Ray Evernham appointed to INDYCAR’s independent board of directors

While NASCAR has attracted a lot of attention with the stunning settlement between 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports on December 11, another major announcement from IndyCar came relatively at the same time that will have a major impact on the direction of that series.

IndyCar has announced its independent service system that will be used for the NTT IndyCar Series and INDY NXT by Firestone Series starting in 2016. The new entity will be known as INDYCAR Officiating, Inc., and will be listed as a non-profit organization.

The three-person board, known as the Independent Officiating Board (IOB), includes NASCAR Hall of Famer Ray Evernham, Raj Nair, formerly a senior executive of Ford Motor Company, and Ronan Morgan, the former chairman of the FIA ​​stewards.

Previously, the on-duty crew was part of INDYCAR itself, which is owned and operated by Penske Entertainment. The new board will be completely independent.

“We remain committed to operating independently in 2026 and we are pleased to announce this next step,” said J. Douglas Boles, president of IndyCar. “The IndyCar team owners and the FIA ​​have selected a world-class board with high character, incredible knowledge and an intense passion for motorsports and IndyCar racing.”

INDYCAR board data

This board selects a Managing Director of Officiating (MDO) and determines its annual budget. The board members were independently selected this week, with two members elected through a vote by IndyCar team owners, who are charter members, and the other member appointed by the Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA).

The General Manager reports directly to the independent board, without supervision from INDYCAR or Penske Entertainment officials. This individual will be charged with full oversight – including hiring of INDYCAR race control and technical inspection personnel – and will be responsible for enforcing the NTT IndyCar Series and INDY NXT rulebooks as written by INDYCAR.

“We are excited to launch this new INDYCAR officer structure and know the board will approach this task with dedication and a sense of shared responsibility,” said Mark Miles, president and CEO of Penske Entertainment Corporation. “They will work independently to hire the right person to continue this mission and ensure successful implementation for the 2026 seasons.”

The two IOB members selected through a vote of charter team owners include Ray Evernham, a motorsports veteran who, most notably, served as crew chief for three of Jeff Gordon’s NASCAR Cup Series championships. Evernham also pioneered Dodge’s return to NASCAR as owner of Evernham Motorsports before later becoming a television analyst, producer and consultant.

Raj Nair is a 30-year veteran of the automotive and auto racing industry. Nair has extensive experience and expertise in technical compliance as an executive at Singer Group, Inc., Multimatic, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company, where he also served as North American president from 2017 to 2018.

As Chief Technical Officer and Executive Vice President of Ford’s Global Product Development (2012-2017), Nair was responsible for all Ford Motorsports programs, including NASCAR, IMSA and FIA WEC.

The third FIA-appointed member of the IOB is Ronan Morgan, who brings more than 50 years of global motorsport experience as a senior official, promoter, organizer and competitor. At the FIA, Morgan has served as chairman of stewards for more than 100 international racing and rally events, was sports manager of the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 2009 to 2021 and is chairman of the FIA ​​Drivers’ Committee. Morgan is also a member of the FIA ​​World Motor Sport Council and advisor to the FIA ​​President.

FIA president praises INDYCAR administration system

The FIA’s role in IndyCar’s independent system will be limited to the appointment of its board member.

“INDYCAR is an American icon and I am proud of the relationship we are building together,” said FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem. “The FIA’s independent expertise in providing consistent oversight throughout our World Championships, combined with INDYCAR’s innovation and competitive spirit, will support the continued growth of the series. I look forward to the work ahead.”

INDYCAR team owners strongly support the new system

Just as the NASCAR settlement, which includes “evergreen” or permanent charters for the team, was important for the future, IndyCar’s independent agency is a positive sign for future success, according to IndyCar team owners.

Both NASCAR and INDYCAR made their announcements within an hour of the major developments.

ForbesNew Indy Car and Independent Official Update from IndyCar PresidentBy means of Bruce Martin

“I am pleased with the direction INDYCAR is taking with independent officials,” said IndyCar team owner Dan Towriss of Andretti Global. “The team owners have selected two excellent board members, and the addition of an FIA appointee will add a new layer of experience and expertise.”

Team owner Chip Ganassi was adamant that INDYCAR needed an independent process and believes this new system will provide greater transparency and integrity.

“This was a thorough process and I have confidence in the independent board chosen by the team owners in our sport,” said Ganassi. “I look forward to their guidance as we take the next step of hiring a general manager.”

The appointment of the Director General of the Civil Service, together with additional details, will be announced in early 2026.