Robert Charles "Bob" Tullius, a member of multiple motosports halls of fame, passed away on Monday at his home in Port Orange, Florida. He was 95 years old.
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A former service member in the United States Air Force, Tullius began his motorsports journey in an unexpected manner. According to his obituary, he purchased a Triumph TR3 for his wife. She did not drive it often, so he took it to a racing school and won a graduation race.
Tullius officially began his racing career in 1961 and later formed Group 44 Inc. in 1965. He used this racing team to achieve considerable success, which included wins across the Trans Am Series, IMSA, and SCCA Club Racing.
Group 44 won more than 300 events, 14 national championships, and three Trans Am titles. Tullius, in particular, won back-to-back Trans Am championships in 1977 and 1978 after piloting his Jaguar XJ-S to 13 combined wins.
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The longtime driver-owner also captured a win in one of the most prestigious events in the world. He won the GTP class in the 1985 24 Hours of Le Mans.
"Bob Tullius was one of the true originals in American sports car racing," said IMSA President John Doonan in a statement. "He was a visionary competitor, a gifted team leader, and a gentleman whose presence elevated every paddock he entered.
"His success with Group 44 and his decades of innovation and excellence left an unmistakable imprint on IMSA's history and on the countless people he inspired along the way.
"We mourn the loss of a Hall of Famer, a pioneer, and a dear friend to our community. On behalf of everyone at IMSA, we extend our deepest condolences to Bob's family, friends, former teammates, and the many fans who cherished his remarkable legacy."
Tullius did not limit his cockpit time to race cars. He also owned a collection of unique aircraft, which included a P-51D Mustang. He covered the WWII aircraft with a custom livery honoring Capt. Donald Emerson, a 21-year-old pilot who was killed on Christmas Day in 1944.
Tullius piloted this particular craft at more than 140 airshows before donating it to the Royal Air Force Museum in London.
The longtime racer and pilot was inducted into numerous Halls of Fame. This includes 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 in 2025.
