Arrow McLaren appoints Tony Kanaan as team principal and Kevin Thimjon as president
The Arrow McLaren IndyCar Team has announced two key leadership appointments ahead of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES season opener next week, with Tony Kanaan being elevated to team principal and Kevin Thimjon joining as president.
Arrow McLaren fields three full-time cars in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES, for drivers Pato O’Ward, Nolan Siegel and Christian Lundgaard. NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson again will drive for the team in the 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on May 25 in partnership with Hendrick Motorsports.
“I’m excited to welcome Kevin to Arrow McLaren and our leadership group,” McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said. “Kevin and I have stayed close since our days together at JMI, and he’s the right fit to set the team up for long-term success. A few months ago, I said if we can find extra horsepower to add to the team, we’ll add it, and Kevin is the perfect example of that.
“Under Tony’s leadership, the team has been moving forward quickly, and he and Kevin will work well together to keep that positive momentum up. Our sights are set on how we stabilize and grow strategically while competing at the top.”
Kanaan steps into the role of team principal after serving as deputy team principal since the end of the 2024 season. 2004 INDYCAR SERIES champion and 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Kanaan, who made his final “500” start with the team in 2023, has since taken on increasingly influential roles within the organization, transitioning from special advisor in 2023 to team principal today. He will oversee team and driver development and key commercial relationships.
“A lot has happened since my last Indy 500 less than two years ago, to say the least,” Kanaan said. “I’ve embraced every opportunity to grow with the team and I’m excited to officially step into the team principal role, and having Kevin join to take on the business side of our team is part of our winning strategy. We’re always looking for good people and talent to make the team stronger, and he and I will work well together.”
Thimjon joins Arrow McLaren with extensive leadership experience from roles at Core BTS, Lids Sports Group and Just Marketing International (JMI). He will lead the team’s business operations, including finance, commercial strategy and administration, supporting the team’s long-term growth and operational efficiency. Thimjon will also join the McLaren Racing executive team under CEO Brown.
“I’m looking forward to joining Arrow McLaren and getting back into motorsport,” Thimjon said. “Zak and I worked together at JMI for several years, so it will be great to work with him again and help grow a team and brand that has a lot of unlocked potential beyond the success it’s already realized. I have no doubt that Tony will get me up to speed on all things racing while we build the business with the strong team in place.”
The 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season starts Sunday, March 2 with the Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg presented by RP Funding (noon ET, FOX, FOX Deportes, INDYCAR Radio Network).
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