Explained: IndyCar’s move to independent officiating for 2026
- Archie O’Reilly
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
The introduction of an independent officiating system for IndyCar and Indy NXT has been formalised ahead of the series’ 2026 seasons.
The previous in-house officiating board led by Penske Entertainment is being replaced by IndyCar Officiating Inc., which is a new, independent, not-for-profit organisation governed by a three-person Independent Officiating Board (IOB).
“We have remained committed to independent officiating for 2026 and we are pleased to announce this next step,” said IndyCar president Doug Boles. “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.”
The first task of the newly-formed IOB will be to appoint a Managing Director of Officiating (MDO), who “will report directly to the independent board with no oversight from IndyCar or Penske Entertainment officials”. The MDO’s complete officiating oversight is inclusive of hiring personnel for race control and IndyCar technical inspection.
Two of the board members, Ray Evernham and Raj Nair, were chosen via a vote from team owners of chartered IndyCar teams. The third, Ronan Morgan, was appointed by the FIA, most notably governing body of Formula One, though the organisation’s role in IndyCar’s independent officiating system will be limited to Morgan’s appointment.
“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 Penske Entertainment president Mark Miles. “They will work independently to hire the right person to carry this mission forward and provide successful implementation.”
Evernham will bring wide-ranging experience as a NASCAR veteran who most notably served as crew chief for three of Jeff Gordon’s Cup Series championships, as well as pioneering Dodge’s return to the sport as Evernham Motorsports’ team owner.
Nair, a 30-year veteran of the automotive and racing industries, was Ford’s North American president in 2017 and 2018. The five years prior, he was chief technical officer and executive vice president of Ford’s global product development, when he was responsible for their racing programmes, including in NASCAR, IMSA and the World Endurance Championship.
Meanwhile, FIA-appointed Morgan brings “over 50 years of global motorsport experience” in roles such as senior official, promoter, organiser and competitor. He was the FIA’s chairman of stewards for more than 100 international race and rally events and served as sporting manager for F1’s Abu Dhabi Grand Prix from 2009 to 2021.
Morgan is currently president of the FIA Drivers Commission, a member of the FIA World Motorsport Council and an advisor to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.
“IndyCar is an American icon and I am proud of the relationship we are building together,” said 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.”
Boles first publicly stated IndyCar’s intention to create third-party governance for the series after two of Team Penske’s entries failed technical inspection ahead of Fast 12 qualifying at the Indianapolis 500 in May, forcing them to start the race from the rear of the field.
This came only 13 months after the team had two cars disqualified from the season-opening race on the streets of St. Petersburg in 2024.
Fuelled by these incidents, there had been scrutiny levelled over a possible conflict of interest relating to Roger Penske’s ownership of the series - via Penske Entertainment - and Team Penske, with questions raised over issues surrounding integrity of officiating decisions.
An idea supported by Penske, Boles admitted in May conversations over an external officiating entity had been ongoing “for the last six months” as he acknowledged the optics issue. And indeed, from next season onwards, the rulebook will be enforced by an organisation entirely separate to Penske Entertainment.
“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,” said rival team owner Chip Ganassi. “I look forward to their guidance as they take the next step of hiring a managing director.”
This hiring of an MDO and additional details are expected to be unveiled in early 2026.
