Eagle HF89
Encyclopedia
The Eagle HF89 is a racing car entered by Dan Gurney's
All American Racers team, for the IMSA GT Championship
. It was raced from 1989 until 1991 in IMSA's premier sports-car racing category, the GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) division.
s as the basis for their cars. After claiming the driver's and contructor's championships in the GTO division in 1987 with driver Chris Cord
, and a third place in the division the following year, the AAR team switched to the IMSA GTP division for 1989.
The team used two types of cars; the other chassis was a TOM'S
Toyota 88C
car (an FIA Group C
-based car). Both were powered by a turbocharged
, 2.1-liter inline-4 engine producing approximately 600 horsepower
, which was similar to the engines AAR used in their IMSA GTO and GTU cars.
The "Eagle" marque was used by Dan Gurney's AAR team to denote their racing cars, the "HF" comes from the initials of the designers' surnames, Hopkins and Fujimori, and 89 from the two-digit year of its initial competition. Four chassis were constructed, and two were modified slightly in 1990, and re-labeled as HF90 or Mk.II.
GTP race (car #99), but retired from the event with an engine timing belt
malfunction. The team concentrated its efforts on the #98 car; AAR would not enter the HF89 until the Lime Rock
GTP race. The car then completed its first race with a 5th place finish at the following event at the Mid-Ohio
GTP race. The HF89 did not finish any other races that season.
By 1990, the Eagle HF89 replaced the 88C, and chalked up its first win at the 1990 IMSA Topeka
GTP event, with Juan Manuel Fangio II
driving. The team followed up with three more wins: Sears Point
, as well as temporary street course races at San Antonio
and Del Mar
.
In 1991, the HF89 won its final IMSA GTP race with the Fangio driving, at the IMSA Camel Continental VIII
at Watkins Glen
. At the following GTP race at Laguna Seca
, the Eagle Mk.III made its race debut with AAR, which would eventually replace the Eagle HF89. The final race for the Eagle HF89 was at the IMSA GT race at Portland
, where it finished in third place.
Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney is an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner.The son of a Metropolitan Opera star, he was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager...
All American Racers team, for the IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
. It was raced from 1989 until 1991 in IMSA's premier sports-car racing category, the GTP (Grand Touring Prototype) division.
Background
From 1983 until 1988, Dan Gurney's team entered cars in the IMSA GTO and GTU divisions, with Toyota CelicaToyota Celica
The Toyota Celica name has been applied to a series of coupes made by the Japanese company Toyota. The name is ultimately derived from the Latin word coelica meaning "heavenly" or "celestial"....
s as the basis for their cars. After claiming the driver's and contructor's championships in the GTO division in 1987 with driver Chris Cord
Chris Cord
Chris Cord is a race car driver and is a grandson of Errett Lobban Cord, the founder of the Cord Corporation which also ran Cord Automobile.In 1987, he won the IMSA Camel GT Driver's Championship.-IROC Involvement:...
, and a third place in the division the following year, the AAR team switched to the IMSA GTP division for 1989.
The team used two types of cars; the other chassis was a TOM'S
TOM'S
is a factory supported racing team and tuner of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. The name stands for Tachi Oiwa Motor Sport. Their head office is located in Tokyo, Japan. They are currently heavily involved with Super GT racing and Formula 3 racing...
Toyota 88C
Toyota 88C
The Toyota 88C is a racing car entered by Toyota from 1988 to 1989. It is the successor to the Toyota 87C and the predecessor to the Toyota 89C-V. Like other Toyota-powered sports prototypes of the era it was designed and built by Dome...
car (an FIA Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
-based car). Both were powered by a turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
, 2.1-liter inline-4 engine producing approximately 600 horsepower
Horsepower
Horsepower is the name of several units of measurement of power. The most common definitions equal between 735.5 and 750 watts.Horsepower was originally defined to compare the output of steam engines with the power of draft horses in continuous operation. The unit was widely adopted to measure the...
, which was similar to the engines AAR used in their IMSA GTO and GTU cars.
The "Eagle" marque was used by Dan Gurney's AAR team to denote their racing cars, the "HF" comes from the initials of the designers' surnames, Hopkins and Fujimori, and 89 from the two-digit year of its initial competition. Four chassis were constructed, and two were modified slightly in 1990, and re-labeled as HF90 or Mk.II.
History
The car made its debut at the 1989 IMSA MiamiStreets of Miami
Streets of Miami may refer to temporary street circuits set up in the Miami-South Florida metropolitan area area:*Bayfront Park *Tamiami Park *Bicentennial Park...
GTP race (car #99), but retired from the event with an engine timing belt
Timing belt
A timing belt, or cam belt , is a part of an internal combustion engine that controls the timing of the engine's valves. Some engines, such as the flat-4 Volkswagen air-cooled engine, and the straight-6 Toyota F engine use timing gears...
malfunction. The team concentrated its efforts on the #98 car; AAR would not enter the HF89 until the Lime Rock
Lime Rock Park
Lime Rock Park is a natural-terrain motorsport road racing venue located in Lime Rock, Connecticut, United States, a hamlet in the village of Lakeville, Connecticut, in the state’s northwest corner...
GTP race. The car then completed its first race with a 5th place finish at the following event at the Mid-Ohio
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course
Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course is a road course auto racing facility located in Troy Township, Morrow County, Ohio, United States, just outside of the village of Lexington...
GTP race. The HF89 did not finish any other races that season.
By 1990, the Eagle HF89 replaced the 88C, and chalked up its first win at the 1990 IMSA Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka
Heartland Park Topeka is a multi-purpose motorsports facility located south of Topeka, Kansas.When it opened in 1989, it was the first brand-new auto racing facility to be built in the United States for 20 years. Its facilities include a road-race course with 4 possible configurations , a ⅜ mile...
GTP event, with Juan Manuel Fangio II
Juan Manuel Fangio II
Juan Manuel Fangio II is a former auto racing champion and the nephew of legendary auto racer Juan Manuel Fangio....
driving. The team followed up with three more wins: Sears Point
Infineon Raceway
Infineon Raceway, formerly Sears Point Raceway, is a road course and drag strip located on the landform known as Sears Point in the southern Sonoma Mountains near Sonoma, California, USA. The course is a complex series of twists and turns that go up and down the hills...
, as well as temporary street course races at San Antonio
San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio is the seventh-largest city in the United States of America and the second-largest city within the state of Texas, with a population of 1.33 million. Located in the American Southwest and the south–central part of Texas, the city serves as the seat of Bexar County. In 2011,...
and Del Mar
Del Mar, California
Del Mar is an upscale beach town in San Diego County, California. The population was 4,161 at the 2010 census, down from 4,389 at the 2000 census. The San Diego County Fair is hosted on the Del Mar Fairgrounds every summer. Del Mar is Spanish for "of the sea" or "by the sea", because it is located...
.
In 1991, the HF89 won its final IMSA GTP race with the Fangio driving, at the IMSA Camel Continental VIII
6 Hours of Watkins Glen
The Six Hours of Watkins Glen is a sports car endurance race held annually at Watkins Glen International in Watkins Glen, New York...
at Watkins Glen
Watkins Glen International
Watkins Glen International is an auto race track located near Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. The facility is owned by International Speedway Corporation...
. At the following GTP race at Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca
Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca is a paved road racing track used for both auto racing and motorcycle racing, originally constructed in 1957 near both Salinas and Monterey, California, USA....
, the Eagle Mk.III made its race debut with AAR, which would eventually replace the Eagle HF89. The final race for the Eagle HF89 was at the IMSA GT race at Portland
Portland International Raceway
Portland International Raceway is located in Portland, Oregon, USA's, Delta Park complex on the former site of Vanport, just south of the Columbia River. It is west of a light rail station and less than a mile west of Interstate 5....
, where it finished in third place.