Robert Charles “Bob” Tullius, 1930-2026
One of the all-time great American road racers has passed away.
Robert Charles “Bob” Tullius passed away peacefully at his home in Port Orange, Florida on Monday. He was 95 year old.
Tullius is best known as the mastermind behind Group 44, his racing team recognized for its trademark white over green British sports cars. Founded in Falls Church, Virginia in 1965, Group 44 Inc. fostered relationships with manufacturers such as MG, Triumph, and Jaguar, leading to a quarter of a century of American road racing victories.
Between SCCA, IMSA, and the Trans-Am series, Group 44 secured over 300 victories. Tullius himself made starts in NASCAR and at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, notching the final victory of his career in 1986 at the 3 Hours of Daytona. Naturally, he was piloting a Jaguar.
Despite his incredible resume – one that would comfortably place him on the Mount Rushmore of American sports car racers – he had quite an inauspicious start to his racing career.
Back in 1960, five years before founding Group 44, Tullius purchased a Triumph TR3 for his wife. His wife didn’t drive it much, but Bob would enroll in a ring school with it, even winning his graduation race.
By 1963, his boss at Kodak forced him to choose between his career and racing. Tullius chose racing, and the rest is history. For fans of British sports cars and sports car racing in general, Tullius is a bona fide hero.
In 1981, Group 44 brought Jaguar back to Le Mans for the first time in 27 years. In 1985, they won the GTP class, defeating the dominant Porsches that seemed so unbeatable to the rest of the field.
Tullius was inducted into the Sebring Hall of Fame in 2014, the SCCA Hall of Fame in 2015, the British Sports Car Hall of Fame in 2017, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2018, and the IMSA Hall of Fame just last year.
Bob Tullius is survived by his daughter, his daughter in law, eight grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. A lifetime lover of animals – cats in particular (he fostered over 20 at one time) – his family is asking for memorial donations made to the humane society.
Photo: Motorsports Hall of Fame of America