Dallenbach returns to old job

The 66-year-old won five USAC Champ Car races between 1965 and 1979 and served as CART's Chief Steward from 1980 to 1998.

Kirk Russell took over in a dual role as CART's chief steward in 2000 and 2001 before he handed the job to Chris Kneifel, who raced Champ Cars from 1982 to 1984. However, Kneifel's year at the helm was eventful and culminated in his performance being compared to a "circus clown" by driver Paul Tracy after an incident late in the season.

Kneifel will remain with CART as a steward. He will assist Dallenbach and will focus on driver development in the CART-sanctioned Toyota Atlantic junior series.

"We have deliberately created an apprentice-style structure in order to give Chris some time working with the leadership qualities and guidance of a veteran like Wally Dallenbach and an equally experienced official the caliber of [Atlantic chief steward] KC Van Niman," said John Lopes, CART's vice-president of racing operations.

"As chief stewards, Wally and KC will each have bottom-line responsibility for the operations of their respective racing series while Chris focuses on driver development and tuning his skills and experience as a race official."