The initial 1996 IRL season, as well as the first two races of the 1996–97 season, featured engines with specifications leftover from the rival CART series competition. Those chassis/engine combinations were essentially under the same rules utilized by teams that participated in the 1995 Indianapolis 500, which was sanctioned by USAC. V-8 powerplants were allowed the typical of pressure boost. The Menard-Buick V6 engine used in 1996, however, was an updated powerplant from the 1995 version. In addition, the V-6 stock block engines (Buick-Menard) were allowed of boost at all races, instead of just at Indianapolis. During the CART era, V-6 stock blocks were only allowed at all races outside of Indy, which was a decided disadvantage and left the engine out of favor.