Veteran motorsports executive and former USAC national champion Levi Jones has been named Eldora Speedway’s new general manager, the track revealed during Thursday’s World 100 opening ceremonies.

The 42-year-old of Olney, Ill., will officially take over general managing duties of the legendary Rossburg, Ohio, half-mile on Sept. 16 once his tenure as director of IndyCar’s NXT series — the feeder system tour of the NTT IndyCar Series — concludes.

Jones precedes the late Jerry Gappens, who for the last two years served as the speedway's GM until his death in May. Jonathan Bateman has served as the track’s interim GM since.

“Being general manager of Eldora Speedway is a huge opportunity and I’m grateful for it,” Jones said in a press release. “I know I have big shoes to fill from all that Jerry Gappens and his predecessors accomplished, but I’m ready for this moment. I know Eldora’s history and what it means to fans and everyone who comes through its pit gate, whether they’re a driver or a crew member. We are passionate that Eldora remains the preeminent dirt-track in the world, and that’s my aim as general manager.”

Jones’s connection with track owner Tony Stewart runs deep as Jones collected six of his seven total USAC championships in a seven-year timeframe with Tony Stewart Racing from 2005-11. Before his tenure at IndyCar began October 2021, Jones worked multiple roles in a seven-year timespan with USAC. Jones was USAC’s national series competition director from 2015-19 and then served as executive vice president from 2019-21.

“On behalf of everyone at Eldora Speedway, we’re excited and grateful to have Levi Jones as our general manager,” Stewart said in a press release. “Levi has always held Eldora in high regard, both as a racer and as an executive. Now in his role as general manager, he combines a racer’s perspective with excellent managerial and promotional experience earned in USAC and IndyCar. Our fans and competitors should know that Eldora is in very good hands, just as it had been before.”