Mike O’Gara has been appointed as the Vice President of Competition and Race Engineering for IndyCar, bringing with him extensive experience in the industry. In this new role, O’Gara will be the senior technical authority for IndyCar, overseeing vehicle performance strategy, race engineering, and technical governance for both the IndyCar Series and Indy NXT. His responsibilities also include shaping IndyCar’s long-term technical identity and spearheading research and development initiatives for next-generation technologies, including the anticipated new car for 2028.
With a background that spans across IndyCar, IMSA, and the FIA World Endurance Championship, O’Gara has 54 years of expertise under his belt. He spent the last 12 years at Chip Ganassi Racing, where he had a hand in various accomplishments, including victories at prestigious events like the 12 Hours of Sebring, the Rolex 24 At Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. O’Gara’s contributions to the IndyCar program also played a role in securing championships and victories at the Indianapolis 500.
IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President J. Douglas Boles expressed confidence in O’Gara’s abilities, highlighting his wealth of experience, engineering prowess, and team-building skills as assets to the series. O’Gara’s mandate at IndyCar involves overseeing technical rulemaking, collaborating with teams, manufacturers, and suppliers, advancing safety measures, and ensuring that engineering strategy and regulatory direction align with on-track performance.
Overall, O’Gara’s appointment marks an exciting phase for IndyCar, promising innovation, safety advancements, and high-performance standards under his guidance. His proven track record in motorsports positions him as a valuable addition to IndyCar’s leadership team, as the series continues to evolve and thrive in the world of open-wheel racing.
