Rick Mears and car owner Art Sugai attempted to qualify for the 1977 Indianapolis 500 using this car—a 5-year-old Eagle chassis. The car first participated at Indy in 1973, with Team Penske and driver Mark Donohue. Eventually, Roger Penske sold it to Bill Simpson, who put Mears in the car in 1976 for his Indy car debut, at Ontario (Calif.) Speedway. Afterward, Simpson sold the car to Sugai and Mears drove in two more 1976 events. Sugai took this car and Mears to Indy for the 1977 “500” but at was a frustrating May as the underfunded team could not find speed and were plagued by engine issues. After they ran out of spare engines, the team received an Offenhauser engine from legendary “500” car builder and chief mechanic A.J. Watson, but it was clear the team would not find enough speed to qualify and Mears used the time on track to gain experience. Mears' performance with the underpowered car caught Roger Penske's attention, however, and it resulted in a brief conversation between the two along the pit wall. After the "500," Mears drove the rest of the season in a McLaren M24 for owner Teddy Yip. This car was purchased by various Indy car collectors. Current owners Rick and Alison Dresang restored the car to its 1973 Team Penske livery.