Here is a rundown of what got me thinking...
William Byron would his second consecutive Daytona 500 after starting the final lap in ninth-place. It is rarely satisfying. Cautions are rather subjective, at least when to call one. A few championships, and Le Mans invitations, were determined in Abu Dhabi. More MotoGP testing took place in Buriram. Formula E debuted pit boost in its first visit to Jeddah. Supercross keeps losing riders. The IndyCar grid is set with the season opener less than two weeks away, but the biggest news in IndyCar last week was not a driver announcement. It was an executive change.
Meet the New Boss, Same as the Old Boss
In a surprising announcement, Doug Boles was named IndyCar president last Tuesday as Penske Entertainment made a a few changes ahead of the 2025 season.
Boles takes over from Jay Frye, who held the position for a decade. Frye has left IndyCar's front office entirely.
Mark Sibla was named senior vice president of competition and operation with Kyle Novak taking over as vice president of officiating and race control. Alex Damron became the chief marketing officer for the series while Louis Kissinger was promoted to general manager of Indianapolis Motor Speedway operations.
The big news was Boles, who will remain president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway while taking on the new role within the IndyCar Series. Boles has been running the Speedway since 2013, and he has been a highly celebrated leader of the circuit over his entire time at the helm. Boles oversaw the 100th Indianapolis 500, which took place in front of a sold out crowd and had the television blackout lifted in the Indianapolis-area. Boles has turned the Grand Prix of Indianapolis into an outstanding opening event for the mont of May. The Speedway bolstered the Indianapolis 500 weekend with the Snake Pit and Legends Day concerts under Boles tenured, and this isn't even mentioning the expansion of the facility to include a 1/5th-mile dirt track and an increase in sports car races on the road course.
Boles has orchestrated events away from motorsports at the track, notably last year when the Solar Eclipse passed over central Indiana, and he managed to use the track during the pandemic as a community hub whether it be for food donations, school graduation ceremonies or a vaccination location.
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has flourished under Doug Boles' leadership, and Boles has made it his mission to be the face of this facility that has stood for over a century. He has been engaging and is not afraid to show off more of the track, whether that be in person or in YouTube video series. When it comes to looking for someone to lead the IndyCar Series, there are not many better options out there than Boles, who has been around the series for nearly 30 years and he was previously a co-owner in Panther Racing.
However, with this announcement should come an announcement not too far down the road that Boles will only be the IndyCar president and it will be time to let someone else run Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
IndyCar needs someone dedicated to that cause, especially as it faces the prospects of introducing a new chassis nearly a decade after it was originally planned and it tries to increase manufacturer participation. This is also coming off the heels of a new broadcast deal that has been rather positive for IndyCar, and the first race has not even been run yet. The series is a full-time jobs as is the Speedway. They are two roles that require two people.
It is honorable and understandable thinking Boles is the best for each, but that is not how the business should operate. At some point, one will be shortchanged for the other. The responsibilities will pile up to the moon. It will be more than any one person should tackle. Running IMS might be Boles' dream job, but if he wants to run the series, it is time to let that dream go or let someone take charge of the series.
Let's throw Boles a bone. There is not much the IndyCar president must do between now and the Indianapolis 500, and with his late assignment to this role as series president, he can wear both hats through the Indianapolis 500, but come May 26, someone else should be running Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
It does IndyCar no benefit to have Boles worried about traffic plans and suite catering for the Brickyard 400. IMSA race program cover imagery should not be on the mind of the IndyCar president. Track watering equipment for the BC39 can be someone else's problem.
IndyCar needs a leader who is focused on IndyCar.
Boles is an exciting hire for the known. He knows the series. He knows the races, the teams, the drivers, manufacturers and sponsors. He can keep everyone happy and understand what is concerning them. We have seen him attract more people to Indianapolis Motor Speedway and take a strong race and make it stronger. The Indianapolis 500 was doing fine before him, and Boles is leaving the Indianapolis 500 in an exceptionally better position. It is hard to imagine how that would have been possible for a race that was already drawing nearly 260,000 spectators on a yearly basis.
It will be a test for Boles to grow the series. There are certain things that work for a racetrack that will not work on a national stage. It isn't only about drawing people to the track in person but getting people to watch at home and make IndyCar an interest in their life. IndyCar's hurdle is growing viewership who are regularly aware of when the next race will take place, where it will be shown and making it a can't-miss event in their lives.
IndyCar has a base of about a million people, but that base has not really grown compared to 20 years ago. Everyone is frustrated that the audience balloons to five-times its normal size for one weekend in May. That size isn't practically over all 17 races, but 40-50% of that on a regular basis should be the long-term goal. It will not happen overnight, but Boles is the man in charge and for IndyCar to reach that next level, it will take someone who is committed to the goal for the foreseeable future. That commitment should be to the series and the series only.
Change is hard, and we love Boles leading Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but if he wants to lead IndyCar, it is time to turn the page and hand the keys to 16th & Georgetown to the next steward. It is time for someone else to shepherd over the greatest race in the world the same way it is Boles time to lead the IndyCar Series into the future.
Champions From the Weekend
The #25 Algarve Pro Racing Oreca of Malthe Jakobsen, Michael Jensen and Valerio Rinicella clinched the Asian Le Mans Series LMP2 championship with finishes of first and fourth in Abu Dhabi
The #25 Bretton Motorsports Ligier of Theodor Jensen and Jens Reno Møller clinched the ALMS LMP3 championship with finishes of second and third.
The #10 Manthey Racing Porsche of Antares Au, Klaus Bachler and Joel Sturm clinched the ALMS GT championship with finishes of second and first.
Winners From the Weekend
You know about William Byron and some champions, but did you know...
Jesse Love won the NASCAR Grand National Series race from Daytona. Corey Heim won the Truck Series race after Parker Kligerman's truck failed post-race inspection.
The #15 RLR Sport Ligier of Nick Adcok, Ian Aguilera and Chris Short won in LMP3 in the first 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi. The #92 Manthey EMA Porsche of Richard Lietz, Ryan Hardwick and Riccardo Pera won in GT.
The #83 AF Corse Oreca of François Perrodo, Alessio Rovera and Matthieu Vaxivìere won the second 4 Hours of Abu Dhabi. The #49 High Class Racing Liger of Anders Fjordbach, Thomas Kiefer and Mark Patterson won in LMP3.
Maximilian Günther and Oliver Rowland split the Jeddah ePrix.
Elfyn Evans Rally Sweden.
Cooper Webb won the Supercross race from Detroit. Levi Kitchen won the 250cc race.
Coming Up This Weekend
Supercars opens its season at Sydney Motorsports Park.
World Superbike opens its season at Phillip Island.
NASCAR is in Atlanta.
Supercross is in Arlington.
