Despite his prowess, that was Rice’s last hurrah at Indy but naturally he never voiced any bitterness about being a three-time USAC champ and not being able to get a ride without bringing money. He always seemed to appreciate the fact he got hired to run there twice.

Larry finished 11th for owner Pat Santello in 1978 and was voted co-rookie-of-the-year with Rick Mears. (IMS)

Some of his most memorable and enjoyable times were the winters he spent racing midgets in Australia and New Zealand. He and Gary Patterson barnstormed those countries with the moniker “The Teacher and The Preacher” and GP nearly got them killed on several occasions. Like the time Patterson suggested Australia needed handles at each end of the country because it was the biggest garbage can in the world. They needed a police escort out of that track.

Larry’s driving days were over by 1991 and that’s when he embarked on a new career in television. Now if you’d have told his friends from the ‘70s this soft-spoken guy who never promoted himself or raised his voice would become an animated color analyst on ESPN’s Thursday Night Thunder, we’d have laughed you out of Indiana.

But Rice came out of his shell and blossomed into a fine compliment to Gary Lee and Dave Despain. And then he landed in the ABC booth calling the Indy 500. Once again, the old teacher had given us an education.

After ESPN dropped Thunder, he stayed in racing by going into the track insurance business and helping oldest son, Robbie, get into sprint cars. Youngest son Zach opted for politics.

A tongue cancer scare in 2000 went into remission but then he was diagnosed with lung cancer in 2005. Typical Rice, he told very few people and instructed his family to always give the party line he was feeling fine.

The past year he took as many radiation and chemo treatments as any human could stomach but he never complained and never volunteered any information at our bi-weekly lunches at Charlie Brown’s.

Just two weeks ago, in between coughing fits, he was laughing and telling stories with Bill Vukovich, Johnny Parsons, Lee Kunzman, Bubby Jones, Jerry Sneva, Gary Irvin and Chassey. He’d confided to Vuky and Pancho about his condition but none of the rest of us had a clue how bad things were until he went in the hospital a week ago.

And that’s just how he wanted it. Larry said he didn’t want anybody feeling sorry for him and he’ll have a wake but no funeral. He lived life to the fullest and faced death with amazing courage and dignity.

Now I just spent 1,400 words trying to describe his impact on us but my story can’t do him justice. You had to know Larry Rice to realize how special he was and how lucky you were.

The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEEDtv.com, SPEED, FOX, or NewsCorp.

Robin Miller became an Indy-car junkie in late 1950s and stooged for his hero, Jim Hurtubise, at the 1968 Indy 500. He went on to work as a vent man and board man on Indy pit crews from 1971-77. Miller bought a Formula Ford from Andy Granatelli in 1972 and raced it in SCCA until 1974 when he purchased a midget from Gary Bettenhausen, competing in the USAC midget series from 1975-82.

Robin flunked out of Ball State College in 1968 and began working at The Indianapolis Star sports department in 1969, covered motorsports there from 1969-2000.

In addition to his broadcast work. Miller's also covered IndyCar racing for Autoweek, Autosport, Car & Driver and On Track magazines over the past 35 years.




The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED