Grand Marshal Caitlin Clark Draws 350,000 Cheers at Indy 500 Flag-Off

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark was invited to be the Grand Marshal of the 2026 Indy 500 to be held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Grand Marshal Caitlin Clark Draws 350,000 Cheers at Indy 500 Flag-Off

Caitlin Clark with her custom helmet (Image via FirstSportz)

In Short
  • Caitlin Clark served as Grand Marshal for the 2026 Indy 500, drawing cheers from a crowd of 350,000.
  • She signed a milk bottle for racer Marcus Ericsson, showcasing her connection to the event.
  • Clark's humorous personality shone through as she posed with the Indy 500 trophy and a custom helmet.

During last season’s Indy 500, basketball fans wished Caitlin Clark had gone alongside her head coach and teammates after they were invited as special guests.

This time, the league decided to make it better. Not only did they invite the superstar point guard to the 2026 running of what is known as one of the greatest motorsport races in the world, but they also made her the Grand Marshal.

That means the said person has to flag off the drivers and also stick around until the event is over. There may be other personalities invited, but the Grand Marshal has the most access to things others cannot get near.

Before the 110th edition of this race started, the 24-year-old arrived with a wall of security around her as fans lined up to get a glimpse of women’s basketball’s biggest superstar.

After she went through signing autographs and greeting the fans, Caitlin Clark moved on to the task she had at hand: to start the race.

When the race’s announcer introduced the Iowa native to the 350,000 crowd, they roared together, knowing one of the most famous faces in sports currently was going to help start the race. After some visible nerves, the Indiana Fever guard said:

Drivers, to your cars.

Caitlin Clark said

Again, the sold-out crowd cheered together. At this point, Clark looked at teammate Lexie Hull and smiled, knowing how their practices helped her say those four words while facing the most fans in her career.

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Caitlin Clark has fun with the Indy 500 trophy

Before her moment, Caitlin Clark was having fun at the Indy 500. The organizers asked her to pick a winner, and she went ahead and signed the milk bottle earmarked for Marcus Ericsson.

Caitlin Clark at the Indy 500
Caitlin Clark at the Indy 500 (Image via FOX News)

That was expected as the latter is a Gainbridge-sponsored racer. The company also sponsored this year’s race, and also does the same for the very arena that Clark and her teammates play in.

She also knows Ericsson from when the Swedish driver appeared at The Annika when the basketball star was first invited. He and the Fever guard had exchanged jerseys and jackets.

Then, the organizers gifted Clark a custom Fever-themed helmet. After posing for photos both with the helmet in her hands and then putting it on, she moved towards the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy.

I won.

Caitlin Clark exclaimed

This left the photographers in stitches, as they did not expect the record-breaking WNBA superstar to bring humor out of it. For someone who is known for using her jokes to light up any event, this was no different.

Even though Clark is often invited to landmark events, this should be at the top of her list. Not only did the fans love her as the grand marshal, but she also donned the role for what was one of the best Indy 500 races in history.

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Cheryl Miller likes Caitlin Clark getting ‘chirpy’

Before Caitlin Clark donned her custom jacket and went to be the Grand Marshal of the Indy 500, the narratives surrounding her were about the trash talk and taunts she and Golden State Valkyries players had in their last game.

C’mon, bring it on, chirp-chirp. Look at that, ‘I’m right here.’… I love a little toe-to-toe chirping this early in the season.

Cheryl Miller said

This was the Hall of Famer speaking on NBC’s WNBA Showtime before the New York Liberty and Dallas Wings clash. Cheryl Miller knows all too well that Clark is not known to back down. That is why she loved the fact that the Hawkeye great decided to set the tone early in the season.

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