Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsports has promoted Billy Vincent from chief mechanic to competition director.

Vincent joined the Sam Schmidt- and Ric Peterson-owned outfit after helping to guide Team Penske’s Simon Pagenaud to the 2016 IndyCar Series championship. Hired as James Hinchcliffe’s chief mechanic on the No. 5 Honda, the team elevated the veteran to the newly-created position of competition director where he’ll oversee the Canadian’s car and the No. 7 Honda driven by Sweden’s Marcus Ericsson.

“It’s been awesome,” Arrow SPM general manager Taylor Kiel told RACER. “That was the point when he was looking for a new home; our long-term vision was to give him opportunities to spread his wings. Being able to impart his wisdom on more than one car is a great; we didn’t have a chance to do that last year, but with how things have transpired the last few months, it’s been a situation where he and I have been able to take greater roles within the team.”

Vincent will be tasked with duties that range from new to familiar.

“We like to think that role encompasses everything with the race cars and the team; car preparation with both chief mechanics, liaising with our technical director Todd Malloy, and working with the car groups, pit stop groups, the logistics,” Kiel added. “It’s a job that covers every aspect of the business.”

With Kiel’s recent promotion from team manager to general manager and the increase of Arrow’s involvement to become its title sponsor across both SPM Hondas, moving Vincent from a life spent on pit lane to an important management position fits the growth being experienced by the program.

“For us, Arrow always speaks to things being five years out, and that’s how I think of what we’re trying to do,” Kiel said. “We’re finding the next steps for us to be our best in the long term, so we’re getting younger and more progressive in how we do things. I have a lot of respect for IndyCar’s traditions, and that won’t change in our practices, but I also appreciate those who push the boundaries and look outside the box. It’s something Billy and I take a lot of pride in.”