The biggest weekend in motorsports added serious star power from the local basketball court to its festivities.
Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark will serve as the grand marshal for the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.
In her official capacity as grand marshal, Clark delivers the traditional pre-race command at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), instructing the starting grid of 33 drivers to report to their cars.
The moment will be broadcast live during FOX’s Race Day coverage, which begins at 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
“Since being drafted by the Fever, fans have been clamoring to share the epic celebration and thrilling excitement of Indy 500 Race Day with Caitlin,” INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles said. “Caitlin will bring unique energy and presence to a quintessentially Hoosier experience and an absolutely bucket list global sporting spectacle.”
For Clark, the event adds another chapter to a historic run in the Circle City. After being selected No. 1 overall by Indiana in the 2024 WNBA Draft, she secured Rookie of the Year honors and earned an All-WNBA First Team selection.
“I’m honored to represent Gainbridge as grand marshal of the Indy 500,” Clark said. “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.'”
The selection highlights a massive corporate synergy within the city’s sports ecosystem. Gainbridge, the naming rights sponsor for the Fever’s home arena, has also served as the presenting partner of the Indy 500 since 2019. Clark has operated as a brand ambassador for the financial services company since her senior year at the University of Iowa, where she graduated as the all-time leading scorer in college basketball history.
“We’ve been the presenting partner of the Indy 500 since 2019, and Caitlin has been part of the Gainbridge family since before she was playing home games at Gainbridge Fieldhouse,” Gainbridge President Derek Towriss said. “Having her as grand marshal pulls it all together… This is going to be a Race Day moment we’ll all remember.”
Contact multimedia & senior sports reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more news, visit indianapolisrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
