Wally Dallenbach

Wally Dallenbach, the 1973 Ontario 500 winner, came close to winning the 1975 Indianapolis 500, where he led 96 of the first 161 laps at which point, he was forced out with a burned piston. Less than 15 minutes later, the race was halted permanently by a heavy rainstorm. He drove in 180 Championship events between 1965 and 1979, winning five races and finishing within the first five 58 times. Dallenbach was runner-up in the 1973 USAC National Championship standings and was 3rd in 1976. Additionally, he had 13 starts in the Indianapolis 500. Dallenbach served as the highly respected Chief Steward for every CART (Championship Auto Racing Teams) sanctioned event held between 1981 and 2004. Calling upon a wide range of experiences amassed during his 20-plus years as a driver, he officiated with great compassion, understanding, and fairness. As with other drivers who later became officials, Dallenbach made numerous contributions to implementing more important safety requirements within the sport.