No. 5: Doug Boles Adds INDYCAR Presidency to Top Job at IMS
3 HOURS AGO
Note: The Penske Entertainment editorial staff is looking back at the 10 biggest moments of 2025 in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES in this year-end series, with one installment appearing on the site per day in countdown fashion from Dec. 22-31.
Doug Boles was once an NTT INDYCAR SERIES competitor, a founding partner of Panther Racing, which won season championships in 2001 and 2002 with Sam Hornish Jr. at the wheel. This year, the longtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway president was named to the same position at INDYCAR, replacing Jay Frye.
Boles has decades of motorsports experience. He became IMS president in 2013, overseeing the sellout of the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the first full-capacity crowd in the event’s stories history. He managed more than $150 million in strategic investment at the Racing Capital of the World, including “Project 100” and significant infrastructure improvements following the acquisition of IMS by Penske Corporation.
Across his tenure at IMS, Boles has been lauded for his promotional prowess and strategic marketing capabilities, growing the Speedway’s global reach and better connecting Indy 500 fans to the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.
Boles worked extensively within the INDYCAR paddock during his roles as Panther Racing’s chief operating officer and Hulman & Company’s vice president of communications. At Panther, he helped lead the Chevrolet-powered organization to 15 INDYCAR SERIES race wins and the two INDYCAR SERIES championships, in addition to seven INDY NXT by Firestone race wins and a championship won by Mark Taylor in 2003.
In total, Boles brought more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in motorsports, within team operations, sponsorship, marketing, public relations and more to INDYCAR.
Penske Entertainment President and CEO Mark Miles called Boles “the ideal choice” as the series moved into a new era of opportunity and visibility.
“(He) is appreciated by our fans and respected by our owners, drivers, partners and additional key stakeholders,” Miles said.
Frye served 10 years as president. During his tenure, he led a period of tremendous successes at INDYCAR, including securing the entitlement series sponsorships with Verizon and NTT, the development of the AK18 universal aero kit, development and implementation of the total driver cockpit safety solution aeroscreen and state-of-the-art hybrid technology introduction.
Frye also oversaw an expanded grid with incredible competition. The longtime motorsports executive is now president of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing.