American Indycar Series

The American Indycar Series (AIS) was an American open wheel racing series founded in 1988 by Bill Tempero. It utilized used chassis and engines from the CART series and the Indy Racing League. CART and IRL drivers Buddy Lazier, Jaques Lazier, Robby Unser, and Johnny Unser found success in the AIS.

For the current professional series sanctioned by the Indy Racing League, see IndyCar Series.

The series was reborn with new management in 2001-2002. A new management team formed United States Speedway Series (USSS), while a new AIS under different management conducted races as well. The USSS ceased racing after 2005; the AIS shut down after 2002.

Over the years, the series had a predominantly western-based schedule.

History

In the mid-1980s, the once-popular Can Am series was withering, and most teams had already defected to the CART Indy car series or IMSA. The last holdouts formed CAT (Can-Am Teams) in 1986 to take over sanctioning as part of the SCCA.

Two plans emerged, one keeping the Formula 5000-based cars, and others who favored using old CART Indy car machines. Bill Tempero led the Indy-style effort. CAT held one race in 1986, and folded after a short 1987 season. Tempero broke off and started his Indy car series in 1988, with the cars powered by 5.9-litre stock block Chevrolet engines.

As the series began to slowly gain competitors, the teams were allowed to run a choice of two powerplants. The aforementioned stockblock Chevy V-8, or a V-6 (best known as the Buick/Menard) in turbocharged or normally aspirated configuration. An equivalency formula was determined to provide for competitive balance among the different engine combinations.

The chassis used were used March, Lola, Reynard, Eagle, and Penske from CART competition. In later years, G-Force and Dallara cars from IRL competition were also used.

Champions

American IndyCar Series
  • 1988 Buddy Lazier
  • 1989 Robby Unser
  • 1990 Bill Tempero
  • 1991 Bill Tempero
  • 1992 Rod Bennett
  • 1993 Rick Sutherland
  • 1994 Bill Tempero
  • 1995 Bill Tempero
  • 1996 Ken Petrie
  • 1997 Ken Petrie
  • 1998 Greg Gorden
  • 1999 Bill Tempero
  • 2000 Mike Lee[1]
  • 2002 Eddie Nahir (ARS)

United States Speedway Series
  • 2001 Ken Petrie
  • 2002 Ken Petrie
  • 2003 Mike Koss
  • 2004 Greg Gorden
  • 2005 Bailey Dotson

AIS Seasons

1986-1987 CAT season
Date Track Location Winner Car Reference
October 26Hallett Motor Racing CircuitTulsa, OklahomaAl LambFrisbee GR2/Chevrolet[2]
May 3Willow SpringsRosamond, CaliforniaBuddy Lazier'85 March/Chevrolet[3]
June 7Hallett Motor Racing CircuitTulsa, OklahomaAl LambFrisbee GR2/Chevrolet[4]
July 19Wisconsin State Fair Park SpeedwayWest Allis, WisconsinBill Tempero'85 March/Chevrolet[5]
August 16Sanair Super SpeedwaySt. Pie, QuebecBill Tempero'85 March/Chevrolet[6]
September 6Pueblo Motorsports ParkPueblo, ColoradoBill Tempero'85 March/Chevrolet[7]
November 1Phoenix International RacewayAvondale, ArizonaBill Tempero'85 March/Chevrolet[8]
  • For 1987, Indy car events were organized through CAT (Can Am Teams).

1988 season
Date Track Location Winner Car Reference
May 1Willow SpringsRosamond, CaliforniaBuddy LazierMarch/Chevrolet[9]
June 19St. Louis International RacewayMadison, IllinoisBuddy LazierMarch/Chevrolet[10]
July 3Mountain View Motorsports ParkMead, ColoradoRobby UnserLola/Chevrolet[11]
July 23Tioga Motorsports ParkOwego, New YorkBuddy LazierMarch/Chevrolet[12]
October 9Willow SpringsRosamond, CaliforniaBuddy LazierMarch/Chevrolet[13]
October 9Willow SpringsRosamond, CaliforniaBuddy LazierMarch/Chevrolet[14]

1989 season

1998 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
April 5Hallett Motor Racing CircuitHallett, OklahomaShayne StephensLola/Buick-Menard
June 13Magic Valley SpeedwayTwin Falls, IdahoMike LeeMarch/Chevrolet
July 28Hawkeye Downs SpeedwayCedar Rapids, IowaKen PetrieMarch/Chevrolet
September 20Race City SpeedwayCalgary, Alberta, CanadaKen PetrieMarch/Chevrolet
September 20Birmingham International RacewayBirmingham, AlabamaGreg GordenLola/Buick-Menard

1999 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
May 23La Crosse Fairgrounds SpeedwayWest Salem, WisconsinKen PetrieMarch/Chevrolet
June 20Mountain View Motorsports ParkMead, ColoradoBill TemperoLola/Buick-Menard
July 10Magic Valley SpeedwayTwin Falls, IdahoJimmy SantosLola/Chevrolet
September 5Exposition Park street circuitLos AngelesBill TemperoLola/Menard

2000 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
May 19Hallett Motor Racing CircuitHallett, OklahomaGreg GordenLola/Buick-Menard
July 3St. Johns AirparkSt. Johns, ArizonaJimmy SantosReynard/Ilmor-Mercedes-Benz
August 14Pueblo Motorsports ParkPueblo, ColoradoJuan Carlos CarbonellLola/Buick-Menard
October 16Infineon RacewaySonoma, CaliforniaJuan Carlos CarbonellLola/Buick-Menard
November 26PhoenixAvondale, ArizonaMike LeeG Force/Aurora

2002 ARS
  • April 20–21 Las Vegas Motor Speedway Las Vegas Valley|Las Vegas, Nevada (Eddy Nahir)
  • May 18–19 Thunderhill Motorsport Park
  • June 21–23 California Speedway, two races, (Eddy Nahir, Eddy Nahir)
  • Oct. 5 - 6 Willow Springs International Raceway
  • Nov. 22 - 24 Phoenix International Raceway
  • Dec. 13 - 15 Aloha Grand Prix

USSS seasons

2001 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
April 8Las Vegas Motor Speedway (road)Las Vegas, NevadaKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
May 13Pikes Peak International RacewayFountain, ColoradoKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
June 16Sandia Motor SpeedwayAlbuquerqueMike LeeHoffpauir Lola/Menard Buick
July 14Dodge City Raceway ParkDodge City, KansasPhil EricksonFast Line Lola/Buick-Menard
August 25Sandia Motorsports ParkAlbuquerqueKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
September 30Firebird International RacewayChandler, ArizonaKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
October 14Pikes Peak International RacewayFountain, ColoradoGreg GordenG-Force/Oldsmobile
November 25Firebird International RacewayChandler, ArizonaGreg GordenG-Force/Oldsmobile

2002 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
April 20San Antonio SpeedwaySan AntonioKen PetrieFast Line Lola/Buick-Menard
May 5Pikes Peak International RacewayFountain, ColoradoGreg GordenG-Force/Oldsmobile
June 15Dodge City Raceway ParkDodge City, KansasKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
July 27Magic Valley SpeedwayTwin Falls, IdahoKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
August 18Pueblo Motorsports ParkPueblo, ColoradoMike LeeHoffpauir Menard Lola
September 7Sandia Motorsports ParkAlbuquerqueKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
October 5Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas, NevadaKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
December 1Firebird International RacewayChandler, Arizona

2003 season
Date Track Location Winner Car
April 12San Antonio SpeedwaySan AntonioEric Koselke March/Chevrolet
May 4Pikes Peak International Raceway (road)Fountain, ColoradoGreg GordenG-Force/Oldsmobile
May 18Pueblo Motorsports ParkPueblo, ColoradoKen Petrie March/Chevrolet
June 22California Speedway (road)Fontana, CaliforniaMike Koss Lola/Menard-Buick
July 26Magic Valley SpeedwayTwin Falls, IdahoMike KossDallara/Oldsmobile
August 16Sandia Motorsports ParkAlbuquerqueMike LeeLola-Menard Buick
September 1St. Johns AirportSt. John's ArizonaKen PetriePrecision March/Chevrolet
September 14Pikes Peak International Raceway (road)Fountain, ColoradoGreg GordenG-Force/Oldsmobile
October 4Las Vegas Motor SpeedwayLas Vegas, NevadaMike LeeLola-Menard Buick


References
  1. ChampCarStats.com
  2. "Gold Cup Challenge". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  3. "CAT Can Am Teams race, WSIR". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  4. "CAT Can Am Teams race, Hallett". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  5. "CAT Can Am Teams race, Milwaukee". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  6. "CAT Can Am Teams race, Sanair". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  7. "CAT Can Am Teams race, Pueblo". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  8. "CAT Can Am Teams race, Phoenix". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  9. "American IndyCar Series race, Willow Springs". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  10. "American IndyCar Series race, St. Louis". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  11. "American IndyCar Series race, Mountain View". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  12. "American IndyCar Series race, Shangri-La". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  13. "American IndyCar Series race, Willow Springs". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  14. "American IndyCar Series race, Willow Springs". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  15. "American IndyCar Series race, I-70". Retrieved 30 September 2012."American IndyCar Series race, I-70". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  16. "American IndyCar Series race, Memphis". Retrieved 30 September 2012."American IndyCar Series race, Memphis". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  17. "American IndyCar Series race, Colorado". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  18. "American IndyCar Series race, Colorado". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  19. "American IndyCar Series race Shangri-La Speedway, Owego, NY". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  20. "American IndyCar Series race, Shangri-La Speedway". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  21. "American IndyCar Series race, Willow Springs". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
  22. "American IndyCar Series race, Willow Springs". Retrieved 30 September 2012.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.