The high G forces actually were manifested in blood being pushed away from the brain and into the body as the drivers sped through the steep banked turns. You can imagine how this affected the drivers.

I attended the last CART race at Michigan in 2001 (after that it was Indy Car). 2001 was well after the split and the crowd was only about 25% of the crowd you see here. But it was a fantastic race. I think there were 62 lead changes. That was the era of the Hanford device with lots of drafting and passing..

The best racing in the world... Indy cars on fast ovals.

8:13 is the fault of the driver of the first of the three faster cars, just like schumacher tried to kill Hakkinen in a similar fashion at Spa.

By this time I already had checked out and left American Open Wheel Racing for Formula 1 for good. The split soured me. I no longer believe Americans are capable of running a top flight open wheel racings serials. Todays Indycar confirms that.

This was one of the few races I missed since the late '80's but I watched it live from home. I have no idea what Goodyear was thinking by going when he did. Nonetheless, I was so hoping he would have won, since I did not care for Jacques nor the team he drove for. So many crashes that I had forgotten about over the years. Also, what the hell was Tony thinking that the series needed that it did not already have? Big-time sponsors, star drivers, still bigger than Nascar in 1995. Then it went to shit.

SATO has been a hazard for years…..he should have only raced pedal cars.

Наверное єто баран Тони Джордж насмотрелся на єтих чуваков и упорол настоящий бузумно интересньій и прокаченьій старьій индткар с рейнардами и лолами , что те даже обанкротились

Yes, I remember the American Indycar Series. They ran on ovals and road courses. Robby Unser and more drivers ran and WON.

I always heard this existed when watching or reading about the 80s period between the first Indy split and the second one, but all I knew was they ran used indy cars. Had no clue how shoestring the series really was, only running half their announced races every year towards the end. I'm most surprised that they supposedly ran into the 2000s, I would've thought this series died out before the IRL started up. So I guess there was a period in the late 90s and beyond where there were 3 completely different series running Indy style race cars in America. Jesus, the split years were just awful for American open wheel racing. But fascinating nonetheless. I wish they would revive something like F5000/later Can-Am; some of those cars actually looked sick, others looked silly, but the idea seems cool. Dirt cheap race cars driving where the big leagues won't. It won't happen tho.

Where did you find the coverage from the Nashville Fairgrounds?

Many thanks for the video! I was fortunate to attend the 1989 event at Memphis Motorsports Park. Back in the pre-internet days, it was hard to find out about touring series that were rarely televised. I was stationed at NATTC Millington at the time, and only learned about the AIS from the MMP 1989 event schedule flyer. It was an awesome event! I still have my program book with driver autographs and a team promo autographed photo as well. Very inviting setup for the fans with open access to the paddock area and drivers before the race. I never saw any AIS events promoted after that and had no idea how long the series lasted. Thanks again for the fun video and for filling in the story of that series!!

I've been familiar with this series existing for a while, it's the kind of thing you hear whispered about in older AOWR focused forums. But I was under the impression that with the tensions leading to the split, rising costs to race in general, and the first season of the IRL mostly running 95 and older CART machines until the mid-97 regs change, that it would have imploded into nothingness in 95/96. Hearing that it pushed on longer, or at least tried to, is a bit impressive in it's own right.

American IndyCar Series? Never heard of'em.

I saw this series race at Lee USA Speedway (Lee, NH) in early 90's (not sure of the year) and it was very strange to see Indy Cars run on a 1/3 mile oval that normally race late models and super modifiedsbut I did see them run. Very cool video.

Yeah the Porsche pushed him into the wall but the corvette had plenty of time to let off just a tiny bit

I had a friend who claimed that he saw an AIS race at I-94 Speedway in Sauk Centre, MN, but I haven't been able to confirm that this race ever happened.

The arca of indycar

It kinda reminds me of the BOSS series we have in Europe who are mostly gentleman drivers racing with older F1, GP2 and even one or two old IndyCars.

Wow, as a long time IndyCar fan i never knew this, so that means that in the mid to late 90s we actually had 3 open wheel indy series running..........

Wow, as a long time IndyCar fan i never knew this, so that means that in the mid to late 90s we actually had 3 open wheel indy series running..........

And bro just made my day better. My yt fy is late bur hell yeah. Love your videos, and great work ofc

Why it's forgotten? No one cared when the series existed and no one cares now 😂 Nothing is forgotten. Just old cars with old farts driving, there is always a lot of such a kinda racing.

They came and ran LaCrosse Fairgrounds Speedway in 1999, pretty awesome seeing those old Indycars run a .6 mile oval. Ken Petrie dominated that day.

The history of how the greatest race was destroyed by a bunch of jerks.

Sounds like IRL V1.0 without the backing of the Indy 500.

Never heard of, but must have been an exciting racing series!

Can anyone please explain why race cars are so hard to get into reverse. Seems to be true across race series?

I knew about AIS because of Buddy Lazier!

I recognized the sneva name from my hometown of Spokane Washington. The snevas still race here. I may have to see if any of them know anything about it.

I've followed open wheel since before that series took place, but to be honest I've never once ever heard of it. Man, I would've gone to a few races if I did!

I was at the organizational meeting, in a small conference room at a hotel near the airport in Speedway. I went there with some karting friends who were considering buying an ex Newman-Haas Lola to run in AIS. I may still have Tempero's business card somewhere.

I went to the first AIS race, they where good races lots of fun.

I remember seeing an european series like CanAm called Interserie that also picked some old Penske IndyCars and raced with bodywork, some with only wheel covers and a huge rearwing. Raced with mild success from 1993 to 1998

I was a big time Indycar fan back then, still am, and I have no recollection of this series. But then, there are many things I don't remember.

Always been curious about AIS, they raced at Fergus Falls, MN

Weird even as a major Gen X aged race fan I never heard of this. I remember the 2nd generation Unsers and Laziers from the IRL. but I never remember an Indycar series running on short tracks like the old Nashville Fairgrounds.

it's ironic the last guy who had this situation come up scott Goodyear had to witness this

when you said Dan was coming in to the pit s or did you mean alex?

IRL was always superior.

I have a vague childhood memory of a race in Utah. My dad took my sister and I, and I remember the Unsers racing- as a little Al kid I was in heaven! For a long time, I wasn’t even sure if I imagined that day! Now with the internet bigger, I know a race likely happened. Thanks for more pieces to the puzzle!

Forgotten by who? 20 something yr old hipsters? There are plenty of guys who are in their 40s and 50s who were there as young men and still have the track banners hanging in their garages.

I’m going next month I believe my air bnb is in DT, or at least around the DownTown area. Is it best to walk than rent a car or Uber? I’ll even rent a city bike if I have to haha

I attended the first race at Willow springs. There was a lot of excitement as a good alternative but it was a windy dusty day and racing and event not all that compelling.

Thank you for this vid🙂

I just thought it was like Formula Aurora

I attended AIS Races at Colorado National Speedway, Second Creek Raceway and Mountain View Motorsports Park. All in Colorado. Mid to late 80's. Those old March and Lola chassis were really beautiful race cars. Bill Tempero was a real Racer with big ideas that needed funding. He worked incredibly hard to put on a show. The IRL played into its demise as well robbing talent and interest when it came about. The Stock-Block cars had a sound completely their own. Was really different hearing an IndyCar without the Turbo back then.

CART was awesome!!!!! I really miss it

Remember the series well. Had a lot of potential. It was a good way to get into Indycar racing without breaking the bank. Just a lot of miss management.

I cant say for certain, but pretty sure I remember the series coming to race in Calgary in the late 90's or early 2000's at Race City motorsports park, but I was quite young. I for some reason always thought I had seen "Indycar" race there, but that obviously doesn't add up, so it was quite likely this series. On top of that, I also distinctly remember seeing open wheel cars race in Edmonton around the same time, which is also before Indycar raced at Edmonton's City Center Airport, but CASCAR did race there then, maybe this was a support race? or vice versa?