Chris Kneifel

rdf:langString Chris Kneifel

rdf:langString Chris Kneifel (born April 23, 1961 in Chicago, Illinois), is a former driver in the CART Championship Car series. He raced in the 1982-1984 seasons with 19 career starts, including the 1983 and 1984 Indianapolis 500, and finished in the top ten 6 times. He was the last driver to start the Indianapolis 500 with a qualifying speed under 200 miles per hour (320 km/h). In 1984, Jacques Villeneuve originally qualified for the final starting position at just over 200 mph (320 km/h), but withdrew after being injured in a practice crash. Kneifel, the next fastest car at just under 200 mph (320 km/h), started in his place. Earlier in his career, Kneifel raced in the Formula Ford and Formula Atlantic Series. After CART, he was the 1985 Trans-Am Rookie of the Year. Later he transitioned to American Le Mans Series endurance racing. He capped his career by teaming with Ron Fellows, Frank Freon, and Johnny O'Connell to win the 2001 24 Hours of Daytona. From 2001–2004, he served as the Chief Steward (Race Director) for CART. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches (2 meters), Kneifel was one of the tallest racing drivers in IndyCar racing history.