Independent Officiating Board Members Selected Responsible for Hiring Managing Director of Officiating
INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025) – INDYCAR will have an independent officiating system in place for the 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT by Firestone seasons. A new independent, not-for-profit organization – INDYCAR Officiating Inc. – has been established and will be governed by a three-person Independent Officiating Board (IOB).
This board will select a Managing Director of Officiating (MDO) and establish its annual budget. The board members were independently selected this week, with two members chosen via a vote from INDYCAR team owners, who are charter members, and the other member appointed by the Federation Internationale de I’Automobile (FIA).
The managing director will report directly to the independent board with no oversight from INDYCAR or Penske Entertainment officials. This individual will be charged with full officiating oversight – including the hiring of personnel for race control and INDYCAR technical inspection – and responsible for enforcing the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT rulebooks as written by INDYCAR.
The two IOB members selected via a vote from chartered team owners are:
- Ray Evernham – Longtime motorsports veteran who, most notably, served as the 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 – A 30-year veteran of the automotive and auto racing industries, Nair has vast experience and technical compliance expertise as an executive at Singer Group, Inc., Multimatic, Inc. and the Ford Motor Company, where he also served as the North American president from 2017-18. As the chief technical officer and executive vice president of Ford’s global product development (2012-17), Nair was responsible for all Ford Motorsports programs, including in NASCAR, IMSA and FIA WEC.
The third member of the IOB appointed by the FIA is:
- Ronan Morgan – Brings over 50 years of global motorsport experience as a senior official, promoter, organizer and competitor. With the FIA, Morgan served as the chairman of stewards for more than 100 international race and rally events, was sporting manager of the Abu Dhabi Formula 1 Grand Prix from 2009 to 2021 and is president of the FIA Drivers Commission. Morgan is also a member of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and advisor to the FIA President.
The FIA’s role in INDYCAR’s independent officiating system will be limited to the appointment of its board member.
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING:
“We have remained committed to independent officiating for 2026, and we are pleased to announce this next step. 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.” – J. Douglas Boles, INDYCAR President
“This was a thorough process, and I am confident in the independent officiating board that has been elected by the team ownership in our sport. I look forward to their guidance as they take the next step of hiring a managing director.” – Chip Ganassi, Chip Ganassi Racing Owner
“We are excited to launch this new structure of INDYCAR officiating and know the officiating board will approach this charge with diligence and a sense of shared responsibility. They will work independently to hire the right person to carry this mission forward and provide successful implementation for the 2026 seasons.” – Mark Miles, Penske Entertainment Corp. President and CEO
“INDYCAR is an American icon and I am proud of the relationship we are building together. The FIA’s independent expertise in delivering consistent officiating oversight across 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 of us.” – Mohammed Ben Sulayem, FIA President
“I am pleased with the direction INDYCAR is taking with independent officiating. The team owners have selected two excellent board members and the addition of a FIA appointee will add another layer of experience and expertise.” – Dan Towriss, CEO of TWG Motorsports
The hiring of the managing director of officiating, along with additional details, will be announced in early 2026.
The 2026 NTT INDYCAR SERIES and INDY NXT championships begin Sunday, March 1, 2026 on the Streets of St. Petersburg, Florida. Coverage of the 17-race seasons will be provided by FOX, FOX Sports and the INDYCAR Radio Network.
