The Team...
Starting as a small amateur team in the 1990s, Bildon Motorsport would eventually progress to competing in professional IMSA Road Racing events by the mid-2000s.
Growing up in the “Finger Lakes” region, not far from Watkins Glen, NY, the founders of Bildon Motorsport developed a lifelong passion for performance and racing cars.
Bill and Don would head to “The Glen” whenever Trans-Am, CART, or the IMSA series rolled into town. Early on, they joined the SCCA as Pit Marshals to get closer to the action.
Working races at Watkins Glen introduced them to a wide variety of cars, teams, and personalities competing at all levels of international sportscar racing. They were hooked, and the rest, as they say, …is history.
Today’s “team” is an informal group of passionate sportscar enthusiasts that “Bildon” has met along the way. Perhaps a Rennsportgemeinschaft (racing community), aka, RSG-Bildon.
These days you will usually find us at Pittsburgh International Race Complex (Pitt Race) or at anyone of a number events around the country.
You might even bump into us lapping the legendary Nordschleife. (4 visits and counting!)
The Business...
1998 - The beginning
An early adopter of "e-commerce", Bildon.com focused only on late model VW racing. Driven by the passion for motorsport, we would leave street tuning to the others. An introduction to Volkswagen Motorsport (VWMS) personnel in Hannover started Bildon Motorsport supplying customers with technical information and products directly from "the source" at VWMS.
2000 - Business Expansion
Bildon begins to expand its product lines.
Alongside the VWMS products, many new ones were added. These new products were a direct result of our racing development, as well as that of our partners and customers.
A trip the the Essen Motorshow in 2003 would prove fruitful with multiple European suppliers being added in subsequent years.
2005 - Strength to Strength
By now Bildon Motorsport had developed relationships with suppliers throughout Europe and the U.S. to support our growing, world-wide customer base.
Year to year sales increased, allowing expansion into a dedicated shop & warehouse facility.
Growth continued into areas such as driveline and engine components, where we were able to partner with specialists in these disciplines.
The Bildon catalog was now broad and deep, covering all aspects of car construction and competition.
2007 - Bildon goes Pro
Bildon moves into the "business" of professional racing. Partnering with GSM, we enter the Grand-Am Koni Cup with an mk5 GTI. While the car was very competitive at times, this effort would also prove to be an entry into the school of hard knocks...literally. The car was knocked out of the series twice in subsequent years due to crashes that nearly "totaled" the car.
2012 - auf Wiedersehen
After more than a decade in business Bildon Motorsport has to shut down the retail racing parts business due to unexpected external forces, and begins to focus on other ventures.
The Racing...
1990 - Early days
After university, Don and Bill would look to satisfy the racing itch that had developed after years of auto-crossing, road rallies and marshalling at Watkins Glen. Don would build Bildon’s first dedicated race car, a 1977 VW Rabbit that Bill had purchased to race.
Bildon would take this car to Watkins Glen where Don obtained his SCCA racing license. This car was then campaigned at circuits throughout the Northeast.
While Don honed his driving skills, Bill went to work for a few IMSA programs to learn the ‘secrets’ of racecar construction and engineering. Along the way he experienced what it takes to win back to back IMSA GTU championships with Leitzinger Racing.
Later on, the Rabbit would make its way to Atlanta with Bill and was raced in events throughout the Southeast.
1997 - Moving up
The first Bildon Motorsport mk2 GTI was built while renting space in the Atlanta shops of Jim Downing. The car raced in the SARRC, ECR and Pro IT series, including two 24 hour races.
2002 - Double Trouble
What's better than one winning GTI? Well two of course! Bill returned to the Northeast where the now 2 car team would see much success resulting in 3 divisional championships over 5 years.
2005 - Corrado VR6
A 1993 SSA Corrado was acquired after it "podiumed" in two consecutive SCCA Runoffs. Rebuilt as an SCCA ITS car, it immediately saw success at the front.
2012 - Time off
After the closing of the Bildon Motorsport business, it was time to also take a break from competitive racing. Priorities changed, life happened.
However, racing is in the blood. Later, after years of instructing and "lapping" with the Porsche Club of America (in modified street cars that were easily faster than all the race cars above), Bildon would again return to competition in the 2020s... Albeit with less intensity and with a new goal... to Just Have Fun!
