Kneifel's coming of age in motorsport's most
demanding job
source: CART.com - Robin Miller If there is to be a defining moment in Chris Kneifel's career as CART's chief steward, it may have come the previous Sunday in Miami. When Tony Kanaan pushed Scott Dixon into the wall as they battled for the lead, Kneifel looked at a couple of replays and decided to punish Kanaan by sending him to the back of the pack. "After he made the call, he looked at me and asked what I thought and I told him it was a great call," said Wally Dallenbach. "Let's say he reached puberty with that one." Kneifel's coming of age in motorsport's most demanding job wasn't a sure thing by any means. Dallenbach sounded proud of his protege because he knows how tough the job is and how much grief Kneifel received during his aborted reign in 2001. "Chris had a lot of confidence in himself last year, but very little experience and he got beat up pretty good," said Dallenbach, who was asked to step back in and run the show until four races ago when he again turned it over to Kneifel. "But I had one condition on coming back this year and that was if they gave Chris a second chance. He had the moxie to fight back and I'm proud of him. He's matured a lot in one year." Despite the demotion, Kneifel says he never lost his enthusiasm for CART or the chief steward's job. "Absolutely not," he declared. "I am so committed to CART, the series and the participants. I love it, I care about it and I feel lucky to have this opportunity. The way it worked out this year, working hand-in-hand with Wally, is much more what we both envisioned the transition would be like last year. But it didn't work out like that. "I didn't take stepping back as a slap in the face or an insult. I knew there would be some bumps in the road and it wouldn't be easy." The popoff valve controversy at Detroit and flooding at Elkhart Lake swamped Kniefel in criticism (even though he inherited the popoff debacle) and Dallenbach wasn't around either time. "Two of the three races I didn't attend last year," Dallenbach laughed. Being verbally reamed on national television by Paul Tracy didn't do much for Kniefel's confidence or popularity, but he feels like he has a better rapport the second time around. "I have a hard time putting words in their (drivers') mouths, but I sense I'm gaining, or should I say earning, their respect and I feel like that is an everyday thing," he continued. "I put plenty of pressure on myself and every day on this job is interesting, to say the least. "I didn't know any one when I started and this year has been so much better because now I know the people who put on the races, their jobs and their names." The former Champ Car and Trans-Am driver can't thank Dallenbach enough for being his ally as well as his mentor. "Wally has been a great supporter," said Kneifel. "He's kinda led me back into this job and I think it was the right way to do it. Getting the blessing of Mario (Andretti) and Paul Newman means more to me than any race accomplishment I had on the track. "I enjoy working with Gary (Barnard, senior manager of competition) and I'm prepared to work hard and do this job." What he isn't prepared to do is watch Wally ride off in the sunset. "I know he wants to be less involved in the day-to-day stuff, but I don't want to envision Wally disappearing from CART," said Kneifel. "I know he's only a phone call away, but he's got so much knowledge in his head and he's such an asset. "I hope we can keep him involved." And Dallenbach hopes everyone in the CART paddock keeps an open mind. "I have all the faith in the world in Chris," Dallenbach said. "He's got the right stuff between his ears and he's really involved beyond Champ Cars. He's out there getting in touch with the Atlantic drivers and teams and he truly cares about this series. "He and Gary are working well together and I just hope some of the guys give him a break. He's picked up a lot and he's only going to get better."
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