Larry Rice
Encyclopedia
Larry Rice was an American
racing driver
in the USAC
and CART
Championship Car series. He was the 1973 USAC National midget driver's champion and won the USAC Silver Crown series in 1977 and 1981. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
in 1993.
Larry's father Bob got him started in racing. He raced quarter midgets in Indiana
prior to turning ten years old. He went to Modified Midget
racing at the Logansport, Indiana
track from 1965-1967. While in modified midget racing Larry and his father introduced the first car with a suspension system in this type of racing. It was made by Kurtis
out of Indianapolis, Indiana
. Eventually all cars would have suspension systems on them.
Larry graduated from college with a teaching degree. He taught school briefly while racing the modified midget racing circuit. He was fondly known as "The Flying School Teacher" due to his ability to win races.
Larry's father Bob worked as a pit crew member for various race teams at the Indianapolis 500
in the 1970s.
National Midget championship, helping his team (Shannon Brothers) win the owner's championship. Rice followed up by winning the 1973 USAC National midget driver's championship himself. Rice was also the 1977 and 1981 USAC Silver Crown Series champion. He won the Silver Crown and sprint car
portions of the 4 Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway
in 1985. He won his second Silver Crown portion at Eldora in 1987.
and 1979
Indianapolis 500
and finished in the top ten 3 times. He was co-named the 1978 Indianapolis 500
Rookie of the Year, along with Rick Mears
, for his 11th place finish.
's Saturday Night Thunder
program. The program featured midget, sprint, and Silver Crown racing. He also worked as ESPN's regular analyst on IRL races.
Rice later worked for K&K Insurance, specialising in motorsport insurance, and later formed his own insurance organisation, Short Track Independent Drivers and Associates, underwritten by Nationwide Insurance, with his son Robbie, who operates the racing insurance organisation today.
Rice died from lung cancer
on 20 May 2009.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
racing driver
Auto racing
Auto racing is a motorsport involving the racing of cars for competition. It is one of the world's most watched televised sports.-The beginning of racing:...
in the USAC
United States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
and CART
Champ Car
Champ Car was the name for a class and specification of open wheel cars used in American Championship Car Racing for many decades, primarily for use in the Indianapolis 500 auto race...
Championship Car series. He was the 1973 USAC National midget driver's champion and won the USAC Silver Crown series in 1977 and 1981. He was inducted in the National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame
The National Midget Auto Racing Hall of Fame is a Hall of Fame and museum for midget cars. The Hall of Fame is located at Angell Park Speedway in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, and can be accessed during weekly Sunday races during the summer.-A-C:...
in 1993.
Racing career
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
prior to turning ten years old. He went to Modified Midget
Midget car racing
Midget cars, also Speedcars in Australia, are very small race cars with a very high power-to-weight ratio and typically use four-cylinder engines.-Cars:Typically, these cars have 300 to 400 horsepower and weigh...
racing at the Logansport, Indiana
Logansport, Indiana
Logansport is a city in and the county seat of Cass County, Indiana, United States. The population was 18,396 at the 2010 census. Logansport is located in northern Indiana, at the junction of the Wabash and Eel rivers, northeast of Lafayette.-History:...
track from 1965-1967. While in modified midget racing Larry and his father introduced the first car with a suspension system in this type of racing. It was made by Kurtis
Kurtis
Kurtis can refer to:*Frank Kurtis, a car-builder and founder of Kurtis Kraft*Kurtis Trent from the Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness game*Bill Kurtis, a television journalist...
out of Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis, Indiana
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
. Eventually all cars would have suspension systems on them.
Larry graduated from college with a teaching degree. He taught school briefly while racing the modified midget racing circuit. He was fondly known as "The Flying School Teacher" due to his ability to win races.
Larry's father Bob worked as a pit crew member for various race teams at the Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
in the 1970s.
Open wheel career
Rice had a major win when he won the 1970 Hut Hundred. Rice finished third in 1972 USACUnited States Automobile Club
The United States Auto Club is one of the sanctioning bodies of auto racing in the United States. From 1956 to 1979, the USAC sanctioned the United States National Championship, and from 1956 to 1997 the organization sanctioned the Indianapolis 500...
National Midget championship, helping his team (Shannon Brothers) win the owner's championship. Rice followed up by winning the 1973 USAC National midget driver's championship himself. Rice was also the 1977 and 1981 USAC Silver Crown Series champion. He won the Silver Crown and sprint car
Sprint car racing
Sprint cars are high-powered race cars designed primarily for the purpose of running on short oval or circular dirt or paved tracks. Sprint car racing is popular in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa....
portions of the 4 Crown Nationals at Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway
Eldora Speedway, also known as The Big E and Auto Racing's Showcase since 1954, is located near Rossburg, Ohio. Eldora is a half-mile clay oval with an estimated seating capacity of nearly 20,000...
in 1985. He won his second Silver Crown portion at Eldora in 1987.
Championship car career
He raced in 5 seasons (1974, and 1978-1979, and 1981), with 9 combined career starts, including the 19781978 Indianapolis 500
The 1978 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 28, 1978. For the first time, Mary Fendrich Hulman, widow of Tony Hulman, delivered the command for drivers to start engines....
and 1979
1979 Indianapolis 500
The 1979 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1979.The month was filled with controversy on and off the track. A court injunction was issued after USAC denied entries by the start-up CART series. During time trials, several cars were disqualified due to illegal wastegate...
Indianapolis 500
Indianapolis 500
The Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, also known as the Indianapolis 500, the 500 Miles at Indianapolis, the Indy 500 or The 500, is an American automobile race, held annually, typically on the last weekend in May at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana...
and finished in the top ten 3 times. He was co-named the 1978 Indianapolis 500
1978 Indianapolis 500
The 1978 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 28, 1978. For the first time, Mary Fendrich Hulman, widow of Tony Hulman, delivered the command for drivers to start engines....
Rookie of the Year, along with Rick Mears
Rick Mears
Rick Ravon Mears is a retired American race car driver. He is one of three men to have won the Indianapolis 500-Mile Race four times , and the current record-holder for pole positions in the race with six...
, for his 11th place finish.
Announcing career
After he stopped racing in 1991, he became the color analyst on ESPNESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
's Saturday Night Thunder
Saturday Night Thunder
Saturday Night Thunder is a former ESPN program that showed USAC racing on Saturday nights. It began on Thursday nights with the name Thursday Night Thunder on ESPN2. It featured tracks around the United States, although it frequently featured tracks in the Indianapolis area. Various racing series...
program. The program featured midget, sprint, and Silver Crown racing. He also worked as ESPN's regular analyst on IRL races.
Rice later worked for K&K Insurance, specialising in motorsport insurance, and later formed his own insurance organisation, Short Track Independent Drivers and Associates, underwritten by Nationwide Insurance, with his son Robbie, who operates the racing insurance organisation today.
Rice died from lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
on 20 May 2009.
Indy 500 results
| Year | Chassis | Engine | Start | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 1978 Indianapolis 500 The 1978 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 28, 1978. For the first time, Mary Fendrich Hulman, widow of Tony Hulman, delivered the command for drivers to start engines.... |
Lightning | Offenhauser Offenhauser Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which... |
30th | 11th |
| 1979 1979 Indianapolis 500 The 1979 Indianapolis 500 was held at Indianapolis on Sunday, May 27, 1979.The month was filled with controversy on and off the track. A court injunction was issued after USAC denied entries by the start-up CART series. During time trials, several cars were disqualified due to illegal wastegate... |
Lightning | Offenhauser Offenhauser Offenhauser was an American racing engine manufacturer that operated from 1933 to 1983.The Offenhauser engine, familiarly known as the "Offy", was developed by Fred Offenhauser and his employer Harry Arminius Miller, after maintaining and repairing a 1913 Peugeot Grand Prix car of the type which... |
23rd | 19th |