Caitlin Clark named Indianapolis 500 grand marshal

Caitlin Clark’s latest Indiana sports role is not on a basketball court. Indianapolis Motor Speedway said on May 19 that the Indiana Fever guard will serve as grand marshal for the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge on Sunday, May 24. The role puts Clark at the center of one of the state’s biggest annual events, with Speedway officials saying she will deliver the traditional command for drivers to report to their cars. The race is sold out, according to the Speedway. ### What exactly will Caitlin Clark do on race day? Indianapolis Motor Speedway said Clark will give the starting command before the race, a ceremonial duty traditionally handled by a celebrity, athlete or public figure tied to the event. Speedway coverage and follow-on reports said the command will come ahead of the green flag for the 110th running at the track in Indianapolis. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) Yahoo Sports reported that Clark will “summon drivers to their cars” as part of the pre-race ceremony. The Speedway identified her as a Gainbridge brand ambassador, linking her selection to the presenting sponsor of the race. ### When was the appointment announced, and when is the race? (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) The Speedway announcement was dated Tuesday, May 19, 2026, even as wider pickup of the news continued on Wednesday, May 20. Multiple outlets, including CBS Sports and USA Today, reported that Clark had been named to the role for Sunday’s race. (sports.yahoo.com) May 24 is the scheduled date for this year’s Indianapolis 500, and local and national reports said the event is set for Indianapolis Motor Speedway. One report said race coverage begins at 10 a.m. EDT on Fox, with the event itself set for early afternoon. ### Why was Clark a natural choice for the Speedway? (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) Clark has become one of the most visible athletes in Indiana since joining the Fever, and the Speedway announcement leaned into that connection. The official release described her as an Indiana Fever superstar and Gainbridge brand ambassador, tying together her local profile, corporate partnership and the race’s presenting sponsor. (kogo.iheart.com) USA Today and other outlets framed the move as Clark crossing into motorsports from basketball, while the Speedway emphasized the “epic Race Day experience” around her appearance. Those reports did not present the appointment as a competitive or administrative role; it is a ceremonial honor attached to one of the marquee moments before the race begins. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) ### How does this fit into Clark’s week? Wednesday, May 20, was already a game day for Clark and the Fever. Schedule listings and team coverage showed Indiana set to host the Portland Fire that night, with another game against the Golden State Valkyries on May 22. Yahoo Sports separately reported this week that Clark described the pressure around her WNBA profile as “taxing.” That comment came as attention around her extended beyond the Fever’s season and into broader Indiana sports events, including the Indianapolis 500 appointment. (usatoday.com) ### What comes next? Sunday, May 24, is the next key date. (365scores.com) Clark is scheduled to appear at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as grand marshal for the 110th Indianapolis 500, where she is expected to give the pre-race command before the sold-out event begins. (indianapolismotorspeedway.com) (sports.yahoo.com)