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From: Rawhitlock@aol.com
Date: Mon, 7 Dec 1998 22:10:14 EST
To: bobhines@Tidalwave.net, wheeltowheel@wheeltowheel.com
Subject: Re: factories in racing - Group 44
Here is something for everyone,
For those on the list that like the good old days and for those "newbies" that
think political turmoil in the SCCA is something new. The 12/7/98 issue of
Autoweek has a one page article discussing the 1980-81? Trans-Am car of the
year (a Group 44 Bob Tullius built TR-8!!!!!!!) - it was so fast they tried to
kill the car after the first two races. With 360 hp and only 2100 lbs, it ran
away from the Camero's and Mustangs of the day. The SCCA quickly added
400lbs to the car - Tullius pulled the cars and ran GTO in IMSA instead and
won the 24 hours of Daytona and the Sebring 12 hour race as well.
When Tullius found out that they could win 3rd place Trans-Am money he ran the
last race of the year. The car actully made weight with a full tank of fuel,
so they built up a big lead and pitted near the end to top off and won the
race and the 3rd place money. (The SCCA changed the rule the next year to
prevent this from occuring again.)
The two best quotes from the article were: "I wasn't going to lethose bastards
get my money." and "We won the race, got our money and screwed the SCCA," he
said, still pleased nearly 20 years later.
FYI - There are only two Group 44 TR-8's ever made and the late-John Kelly's
wife is selling one of them according to the article. Ken Slagle (sp) raced a
TR-7 in CP and later a TR-8 in GT-1 - but one of them was totaled at the
start/finish at Road Atlanta in the early 80's. You could always find Ken in
the paddock, he had a trailer shaped like a triangle and the car was yellow
and orange #1 if I remember correctly.
- - Rob Whitlock
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