Historic stock cars competing in vintage racing today generally run on road courses. Just as in today’s NASCAR the teams back in the 1980’s would build and set up cars specifically to compete in the road races at Watkins Glen and Infineon Raceway. This particular NASCAR Winston Cup car was designed and built by one of the
best road racing teams in the country, Bob Tullius’ Group 44. It was one of the very best road racing stock cars of its time and today is highly competitive in the historic stock car group.
The team competed in just one season of Winston Cup and as a result the car was in remarkable great condition when restored for vintage racing. All mechanical components where checked and replaced with new parts were needed. The engine was totally rebuilt by Petty Enterprises. The T10 transmission was rebuilt and the car was set up to full road racing specification including large AP brake calipers and rotors. Since the restoration was complete the car has been shaken down and sorted and has approximately two hours of track time.
About Group 44 and the 1989 NASCAR season.
Group 44 had made its name racing sports cars in the SCCA regional and national races. After winning the SCCA national championship many times they moved up to Trans AM and IMSA competition eventually winning titles in both series. In 1988 Tullius was ready for a new challenge and decided to take on NASCAR. The Group 44 team designed and built this Pontiac from the ground up.
The team’s road racing background paid off when Jim Sauter drove the car in its first race to a spectacular ninth place finish at Watkins Glen. Sauter and Group 44 competed in seven Cup races in 1989. At the end of the season the team decided not to continue with its NASCAR program and the car was put into storage. Tullius had proved his point by not only creating one of the very best road racing stock cars of the era but also a very good oval race car as well.
Group 44 NASCAR Record in 1989
Bud at Glen, Watkins Glen International — 9th
Champion 400, Michigan International Speedway — 23rd
Peak 500, Dover International Speedway — 12th
All Pro 500, Charlotte Motor Speedway — 40th
AC Delco 500, North Carolina Speedway — 33rd
Autoworks 500, Phoenix International Raceway — 17th
Atlanta Journal 500, Atlanta Motor Speedway — 21st
