The motorsport community is mourning the loss of one of its own, a true pioneer in the sport. IMSA hall-of-famer Bob Tullius passed away this week at the age of 95.

His connection to Lime Rock Park was especially meaningful.

Tullius and his immaculately prepared Group 44 Triumphs and Jaguars were fan favorites at Lime Rock Park.

Tullius was one of the emerging stars to race in the 1962 SCCA New England Region National, leading 23 laps in his Triumph TR-4 before being passed with two laps remaining. He went on to win the next three SCCA National Championships in that car.

In the SCCA Trans-Am, he had the drive of the day in the 1971 Schaefer Trans-Am. Coming from last place in an old 1964 Pontiac Tempest, he drove through the rain up to second place and closing the gap on Mark Donohue’s factory Penske Javelin. It all went for naught, as a blown head gasket put Tullius out only 12 laps from the finish.

Among his many SCCA victories was a triumph at LRP in 1976, aboard a Jaguar XJ-S.

In 1982, Tullius unveiled the Group 44 Jaguar XJR-5, the car that became the face of IMSA’s fledgling Camel GTP category – both in the U.S. and at Le Mans as Jaguar returned to endurance racing following a 25-year absence. Tullius and Bill Adam won the 1983 Lime Rock three-hour race in the No. 44 Group 44 Quaker State Jaguar XJR-5.

Two years later, Group 44 driver Brian Redman survived a collision with eventual winner Drake Olson in an exciting battle in the rain. With visibility very limited with an oil-smeared windshield, Redman was forced to run with his door open to get back to the pits, and went on to finish second.

The Jaguars last roared at Lime Rock in 1986, sweeping the front row for the IMSA Memorial Day classic although Tullius concentrated on his role of team manager. New driver Chip Robinson set an IMSA track record, running 47.59-seconds in the Group 44 Jaguar XJR-7, 0.03-seconds ahead of Hurley Haywood aboard a Group 44 XJR-9.

Although Tullius’ racing days at Lime Rock Park were finished, he did return to The Park as a guest at the Historic Festival 29 in 2011.