Allen to succeed Blanch as IndyCar Officiating technical director

Nick Allen (pictured above) has been appointed as the successor to Kevin “Rocket” Blanch as IndyCar Officiating’s technical director. The move comes after Blanch chose to leave the series after Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.

Recent changes within IndyCar Officiating made calling time on his career with the series an easy decision.

“I have been contemplating retirement from the IndyCar technical side for a while,” Blanch said in a press release distributed by the organization. “Last winter when IndyCar Officiating was formed, I was asked to continue in my role with an emphasis on completing a very hectic Month of May and the Indianapolis 500 and am glad I did.

“After adding it up, I have been a part of IndyCar for 36 years and have been involved in 555 straight races. I have simply poured my heart and soul into the sport I love and am very proud of the team I have worked alongside for over two decades. This is a very difficult decision, but I feel like now is the right time to take a step back.”

Allen, the former Andretti Global IndyCar chief mechanic, spent the first eight races of the season working alongside Blanch, and inherits oversight of technical inspection and the rest of the myriad duties Blanch held since the 2000s.