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American
Grand Prix driver Dan Gurney and fellow countryman Carroll Shelby, creator of the
legendary Cobra sports racing cars, joined together to form All American Racers (AAR). The
team which was sponsored by Goodyear was formed to win Indianapolis which was then
dominated by Firestone equipped cars. Gurney currently driving for Brabham in Formula 1
also wanted to construct a proper Grand Prix car to race on the road courses of Europe.
Based in Santa Ana, California, they hired ex-Lotus designer Len Terry. Fresh from his
success in designing the Lotus Type 38 that had just won at Indy in the hands of Jim Clark
he designed a similar car that was intended for both Indy and Europe. Rather than the
offset suspension of other Indy cars the Eagle had symmetrical suspension, the better to
race on road courses. Four chassis were completed for the 1966 season. The GP team was
call the "Anglo-American Racers" in deference to its British Weslake engine.
This engine was created by ex-BRM engineer Aubrey Woods. The design had previously been
rejected by BRM in favor of their H16. After starting the season using a 2.75-litre
Coventry-Climax engine the Weslake was ready for Monza. Unfortunately fuel problems and
overheating ended the cars race after 17 laps. Continued overheating marred the last two
races of the season. After starting the 1967 season in one of the Coventry-Climax powered
cars the Eagle-Weslake returned for the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands
Hatch. Joined by new teammate Richie Ginther the team ran 1-2 in the final before
brake trouble halted Ginther's race. Gurney still in the lead managed to hold off a fast
charging Ferrari to claim his team's first race. Ginther who was not able to qualify for
Monaco abruptly retired. After putting the heavy Eagle on a diet, Gurney was ready to
challenge the leaders. At Spa history was made as Gurney set a new lap record on the way
to a stirring victory thus becoming the first American to win a Championship Grand Prix in
an American car of his own make. This victory would prove to be the high point of Gurney's
career and also that of Eagle. In 1968 Gurney severed his ties with Weslake, as the Sussex
firm was not up to the rigors of Formula 1. A homegrown engine was under development and
did actually race but lack of funds soon put an end to AAR's European racing efforts.
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Grand Prix cars of all time the Eagle
was destined not to race again. AAR would limit their racing to the United States for now.
In the more than four decades since it was founded by racing legends Dan Gurney and Carroll Shelby, All American Racers has consistently built cars that have competed and won at the highest levels of motorsports. One of the earliest AAR Eagles made racing history in 1967 when Gurney himself drove it to victory at the Belgian Grand Prix, making him the only American in Formula 1 to ever win a GP in a car of his own making. Less than a year later, an Eagle driven by Bobby Unser would capture the marque's first Indianapolis 500 victory, with others to follow in 1973 and 1975. Two decades later, AAR's Toyota Eagle Mark III dominated IMSA s Grand Touring Prototype category, scoring back-to-back drivers and manufacturers championships in 1992 and 1993. Under Gurney's leadership, AAR has always applied a combination of cutting-edge engineering, experimentation, and real-world driving experience to produce cars that were unmatched in their speed, sophistication, and elegance. In Dan Gurney's Eagle Racing Cars: The Technical History of the Machines Designed and Built by All American Racers, author John Zimmermann delivers the definitive account of the planning, development and race history of every car built by AAR. Drawing on extensive interviews with Dan Gurney and the company's top designers, engineers, and drivers, Zimmermann explains how each car was conceived, created, and refined for maximum performance. His descriptions and analysis are accompanied by hundreds of color and black and white photos showing each car's journey from the drawing board to the racetrack.
American
Grand Prix driver Dan Gurney and fellow countryman Carroll Shelby, creator of the
legendary Cobra sports racing cars, joined together to form All American Racers (AAR). The
team which was sponsored by Goodyear was formed to win Indianapolis which was then
dominated by Firestone equipped cars. Gurney currently driving for Brabham in Formula 1
also wanted to construct a proper Grand Prix car to race on the road courses of Europe.
Based in Santa Ana, California, they hired ex-Lotus designer Len Terry. Fresh from his
success in designing the Lotus Type 38 that had just won at Indy in the hands of Jim Clark
he designed a similar car that was intended for both Indy and Europe. Rather than the
offset suspension of other Indy cars the Eagle had symmetrical suspension, the better to
race on road courses. Four chassis were completed for the 1966 season. The GP team was
call the "Anglo-American Racers" in deference to its British Weslake engine.
This engine was created by ex-BRM engineer Aubrey Woods. The design had previously been
rejected by BRM in favor of their H16. After starting the season using a 2.75-litre
Coventry-Climax engine the Weslake was ready for Monza. Unfortunately fuel problems and
overheating ended the cars race after 17 laps. Continued overheating marred the last two
races of the season. After starting the 1967 season in one of the Coventry-Climax powered
cars the Eagle-Weslake returned for the non-championship Race of Champions at Brands
Hatch. 
Joined by new teammate Richie Ginther the team ran 1-2 in the final before
brake trouble halted Ginther's race. Gurney still in the lead managed to hold off a fast
charging Ferrari to claim his team's first race. Ginther who was not able to qualify for
Monaco abruptly retired. After putting the heavy Eagle on a diet, Gurney was ready to
challenge the leaders. At Spa history was made as Gurney set a new lap record on the way
to a stirring victory thus becoming the first American to win a Championship Grand Prix in
an American car of his own make. This victory would prove to be the high point of Gurney's
career and also that of Eagle. In 1968 Gurney severed his ties with Weslake, as the Sussex
firm was not up to the rigors of Formula 1. A homegrown engine was under development and
did actually race but lack of funds soon put an end to AAR's European racing efforts.
Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Grand Prix cars of all time the Eagle
was destined not to race again. AAR would limit their racing to the United States for now.
