Why is Caitlin Clark at Indy 500? Explaining WNBA star's grand marshal role at racing event

Some of the biggest stars in Indiana will be at Indianapolis Motor Speedway this Sunday.

That doesn't only include Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti, who will have a role in the Indy 500 festivities just a few months removed from a national championship, but also Caitlin Clark.

The Indiana Fever guard is set to play a role at "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" as the grand marshal.

Here's what to know about Clark's role at the 2026 Indy 500.

MORE: Full starting lineup for the 2026 Indy 500

Why is Caitlin Clark at Indy 500?

Clark will be at this year's Indy 500 to serve as the grand marshal for the race.

"I'm honored to represent Gainbridge as grand marshal of the Indy 500,” Clark said in a statement. “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.’”

In past years, with the Fever playing games on the day of the Indy 500, Clark has been unable to attend. But following Friday's matchup against the Valkyries, Indiana has a six-day break in its schedule.

That allows Clark to make an appearance at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time in 2026.

“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 in a statement. “Through our incredible partnership with Gainbridge, everyone joining us for the world’s largest single-day spectator sporting event will get to do just that. Caitlin will bring unique energy and presence to a quintessentially Hoosier experience and an absolutely bucket list global sporting spectacle.”

What is the Indy 500 grand marshal?

The role of the Indy 500 grand marshal is to give the traditional command for drivers to report to their cars.

Ahead of the race's start time, following the national anthem, Clark will be tasked with telling the 33 Indy 500 competitors to make their way to their cars.

The grand marshal role has become a role given to a celebrity, typically one associated with Indiana; in some years, there has only been a grand marshal for the 500 Festival Parade, with names like Peyton Manning, Larry Bird and Reggie Miller participating in the role.

Indy 500 grand marshal history

In 2025, two current Fox Sports analysts and well-known MLB legends, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, were the Indy 500 grand marshals. A grand marshal isn't always named for the Indy 500, and they may or may not be the same grand marshal from the 500 Festival Parade.

Here's a look at some of the past grand marshals at the event: