JoieChitwood

Joie Chitwood is President and Chief Operating Officer of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He was promoted to that role in December 2004 and directs all operating, marketing, public relations, sales, sponsorship, licensing, ticketing and hospitality functions of the Speedway, Brickyard Crossing Golf Course and Brickyard Crossing Inn.

Chitwood has been part of the IMS executive staff since Oct. 1, 2002, when he joined the company as Senior Vice President, Business Affairs. Before that he was Vice President and General Manager of Raceway Associates, LLC, which oversaw construction of the 1.5-mile Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Il., from 1999-2002. In 2001, the track began playing host to Indy Racing League and NASCAR-sanctioned events. During his tenure at Chicagoland, which began in May 1999, Chitwood also served on the Board of Directors of several Joliet-area economic development organizations.

Chitwood’s connection to the IMS family of companies runs much deeper than his present position. He was one of the first staff members of the Indy Racing League, serving as liaison to its teams, and in 2002 he had the honor of serving as Pace Car driver for the Indianapolis 500.

Chitwood was also an integral part of his family’s entertainment business, the well-known Chitwood Thrill Show, beginning at age 5. He began his career as a stuntman and later specialized in precision driving.

In 1992, Chitwood earned a business administration and finance degree from the University of Florida. He also studied at Cambridge University in England and, in 1995, earned a master of business administration degree from the University of South Florida.

While attending USF, Chitwood was president of the Graduate Business Association and was a graduate assistant. Chitwood worked for Prof. Tom Johnson of the Information Systems department and taught a management science course.

Chitwood and his wife, Susan, reside in Carmel, Indiana with their son.