01-2017, 07:40 PM

Looking at the Abarth forum here I haven't seen anyone posting about doing this year's Bondurant version of the Abarth Experience. I really had a fun day at the old version one at Autobahn Country Club in Joliet Illinois a few years ago, and was looking forward to hearing something about the new version.

Anyone?

**Abarth124** · 08-02-2017, 08:31 AM

I'm thinking about it, as I just purchased my car. Haven't looked to deep into it yet due to work and how busy I am currently.

**Robert Nixon** · 08-02-2017, 09:05 AM

I hope you get a chance to do it!

**siwelk** · 08-02-2017, 11:25 AM

I am also considering the one that is in December I believe.

**Southernroadrunner** · 02-18-2018, 06:28 PM

So again I qualify for the Abarth experience with the purchase of my 2017 last month.I felt it was a great day of fun and a great learning experience when I went to Daytona a couple years ago.I appreciate every chance I get these days.But now the only place they hold it is Pheonix area.Almost 1700 miles from me.Guess I'll have to pass on this trip.Kinda makes it tough to go when they only hold it in one place. It is what it is I guess.Gonna have to take a ride to Florida and see if I can win part of a lottery.But I was fortunate to get to attend one.Its a great day if you get a chance to go you will be glad you did.Come on lottery.

**Fiat500USA** · 02-18-2018, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by Southernroadrunner

So again I qualify for the Abarth experience with the purchase of my 2017 last month.I felt it was a great day of fun and a great learning experience when I went to Daytona a couple years ago.I appreciate every chance I get these days.But now the only place they hold it is Pheonix area.Almost 1700 miles from me.Guess I'll have to pass on this trip.Kinda makes it tough to go when they only hold it in one place. It is what it is I guess.Gonna have to take a ride to Florida and see if I can win part of a lottery.But I was fortunate to get to attend one.Its a great day if you get a chance to go you will be glad you did.Come on lottery.

Maybe you can get a cheap air flight?

**Southernroadrunner** · 02-18-2018, 10:23 PM

Haven't looked but maybe.I just really appreciate that I got to go once.Daytona is one of my favorite places for various reasons and getting to do that at Daytona Speedway just got to cross something off my bucket list.

**aelfwyne** · 02-18-2018, 10:27 PM

Basically the Bondurant one was part of Fiat's cost-cutting. It doesn't cost them much of anything to do it this way. As I understand it, it's not even a dedicated event like the SRT one was, with only Abarths. Costs much less to run this way, and is really nowhere near as good a value.

I am very glad I managed to get in on one of the very last SRT-run ones before Fiat decided to start giving up on the US market.

**Juggler** · 02-07-2019, 03:07 PM

I attended the Bondurant Fiat Experience this past December. I promised (on another forum, deceased!) to write a review, so thought to reply to this thread instead.

First a brief description of the facility. Bondurant is located in Chandler, AZ at what (I believe) was Firebird Raceway. There is a dragstrip adjacent to the property, and also a boat drag lake. Bondurant has a huge paved parking lot and a relatively small road course and they used both of these for the Fiat class. The road course is a flat basic oval with several cross overs to make it more interesting. I thought it was perfect for the Fiats (both 500 Abarth and 124 Spiders were available). Additionally, Bondurant had a nice main office/reception area that had space for training classrooms, coffee/water, and souvenirs (shirts, hats, etc.). Nice clean restrooms too!

Regarding the course. First, overall, a great lesson plan. First exercise, was a "last second" lane changing test in the parking lot that got everyone up to speed on the cars. Throughout the school, all were paired with a partner in the car and we each got time to complete the full exercise. In practice this worked out very well as each driver got time to benefit from the partners experience. Also, we were encouraged to switch vehicles to try both the 500 and 124.

Second exercise was a slalom course also in the parking lot with speed increases to make it challenging! Third exercise was an "autocross" (also in the parking lot) that the instructors (2) timed for us and gave results after all completed the exercise. Practice run to learn the course, and then a final timed "best effort".

We took an off site lunch break, and returned at 1pm and moved over to the road course. We were give a "fast" tour of the course in one of Bondurant's Sprinter passenger vans. and then set up for the remaining exercises. Fourth exercise was a team time trial with each drive driving half of the track, and finishing their stint in a stop box. Both partners then exchanged positions and the second completed the course and returned to the stop box. The track was cone marked for apexes and avoided any long straights to keep speeds down. Total team time was recorded and shared upon completion of the exercise.

Fifth exercise, was a "follow the instructor" on the full road course. Several cars on the track but the instructor advised that we were only going as fast as the weakest link. Still, this turned out to be pretty fun!

Last exercise. Hot lapping with one of the instructors driving the Fiat. I have a 500 Abarth and really enjoyed going out with some one who knew the course and breaking points from lots of experience!

We all returned to the classroom and got copies of our time sheets and a completion certificate. In all, a great way to spend a day! Thanks to Fiat for providing this service. I had the pleasure of driving the 500 and Spider and burning someone else's rubber!

**Fiat500USA** · 02-08-2019, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by Juggler

I attended the Bondurant Fiat Experience this past December. I promised (on another forum, deceased!) to write a review, so thought to reply to this thread instead.

First a brief description of the facility. Bondurant is located in Chandler, AZ at what (I believe) was Firebird Raceway. There is a dragstrip adjacent to the property, and also a boat drag lake. Bondurant has a huge paved parking lot and a relatively small road course and they used both of these for the Fiat class. The road course is a flat basic oval with several cross overs to make it more interesting. I thought it was perfect for the Fiats (both 500 Abarth and 124 Spiders were available). Additionally, Bondurant had a nice main office/reception area that had space for training classrooms, coffee/water, and souvenirs (shirts, hats, etc.). Nice clean restrooms too!

Regarding the course. First, overall, a great lesson plan. First exercise, was a "last second" lane changing test in the parking lot that got everyone up to speed on the cars. Throughout the school, all were paired with a partner in the car and we each got time to complete the full exercise. In practice this worked out very well as each driver got time to benefit from the partners experience. Also, we were encouraged to switch vehicles to try both the 500 and 124.

Second exercise was a slalom course also in the parking lot with speed increases to make it challenging! Third exercise was an "autocross" (also in the parking lot) that the instructors (2) timed for us and gave results after all completed the exercise. Practice run to learn the course, and then a final timed "best effort".

We took an off site lunch break, and returned at 1pm and moved over to the road course. We were give a "fast" tour of the course in one of Bondurant's Sprinter passenger vans. and then set up for the remaining exercises. Fourth exercise was a team time trial with each drive driving half of the track, and finishing their stint in a stop box. Both partners then exchanged positions and the second completed the course and returned to the stop box. The track was cone marked for apexes and avoided any long straights to keep speeds down. Total team time was recorded and shared upon completion of the exercise.

Fifth exercise, was a "follow the instructor" on the full road course. Several cars on the track but the instructor advised that we were only going as fast as the weakest link. Still, this turned out to be pretty fun!

Last exercise. Hot lapping with one of the instructors driving the Fiat. I have a 500 Abarth and really enjoyed going out with some one who knew the course and breaking points from lots of experience!

We all returned to the classroom and got copies of our time sheets and a completion certificate. In all, a great way to spend a day! Thanks to Fiat for providing this service. I had the pleasure of driving the 500 and Spider and burning someone else's rubber!

Thanks for the review. Sounds like a lot of fun.