Caitlin Clark To Command Drivers To Their Cars For Indy 500

An Indianapolis superstar accustomed to hearing the roar of the crowd will give a command for the Indianapolis 500 cars that will certainly make the crowd roar.

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark will serve as grand marshal. For the Indianapolis 500, that role assumes the responsibility of saying, "Drivers, to your cars." That command means that it is time for drivers to get strapped into their vehicles.

The traditional grand marshal role of giving the command to start engines is typically done by a member of the family that owns the speedway. Last year, Roger Penske delivered the command at the track which was bought by the Penske Corporation in January 2020. 

Clark has had a personal services agreement with Gainbridge since her senior year at Iowa. Gainbridge is also a presenting sponsor of the race.

"I’m looking forward to experiencing an iconic piece of what makes Indiana so special and being part of the time-honored tradition of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing," Clark said in a news release.

She won’t be the only current Indiana sports superstar to be involved in pre-race ceremonies. Indiana University football coach Craig Cignetti will drive the pace car prior to the event.