1969 AAR Eagle Mark 5 Monoposto

Built in February 1969, this Gurney Eagle Mark 5 #512 (together with 511 and 513) was originally purchased by James Garner's American International Racing (AIR), which was in fact owned by Donna and John Crean.

AIR never raced the cars. Donna and John Crean loaned Eagle 512 to drivers, who secured their own funding and drove it.

In 1970 the car was driven by Bill Simpson in the New Zealand Tasman Series. Bill was able to take a 4th place finish, but unfortunately, he later suffered a series-ending crash, and the car was shipped back to the Creans. Bill, who started his racing career in drag racing and SCCA formula racing, went on to drive in the USAC Champ Series, and even finished 13th in the 1974 Indy 500. Bill stopped racing in 1977. Bill has developed more than 200 safety products for racers, including fire suits, gloves, shoes, helmets, drag chutes and more. The founder of Simpson Safety Equipment, Bill is still featured in burning driving suits in TV commercials.

Davey Jordan, who raced from 1959 to 1972, drove many different cars, including Porsches, Corvettes, and Toyotas. He once co-drove a two-liter Chevron Sports Racer in the 6-hour Watkins Glen Endurance race with a then young Johnnie Crean, in the first hour putting the car in the lead by a lap. He also drove for AIR in endurance races and had been scheduled to drive the F5000 Eagles with American Motors 5 liter V-8, before the unfortunate closing of AIR when American Motors ended their sponsorship. Davey approached Crean when chassis 512 was shipped back to the Creans damaged from New Zealand, and they let him use the racecar. He repaired the car and fit it with a Chevy.

Dunlop sponsored the team's F5000 effort on a limited-budget, race-to-race deal. Jordan's first race in the car was at Riverside, California, where he finished 2nd to John Cannon's McLaren. The second race was in Edmonton, Alberta, where Jordan finished 5th and found himself atop the points standings. Sadly, Dunlop decided to withdraw from racing in the United States, and the effort was unable to continue.

In 1975 the car was sold to Frank Schultz. Other owners have included Chuck Haines, Jim Mapson, and Steve Davis.

In 2012, chassis 512 was purchased by the current owner, Johnnie Crean, the eldest son of the original owners, Donna and John Crean. Johnnie has raced SCCA since 1971. Johnnie has returned Eagle Chassis 512 to its original livery and specifications so that it is now period correct.

This car was driven by Bill Simpson in New Zealand in 1970 in the Tasman Series. Driven by Davey Jordan in 1971-1972 in the United States SCCA F5000 series for AIR Team owned by John Crean. Frank Schultz raced it from 1975-1976. Jim Mapson later raced the car in 1988 - 1990 in VARA events. Steve Davis bought the car in 2006 and raced it in vintage events until 2012 winning two U.S. F5000 Revival Race Series Championships. In 2013, Crean's son, Johnnie Crean, bought the car and returned it to the original livery of red and white.