17 replies to this topic

[brickyard]

I found that the ex-IMSA's Bob Tullius' Group 44 Racing Team, raced 4 races in the '87 CART Championship with a March-Cosworth 86C, #44, drivers Chip Robinson (L.Beach, Meadowlands and Nazareth) and Tom Sneva (Miami). The major sponsor was Carteret Savings.

Does any of you have more infos about this "CART adventure". I've never saw a photo of the cars.

[McRonalds]

Yea, it was Bob Tullius who made a short adventure in CART. Sorry, I only found a small picture in my archive (Robinson, at Nazarath '87) but you can clearly see the typical Group 44 livery - and - the car hardly carries any sponsor.

[brickyard]

McRonalds, You don't have to apologise. That's a great photo. Any ideas about who was the team manager, chief mechanic, etc.?

[Bjorn Kjer]

Instead of opening a new thread I found this and would like anyone to shed some light on the history of this great team!.?

[canon1753]

IIRC, Group 44 was losing the Jaguar IMSA program to TWR in 1988, so they maybe were looking for a place to race for 88, and also to showcase Chip's talent. They ended up with the Audi Trans-Am program and then the Audi IMSA program for the next few years. There was a Winston Cup entry somewhere in there too.

Again IIRC.

[RA Historian]

The CART program, as I recall, was in 1986-87 time frame, before the Jaguar IMSA effort went to TWR. Chip Robinson went to Holbert Racing in 87 and 88. As stated, for 88 Group 44 ran the Audi effort in the Trans Am, winning the majority of the races with Hans Stuck and Hurley Haywood as drivers. They won the championship for Haywood. However, they did not run the 89 Audi effort, as that went elsewhere. Group 44 was winding down then, and they dabbled briefly in nascar and made a low key return to Trans Am with a part season effort in, what, 1992?, with a Pontiac Trans Am. The Bob Tullius retired to play with his WWII airplanes, run a car restoration and prep shop, make the occasional appearance, and sell an occasional car when he needed a few bucks to live on.

[Arjan de Roos]

Originally posted by Bjørn Kjer
Instead of opening a new thread I found this and would like anyone to shed some light on the history of this great team!.?

Bjorn,

Have a look at Tony Adamowicz splendid site (career) at:

http://www.a2zracer.com/page6.html

Also check pag 7 - 10 (scroll down first).

[Bjorn Kjer]

New the site , just looked for the transporter and never really went through it . Its faboulos , have to look at all sides now , lots of great pictures. Thanks for the tip Arjan.

I really thought this thread was a bit "dead" , but patience again pays of. Keep on rolling

[petefenelon]

Just as an aside a particularly gorgeous P-51 belonging to Bob Tullius is on display at the RAF Museum in London.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by RA Historian
Group 44 was winding down then, and they dabbled briefly in nascar and made a low key return to Trans Am with a part season effort in, what, 1992?, with a Pontiac Trans Am. The Bob Tullius retired to play with his WWII airplanes, run a car restoration and prep shop, make the occasional appearance, and sell an occasional car when he needed a few bucks to live on.

Isn't 1993-1994 the time frame when Bob Tullius got involved in TRACS, the TV network that should have pre-dated SpeedVision? (I think it was called TRACS, or something similar).

Now, there's an interesting topic.

[canon1753]

Originally posted by RA Historian
The CART program, as I recall, was in 1986-87 time frame, before the Jaguar IMSA effort went to TWR. Chip Robinson went to Holbert Racing in 87 and 88. As stated, for 88 Group 44 ran the Audi effort in the Trans Am, winning the majority of the races with Hans Stuck and Hurley Haywood as drivers. They won the championship for Haywood. However, they did not run the 89 Audi effort, as that went elsewhere. Group 44 was winding down then, and they dabbled briefly in nascar and made a low key return to Trans Am with a part season effort in, what, 1992?, with a Pontiac Trans Am. The Bob Tullius retired to play with his WWII airplanes, run a car restoration and prep shop, make the occasional appearance, and sell an occasional car when he needed a few bucks to live on.

Thanks for correcting my error.

[TooTall]

Here is a shot of Bob Tullius and one of the beautiful Group 44 Jaguar GTP cars.





Cheers,
Kurt O.

[drionita]

Originally posted by McRonalds
Yea, it was Bob Tullius who made a short adventure in CART. Sorry, I only found a small picture in my archive (Robinson, at Nazarath '87) but you can clearly see the typical Group 44 livery - and - the car hardly carries any sponsor.

I can't see any photo, could it be my PC's visualization problem?
Talking about Group 44, I couldn't understand what car Bob Tullius used for his stock car program: was it a Pontiac or an Olds? Thanks
Matt

[URY914]

Tullius has a hanger at the Sebring airport where he keeps his planes and cars. Seems like a good place for them.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Bjørn Kjer
New the site , just looked for the transporter...

[David M. Kane]

As a teenager I remember visiting their race shop in Falls Church, VA. It was behind the Volvo Dealership. Later they moved to Winchester, VA to escape from the quickly and expensively developing Virginia suburbs.
When Group 44 closed Tom Milner took over his Winchester facility for BMW racing program.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by drionita

Talking about Group 44, I couldn't understand what car Bob Tullius used for his stock car program: was it a Pontiac or an Olds?

Matt,

Group 44 fielded a Pontiac in their Stock Car program.

So, does anyone else remember the attempted racing TV network - TRACS? (if it weren't for reading about it in publications, I often feel like I hallucinated TRACS)

[Bjorn Kjer]

Did G44 ever have to do with BMC of US/Kjell Quale (Genie ?) ??