Former USAC Racer and Executive Levi Jones to Head Up Indy Lights

During his open wheel driving career, Levi Jones was always feared and respected on the racetrack. A fierce competitor, Jones earned five USAC Sprint Car championships during his 16-year USAC career. In 393 starts he earned 28 victories, 35 fast-time awards, 157 top-fives and 116 top-10 results. In addition to his stellar Sprint Car achievements, nearly all of them accomplished under the tent of Tony Stewart Racing, Jones drove to two Silver Crown titles. He retired after the 2013 season, in order to look after the family businesses.

One of the families Levi Jones has looked after is USAC, the sanctioning body under whose umbrella his stellar driving career occurred. He’s been a USAC employee for the past six years, most recently serving as vice president of competition for all of USAC racing, together with leading the Circle Track division, one that includes USAC Sprint Car, Midget and Silver Crown series. During his more than half a decade with USAC, the Circle Track division has grown its car counts and its national event schedule, producing record number of USAC national events for the 2021 season.

Now Jones is taking on a new group of racers, having been hired by Penske Entertainment Corp., the owner of INDYCAR, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, IMS Productions and all of its ancillary products. Jones joins the Indy Lights series as its director, now that the final step on the Road to Indy has come directly under Penske Entertainment control.

INDYCAR announced its takeover of the Road to Indy series’ sanction and promotion following the close of the 2021 season. Andersen Promotions has nurtured the Indy Lights program since 2014; Indy Lights has been the primary venue to the Indy cars for the past 35 years, since Roger Bailey introduced it as the American Racing Series.

Some former INDYCAR champions who got their opportunities through Indy Lights include Tony Kanaan, Cristiano da Matta, Scott Dixon, Paul Tracy and Josef Newgarden. There are 20 drivers currently competing in the NTT IndyCar Series who are Indy Lights grads, including 2021 race winners and rising stars Colton Herta, Pato O’Ward and Rinus Veekay.

Oliver Askew, the 2019 champion in Indy Lights, most recently drove the season finales with Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing, won success in all of Andersen Promotions’ ladder series: Indy Lights, Indy Pro 2000 and USF2000. Andersen Promotions continues stewardship of the latter two series.

In his new role with Indy lights, Jones will oversee all operations and competition. “My entire career,” Jones said, “has been in racing. Moving to INDYCAR and Indy Light is the perfect next step. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to grow Indy Lights and expand its legacy and position as the ideal final step before the NTT IndyCar Series.” The Illinois native, 39, continued: “It’s hard to put into words what joining an organization like INDYCAR really means. When you’re in racing, you always want to be a part of the biggest and the best. This is a dream come true.”

INDYCAR president Jay Frye understands the breadth of Levi Jones’ impact in the sport. “Because of his broad experience in and out of the cockpit, Levi is the perfect choice to become the director of Indy Lights. Levi is well respected in the racing industry and knows every angle of the sport as a driver, team owner, racetrack operator and sanctioning body. We are excited to have Levi on board and look forward to the new era of INDYCAR operating Lights,” Frye acknowledged.