The Chief of Staff for the Ohio Air National Guard will give the command for NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers to start their engines on Sunday
LEXINGTON, Ohio (July 3, 2026) – Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course and Honda are proud to announce Brig. Gen. Darren E. Hamilton, the Chief of Staff for the Ohio Air National Guard, as the grand marshal for Sunday’s The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid. The former Wing Commander of the 179th Cyberspace Wing (CW) at nearby Mansfield Lahm Airport in Mansfield, Ohio, will give the command for 25 NTT INDYCAR SERIES drivers to start their engines as part of pre-race ceremonies.
Brig. Gen. Hamilton’s distinguished career began when he joined the 179th Airlift Wing (AW) in 1986 and was assigned as a crew chief on the C-130B aircraft. He attended training to become a C-130 Flight Engineer in 1989, then graduated from Kent State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Technology.
Brig. Gen. Hamilton started as a traditional guardsman at the 179th AW, Ohio Air National Guard at Mansfield Lahm Airport. He has served as a corporate pilot, airline pilot and as a dual status military technician with the 179th AW in a multitude of roles to include: Flight Safety Officer, Training Officer, Assistant Operations Officer and 164th Airlift Squadron Commander. He served as the Joint Force Headquarters Director of Operations Ohio (A3) before returning as the 179th Operations Group Commander. He participated in Operations Restore Hope, Southern Watch, Joint Forge, Iraqi Freedom, Enduring Freedom and Freedom Sentinel. He is a Command Pilot with over 5000 hours in the T-41, T-37, T-38, C-13O B/E/H and C-27J aircraft. He was promoted to Brigadier General on June 7, 2026. His numerous assignments and accomplishments have led to over 30 major awards and decorations.
“As we celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, it’s fitting to recognize Brigadier General Darren Hamilton’s numerous accomplishments and long service to our country by having him join us in this role on Sunday,” said Craig Rust, president of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. “It is an even more special occasion with his strong connections to the local community, the State of Ohio and the United States military.”
Shortly after Brig. Gen. Hamilton gives the command, Kendall Coyne Schofield – two-time U.S. Olympic gold medalist for Team USA Women’s Hockey and a Team Honda athlete ambassador – will wave the green flag over the starting field. Coyne Schofield was previously named the honorary starter for The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid on Sunday (July 5).
The Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio Presented by the 2027 CR-V Hybrid this weekend marks the 43rd running of Ohio’s biggest racing event. The NTT INDYCAR SERIES headlines the weekend of 10 races across five different racing series. The full development ladder of the sport’s rising stars will be on display with INDY NXT by Firestone, USF Pro 2000 Presented by Continental Tire, USF2000 Presented by Continental Tire and USF Juniors Presented by Continental Tire all competing on the 2.258-mile, 13-turn road course.
All event information including ticket options and pricing is posted online at midohio.com. Children 12 and under receive free general admission when accompanied by a ticketed adult. Follow the event on social media with #Honda200.
About Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course:
A comprehensive motorsports facility in Lexington, Ohio, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course sits on 380 acres and features a permanent road-racing circuit with two primary race track configurations: 2.4-mile, 15-turn or 2.258-mile, 13-turn layout. Located 60 miles north of Columbus and 75 miles south of Cleveland near Mansfield, the natural terrain road course is commonly referred to as the “Most Competitive in the U.S.” and annually hosts a diversity of locally, regionally and nationally-sanctioned race events for amateur, club and professional drivers and riders. It is also home to The Mid-Ohio School, featuring over 20 driving and riding courses, for teenagers to professional racers using Honda vehicles. Opened in 1962, Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course has been owned and operated by Green Savoree Mid-Ohio, LLC since 2011, just the raceway’s third private ownership group in its history.
For more information, visit midohio.com, ‘like’ its Facebook page at @MidOhioSportsCarCourse or follow updates on X at @Mid_Ohio and Instagram at @officialmidohio.
