INDIANAPOLIS, IN — The business world, motorsports community, and countless families across America are mourning the passing of Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil Products, Inc., who died on August 23, 2025, at the age of 83.
The announcement was made by Lucas Oil on Saturday evening, expressing deep sorrow for the loss of its founder while celebrating the remarkable legacy he leaves behind.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our founder, Forrest Lucas,” the company shared. “Forrest’s boundless drive for Lucas Oil, his generosity, and his love for family, friends, and community defined his life. While we grieve this tremendous loss, we take comfort in knowing his legacy will continue to inspire our team and all who knew him.”
Early Life and Humble Beginnings
Born in February 1942 in Ramsey, Indiana, Forrest Lucas grew up the eldest of four children in a modest household. His parents, Raymond and Marie Lucas, worked on a small farm in Elkinsville, where Forrest and his three sisters experienced what he once described as “rural deprivation.”
Despite limited opportunities, Lucas displayed grit and determination from a young age. He completed his high school education and pursued work that would eventually lay the foundation for his career. At 19 years old, he purchased his first truck, and by 21, he had acquired a semi-trailer and secured work with Mayflower Transit.
Through persistence and long hours, Lucas built up a fleet of more than a dozen trucks and launched a freight brokerage business. Following the deregulation of freight transportation in 1980, he became one of the first individuals in the country to receive a full license to deliver freight across all 48 contiguous states.
The Founding of Lucas Oil
In 1988, Forrest Lucas and his wife Charlotte co-founded Lucas Oil, a company that would grow into one of the most recognizable names in the automotive and motorsports industries. What started as a small operation built on innovation and determination became a global enterprise, producing high-performance oils, lubricants, and automotive products trusted by professionals and everyday drivers alike.
Under Lucas’s leadership, the company became synonymous with motorsports sponsorships, particularly through the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, home of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, and extensive involvement in grassroots racing and major national events.
Expanding His Vision
Forrest Lucas was not only an entrepreneur but also a visionary. In 2018, he established Forrest Films, a production company dedicated to creating inspirational films. Additionally, he co-founded Protect the Harvest, a nonprofit organization advocating for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities while opposing what it deemed overreach by radical animal rights movements.
Personal Life
Beyond business, Forrest was a devoted family man. He married Charlotte Lucas in 1982, and together they built not only a company but also a lasting legacy of philanthropy, community involvement, and family values. The couple raised seven children, and family always remained central to Forrest’s life.
Lucas had been married once before, but after a difficult divorce in 1969, he rebuilt his personal life with resilience and found lasting love with Charlotte.
Legacy of Leadership and Giving
Forrest Lucas will be remembered not only for his entrepreneurial achievements but also for his generosity. He supported numerous charitable causes, contributed to community programs, and inspired countless individuals with his story of perseverance—from growing up on a struggling farm to founding a company that became a household name.
His life serves as a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished with hard work, vision, and determination.
A Community Mourns
Tributes have poured in from business leaders, motorsports organizations, employees, and friends across the nation. Many have described him as a self-made man who never forgot his roots, a leader who inspired loyalty, and a philanthropist who gave back to the communities that supported him.
Though his passing leaves a tremendous void, Forrest Lucas’s legacy will endure—in the success of Lucas Oil, the motorsports world, the films he championed, and the countless lives he touched along the way.
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