Ray Evernham Named To INDYCAR’s Independent Officiating Body

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

IndyCar announced its independent officiating system that will be utilized beginning in 2016 for the NTT IndyCar Series and INDY NXT by Firestone Series. The new entity will be known as INDYCAR Officiating, Inc., and is listed as a not-for-profit organization.

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

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

“We have remained committed to independent officiating for 2026, and we are pleased to announce this next step,” said J. Douglas Boles, IndyCar President. “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 Details

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.

“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,” said Mark Miles, Penske Entertainment Corporation President and CEO. “They will work independently to hire the right person to carry this mission forward and provide successful implementation for the 2026 seasons.”

The two IOB members selected via a vote from chartered team owners include Ray Evernham, a 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 is 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, who 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 FIA drivers’ commission. Morgan is also a member of the FIA World Motor Sport Council and advisor to the FIA President.

FIA President Praises INDYCAR Officiating System

The FIA’s role in IndyCar’s independent officiating 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 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.”

INDYCAR Team Owners Strongly Support New System

Just as the NASCAR settlement that includes evergreen or permanent Charters to its team was important to its future, IndyCar’s independent officiating body is a positive sign for future success, according to the IndyCar team owners.

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

ForbesNew Indy Car And Independent Officiating Update From IndyCar PresidentBy Bruce Martin

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

Team owner Chip Ganassi firmly believed INDYCAR needed an independent officiating process and believes this new system will provide more transparency and integrity.

“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,” Ganassi said. “I look forward to their guidance as they take the next step of hiring a managing director.”

The hiring of the managing director of officiating, along with additional details, will be announced in early 2026.