Wally Dallenbach, Sr.

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Wally Dallenbach, Sr. (born December 12, 1936) is a former long-time open-wheeled race car driver in CART from East Brunswick, New Jersey. He drove in 180 Indy Car races between 1965 and 1979, winning five times. He is the father of NASCAR driver and commentator, Wally Dallenbach Jr.

Dallenbach nearly won the 1975 Indianapolis 500, dueling with A. J. Foyt for many laps. He led for half of the race, but blew a piston on lap 162. Bobby Unser won the race.

He joined CART as competition director in 1980 and became Chief Steward of the sport in 1981, a position he held until 2004. Under his tenure, he improved the safety program in CART. He also established nondenominational church services for drivers and their families.

Dallenbach has been inducted into both the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame due to his exploits at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and the New Jersey Sports Hall of Fame.

Wally was recently voted into the American Motorcyclists Association Hall of Fame for his work as founder and president of the Colorado 500 Invitational Charity Motorcycle Rides. He will be inducted at a ceremony in the fall of 2006 at AMA Headquarters in Pickerington, Ohio.

[edit] Indy 500 results

Year Car Start Qual Rank Finish Laps Led Retired
1967 53 15 163.540 19 29 73 0 Crash FS
1968 54 12 165.548 12 17 148 0 Engine
1969 22 19 166.497 19 21 82 7 Clutch
1970 22 24 165.601 31 17 143 0 Coil
1971 22 23 171.159 17 24 69 0 Valve
1972 40 33 181.626 18 15 182 0 Flagged
1973 62 20 190.200 26 24 48 0 Broken Rod
1974 40 2 189.683 3 30 3 2 Piston
1975 40 21 190.648 4 9 162 96 Piston
1976 40 7 184.445 12 4 101 3 Flagged
1977 40 10 189.563 13 4 199 0 Flagged
1978 6 7 195.233 9 5 195 0 Flagged
1979 6 7 188.285 8 27 43 0 Lost Wheel
Totals 1448 108
Starts 13
Poles 0
Front Row 1
Wins 0
Top 5 3
Top 10 4
Retired 9