INDIANAPOLIS – Ted Prappas, who made his sole Indianapolis 500 begin in 1992, died Friday, April 22. He was 66.
Southern California native Prappas began thirty second and completed sixteenth within the No. 31 PIG/Say No To Medication Lola-Chevrolet fielded by P.I.G. Enterprises and proprietor Norm Turley. Prappas was sidelined as a consequence of gearbox issues after finishing 135 laps within the unseasonably chilly 1992 race.
Prappas earned his solely beginning spot in “The Best Spectacle in Racing” in dramatic style, making a profitable qualifying run at 5:54 p.m. on Bump Day, Sunday, Might 17, simply six minutes earlier than {qualifications} ended. Prappas grew to become the ultimate driver to qualify along with his run, in his third and closing try in his major automotive.
In an fascinating historic footnote, Prappas’ profitable qualifying run bumped Scott Goodyear from the sector. Within the subsequent few days, Walker Racing introduced Goodyear would substitute Mike Groff within the staff’s certified automotive. Goodyear began from the rear of the sector and fell simply .043 of a second wanting victory to Al Unser Jr. within the closest end in Indianapolis 500 historical past.
Prappas climbed to CART with P.I.G. within the 1991 and 1992 seasons after ending second within the Indy Lights standings with the staff in 1990. His finest end was sixth as a rookie in 1991 at Lengthy Seaside. He was runner-up to Jeff Andretti within the CART Rookie of the 12 months standings in 1991.
The staff fielded a automotive for Prappas within the 1991 Indianapolis 500 however did not qualify.
Prappas gained two profession Indy Lights races, in 1990 at Laguna Seca for P.I.G. and in 1989 at Detroit for TEAMKAR Worldwide.
He began his open-wheel profession in Tremendous Vee in 1983 in a automotive purchased for him by Academy Award-winning legendary actor James Stewart. Prappas’ mom helped to handle Stewart’s profession.
Prappas gained the championship within the 1986 West Coast Atlantic Racing collection earlier than climbing to Indy Lights in 1988.