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Mark McArdle is no stranger to success on the racetrack whether it's in open wheel or stock cars. But, it's his leadership skills that elevated the 51-year-old Wisconsin native to the top competition position at Richard Petty Motorsports.
McArdle is the Vice President and Managing Director of Competition.
That means he oversees everything from hiring drivers and mechanics to working with the team's engine builders and engineers.
McArdle assumed his current position at the end of the 2007 season when co-owners George Gillett Jr. and Ray Evernham felt that McArdle's work ethic, expertise and history of success running the team's engine shop might be the type of leadership needed to continue team's ascent in NASCAR Sprint Cup racing.
McArdle brought new and refreshing ideas utilizing a technology-based approach to competition. Together with the added business expertise and resources of Gillett the pieces are in place to add to the team's 15 Sprint Cup Series point race victories.
Prior to his current position, McArdle served as Vice President and Managing Director for Gillett Evernham Engines leading the effort to create more power and performance while not compromising engine durability.
The effort was a success as powerful and durable became a trademark of the Gillett Evernham Engines group. McArdle also provided oversight and direction to Advanced Engine Technology, the Evernham facility based in Northamptonshire, England, that designs and builds engine components for Gillett Evernham Motorsports NASCAR programs.
McArdle joined Gillett Evernham Motorsports in 2003 with an open mind about the improvements he could bring to the team, primarily due to his background and training in open wheel racing. He started attending races at age eight, then began working his way up the ranks of the open wheel series, going from Formula Super Vee in 1982 to Formula Atlantic in 1985 to the big leagues of Indy Car Racing in 1986.
By 1987, McArdle was working with the Kraco Car Stereos Racing Team with driver Michael Andretti in CART. He then worked with Truesports before joining Penske Racing as an engine builder. It was at Penske Racing that McArdle won the first of three Indy 500 victories - including 1991 with Rick Mears and 1993 with Emerson Fittipaldi.
He joined Ilmor Engineering at the beginning of 1994, where he served as engine builder for the Mercedes Benz pushrod engine project that steamrolled the competition at Indy. Thanks in part to McArdle's efforts with the powerplant, Al Unser Jr went on to win the pole and the race at Indy in May of 1994. For the rest of the '94 season McArdle spent his time as a track side support engineer.
Moving to a role as head of track side support engineering in 1996, McArdle helped lead the effort that brought Mercedes Benz the '97 CART Manufactures Championship. McArdle moved to stock car racing in 1999 with PPI Motorsports, and went on to work at Yates Racing Engines before joining Evernham Motorsports in May 2003.
Like the company's founder Ray Evernham, McArdle claims an "open wheel" mindset that constantly pushes to go further, faster, with better technology. His philosophy for managing a race team: lead from the front communicate, communicate, communicate keep in mind that it's a people business remember that preparation is 9/10ths of the law.
So far, the proof is in the power. The team has improved steadily during the six seasons McArdle has been on board and is poised to race not just for victories, but for championships. | 