Trans-Am News: Bob Tullius dead at age 95

PORT ORANGE, Florida — Robert Charles “Bob” Tullius (pictured), one of the most influential figures in American motorsports history, a pioneering driver, innovative team owner, and founder of the iconic Group 44 racing team, passed away peacefully at his home in Port Orange, Florida, on March 16, 2026. He was 95 years old.

–by Mark Cipolloni–

Born on December 7, 1930, in Rochester, New York, Tullius served in the United States Air Force before beginning a career at Kodak. His introduction to racing came almost by chance in 1960 when he entered his wife’s Triumph TR3 in a racing school and won the graduation race. What began as a hobby quickly became a passion — and then a full-time profession. He made his competitive debut in 1961 and never looked back.

In 1965, Tullius co-founded Group 44 Inc. with mechanic Brian Fuerstenau and advertising executive Dick Gilmartin. Named after his racing number, the team revolutionized sports car racing with its professional approach, striking green-and-white livery applied to cars, transporters, and uniforms, and forward-thinking marketing that integrated sponsorships in ways rarely seen before. Based in Virginia, Group 44 went on to achieve more than 300 race victories, 14 SCCA national championships, and three Trans-Am series titles during its 25-year existence.

As both a driver and team principal, Tullius enjoyed extraordinary success. He excelled with Triumph models in the 1960s and 1970s, winning the very first Trans-Am race at Sebring in 1966. He later led Jaguar programs, developing competitive E-Types and XJ-S models before moving into the IMSA GTP era with the groundbreaking Jaguar XJR-5 and XJR-7 prototypes. Highlights included 10 GTP class wins and a memorable class victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1985. His final victory as a driver came at the 1986 3 Hours of Daytona. Group 44 later partnered with Audi, securing another Trans-Am title in 1988.

Beyond the track, Tullius was an avid aviator who owned and meticulously restored historic aircraft, including a P-51D Mustang. He was also known for his love of animals and fostered numerous cats over the years.

Tullius’s lifetime contributions to the sport earned him induction into multiple halls of fame: the Sebring Hall of Fame (2014), SCCA Hall of Fame (2015), British Sports Car Hall of Fame (2017), Motorsports Hall of Fame of America (2018), and most recently the IMSA Hall of Fame (2025).

He is survived by his daughter, his daughter-in-law, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Russell, who passed away in 2021.

A celebration of life will be announced at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Humane Society in Bob’s name.

Bob Tullius will be remembered as a true gentleman of the sport — a visionary competitor, gifted leader, and innovator whose green-and-white Group 44 cars and competitive spirit helped professionalize and popularize American road racing for generations.