IndyCar Announces Independent Officiating Board

IndyCar is addressing a conflict of interest by establishing an independent officiating board that will begin governing the series in 2026.

IndyCar is co-owned by Roger Penske who also owns the Penske Racing team. The team fired several executives after two of its cars were penalized for rules violations at the Indy 500.

“Nothing is more important than the integrity of our sport and our race teams,” team owner Roger Penske said at the time. “We have had organizational failures during the last two years, and we had to make necessary changes. I apologize to our fans, our partners and our organization for letting them down.”

The three-person board is comprised of former NASCAR crew chief Ray Evernham, automotive industry veteran Raj Nair, both of whom were chosen by the team owners, and Ronan Morgan, an official appointed by the FIA.

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The board will now choose a Managing Director of Officiating who will be responsible for race control and technical inspection personnel.

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“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,” IndyCar President J. Douglas Boles said in a news release.

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The 2026 IndyCar season kicks off on March 1 in St. Petersburg, Fla., and will feature 17 races all set to be broadcast by Fox, which also holds an ownership stake in the series.

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