IndyCar and Indiana University Health have announced the appointment of Angela Fiege, MD to director of medical services for Indy NXT by Firestone and the addition of sports neurologist Bert Vargas, MD to the IndyCar Medical Team. IU Health is the official healthcare provider for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Medical Team is comprised of IU Health physicians and nurses who are experts in motorsports medicine.
Fiege, who is a veteran critical care and emergency medicine physician at IU Health, is also a longtime motorsports physician. She has served in various roles in motorsports including the IndyCar Medical Team since 2010 and the AMR motorsports physicians’ team for NASCAR. She has also worked at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a track physician since 2007. She will continue her role as deputy director of medical services for the NTT IndyCar Series and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway alongside Medical Director Julia Vaizer, MD. Fiege is a graduate of Indiana University School of Medicine, where she also serves as an assistant professor of clinical medicine.
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“Dr. Fiege continues to be a tremendous asset to the IndyCar Medical Team, and I am thrilled she will be able to focus on the care and well-being of our Indy NXT by Firestone paddock,” Vaizer said.
“The IndyCar Medical Team and Indiana University Health have a long-standing history of providing exceptional medical care for our IndyCar racing competitors,” Fiege said. “It is an incredible honor to be a part of an organization that places such an emphasis on promoting the safety and well-being of its participants. I look forward to the opportunity to carry on this tradition and focus on the health of our Indy NXT drivers to prolong the duration of their careers.”
Vargas is the first neurologist dedicated to the IndyCar Medical team, and his position is funded by Rev proceeds. Rev is the IU Health Foundation’s annual fundraising event which takes place each May at IMS. Working in medical affairs for Eli Lilly and Company in Indianapolis, Vargas is a sports neurologist and who has led the AMR neurotrauma team for NASCAR since 2017, serves as a member of the NFL Head, Neck and Spine Committee and is also a sideline unaffiliated neurotrauma consultant for the NFL. Vargas obtained his medical degree from the University of Arizona and was a flight surgeon with the United States Air Force. After his service and his residency at New York University, he completed a fellowship in headache medicine at the Mayo Clinic in Arizona and now serves as an adjunct clinical professor of neurology at Indiana University School of Medicine.
“To have someone with Dr. Vargas’ experience with us week in and week out, providing post-incident evaluations and creating a comprehensive care plan to get our drivers back on track safely is such a valuable addition to our team,” Vaizer said. “He will also be available to the IndyCar paddock to provide care for those that may be suffering from non-sports related neurological conditions that might affect performance.”
“It is an honor to be a part of the IndyCar Medical Team and supplement the superior care that this group offers motorsports athletes and their teams,” Vargas said. “IndyCar is among a growing list of sports organizations that have seen value in incorporating sports neurologists at athletic events. I hope to provide neurotrauma expertise with the goals to help safeguard driver safety and performance and also help to ensure longevity in the sport for our athletes.”
“The IndyCar Medical team has played a paramount role in the series’ success both on and off the track and Dr. Fiege has been a key contributor,” IndyCar President Jay Frye said. “Her background and experience will be a real asset as she focuses on Indy NXT by Firestone. The addition of Dr. Vargas is another example of IndyCar’s commitment to safety as he contributes his guidance and expertise in an emerging area.”