With an emphasis on cost savings, ex-CART Indy car chassis were powered by 5.9 L (360 in3) normally aspirated, stock block Chevrolet V-8 engines.

As the series slowly began to gain competitors, the teams were allowed to run a choice of multiple powerplants.

Over the years, the AIS series had a predominantly western-based schedule, but early on did have races in New York and in the South.

A new management team formed the United States Speedway Series (USSS), which started racing in 2001.

The USSS ran for five years under mostly the same format, featuring older chassis from CART and the first generation of IRL (G-Force and Dallara); with a variety of normally aspirated and turbocharged engines.

Three of the events were to be hosted as twin-race weekends, with the season finale consisting of twin races at Willow Springs.

O  Oval R  Road course The 1989 Machinists Union American Indycar Series was the second season of the AIS.

The race meet at Shangri-La was originally scheduled for August 5, but was postponed to September due to rain.

[25] O  Oval R  Road course The 1990 Machinist Union American Indycar Series was the third season of the AIS.

Robby Unser, the 1989 champion, only drove a part-time schedule for 1990, and managed to win one race, the 14th of his AIS career.

The season finale was held on a street course in Halifax, Nova Scotia on Canadian Thanksgiving.

Johnny Unser was leading the 25-lap Moosehead Grand Prix on the final lap when he crashed just short of the finish line.

Bill Tempero sped by to take the checkered flag, and in doing so, clinched the points championship in dramatic fashion.

Races at Blackhawk Farms, Biggs Army Airfield, Birmingham, Colorado, Utah, San Juan, Garza García, and Guadalajara were all either cancelled or failed to materialize.

Races at ARCO Arena, I-70 Speedway (rained out), Sears Point, and possibly other venues were either cancelled or failed to materialize.

USSS raced used chassis from CART and the first generation of IRL (G-Force and Dallara); with a variety of normally aspirated and turbocharged engines.