INDIANAPOLIS — Forrest Lucas, the visionary entrepreneur and founder of Lucas Oil Products, died at the age of 83 on Saturday.
The prominent Indianapolis-based brand, known for its commitment to U.S.-based manufacturing, announced his passing on Saturday.
"Forrest's boundless drive for Lucas Oil, his generosity and love for his family, friends and community defined his life," the company posted in part on social media.
— Lucas Oil Products (@Lucas_Oil) August 23, 2025
According to the company's website, Forrest founded the company with his wife, Charlotte, in 1989.
While best known for his founding of Lucas Oil in 1983, Lucas recently returned to one of his greatest passions: cattle ranching. As Chairman of Lucas Oil, he had been splitting his time between the company and his ranch, the Lucas Cattle Company, a sprawling 16,000-acre operation in western Missouri.
Starting with effective, proprietary formulas to make engines run cooler and cleaner, Lucas built the company into a global leader in high-performance automotive additives and lubricants.
In 2024, Lucas was honored with the prestigious NHRA Lifetime Achievement Award for his exceptional contributions to the automotive industry and motorsports.
According to NHRA President Glen Cromwell at the time, "[Forrest Lucas] truly embodies the spirit of drag racing, sharing the same resilience and passion that runs deep in our sport."
For more than two decades, Lucas Oil has been one of the NHRA's most prominent supporters, serving as the title sponsor of the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and holding the title of "Official Oil of NHRA."
Lucas Oil is a household name in Indianapolis and in sports. The product is a staple in the arena of motorsports, and it is the name of the stadium that the Indianapolis Colts call home.
