Kyle Novak named new IndyCar Race Director

Kyle Novak

When former race director Brian Barnhart left the IndyCar executive board to be the president of Harding Racing, IndyCar was left without a race director. Not anymore. RACER is reporting that Kyle Novak is IndyCar’s new race director.

The move was somewhat of a hard sell to those in the paddock, who urged IndyCar president Jay Frye to rehire Beaux Barfield who served as IndyCar race director from 2012-2014. However one driver who will be glad Novak was hired instead is Scott Dixon, who called for Barfield’s dismissal in 2013.

Novak comes from IMSA where he served as race director for IMSA’s Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge, Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA, and Ultra 94 Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge Canada series.

The move from sports cars to Indycars is somewhat of an reverse executive Helio Castroneves. Frye doesn’t expect Novak to stir the pot initially, instead to work within the current framework.

However Novak approaches his duties as race director, one thing’s certain, he’s inheriting a great situation. Barnhart and Frye have nurtured the current resurgence in IndyCar and its popularity. Buoyed by the incoming introduction of more traditional aero; the addition of Carlin and Harding Racing as full-time teams; and Michael Shank Racing as part-timers in 2018, with an eye towards full-time in the future.