Second-year steward system to support race director Brian Barnhart

Via IndyCar.com

INDYCAR announced that vice president of Competition Brian Barnhart has been named race director and will lead the Verizon IndyCar Series’ three-steward Race Control system for the 2015 season that starts March 8 with the Brasilia Indy 300 in the capital city of Brazil.

Barnhart was a key member of the INDYCAR Race Control system implemented in 2014 that stipulates all in-race penalties are decided by a two-thirds vote amongst the respective stewards officiating each event.

“We believe that based on his extensive experience in Race Control, combined with the three-steward system, Brian Barnhart is a good fit as INDYCAR race director,” said Derrick Walker, INDYCAR president of Competition and Operations. “The process allows the race director to focus on running the race without the double-duty of reviewing multiple replays and simultaneously trying to make a call. In terms of determining penalties, our process defines that a majority vote amongst the three stewards is required, which ensures a jury-like process. Last year we found that this was a fair system when making difficult judgment calls.”

Barnhart was a Race Control steward throughout the 2014 Verizon IndyCar Series season and was previously INDYCAR race director from 1997-2011.

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