Bob Garretson

Oliver Robert Garretson (April 8, 1933 – April 13, 2025) was an American racing driver.

Biography Garretson was the owner-driver of a Porsche 935 sports car team named Garretson Enterprises in the early 1980s that competed part-time in both the World Sportscar Championship and IMSA GT Championship. During 1978, he won the Sebring 12 hours. In 1981 along with veteran Brian Redman and Bobby Rahal, Garretson won the 24 Hours of Daytona. Despite not winning another race that season, Garretson won the 1981 World Endurance Championship for Drivers title which was the first awarded. He sold the team and retired from racing shortly thereafter.

In 2019, Garretson was elected to the FIA Hall of Fame for his accomplishment as part of the FIA Hall of Fame's sportscar wing. WEC season-long champions are inducted into the FIA Hall.

Garretson died at his home in Warrenton, Virginia on April 13, 2025, at the age of 92.

Racing results 24 Hours of Le Mans results Year Team Co-Driver(s) Car Class Laps 1978 Dick Barbour Racing Bob Akin Steve Earle Porsche 935/77 IMSA GTX 159 DNF DNF 1979 Dick Barbour Racing Edwin Abate Skeeter McKitterick Porsche 935/78 IMSA GTX 283 8th 3rd 1980 Dick Barbour Racing Allan Moffat Bobby Rahal Porsche 935 K3 IMSA 134 DNF DNF 1981 Cooke-Woods Racing Ralph Kent-Cooke Anny-Charlotte Verney Porsche 935 K3 IMSA GTX 328 6th 2nd 1982 Garretson Developments Ray Ratcliff Anny-Charlotte Verney Porsche 935 K3 IMSA GTX 299 11th 5th