Caitlin Clark is a worldwide sports icon, and her brand continues to grow. The 24-year-old is the face of the WNBA and one of the most talked-about athletes in the world.
Now, the Indianapolis 500 wants to experience the “Caitlin Clark Effect,” as Clark has been announced as the grand marshal for the 110th annual Indy 500 on May 24, 2026. This is a major honor and it will place the Indiana Fever star at the center of a sold-out crowd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where she’ll deliver the iconic pre-race command for drivers to “start their engines” this Sunday.
Clark was named the grand marshal over Indiana Pacers players Pascal Siakam and Andrew Nembhard, who will serve as grand marshals for the 500 Festival Parade on Saturday.
WNBA World Reacts to Caitlin Clark’s Selection As Grand Marshal of Indy 500
“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.
As the face of Fever’s franchise, Clark, as grand marshal, will bridge the gap between Indiana’s love for basketball and its deep-rooted motorsports heritage.
News: Caitlin Clark has been named Grand Marshal of the 110th Indianapolis 500, to be held on Sunday.
“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.’”
— Scott Agness (@ScottAgness) May 19, 2026
”It’s one of the highest honors you can get in the state of Indiana,” Fever head coach Stephanie White said of Clark serving as grand marshal of the Indy 500.
More than 350,000 fans are expected to attend the Indy 500, with many more watching the race on TV, so this is an excellent opportunity for Clark to boost her personal brand while also promoting the WNBA and Fever to a different audience.
However, it’s also a sign of Clark’s star power that she was selected as grand marshal. The WNBA world had plenty to say after the news broke.
https://t.co/HJeSQln7yN pic.twitter.com/QWWK0lUdGj
— Ken Swift (@kenswift) May 19, 2026
One Clark fan page celebrated the news with the caption, “Caitlin Clark will be this year’s Grand Marshall for the Indy 500! Motion.”
“Big moment for Caitlin Clark – her star power keeps growing,” one influencer added.
“Unmatched impact,” wrote one user.
“this is cool!!! congrats, cc…” another added.
After a disappointing 2025-26 season in which she was limited to just 13 games due to an injury, Clark’s comeback has been one of the major headlines for the 2026 WNBA campaign. Through four games, she is averaging 24.3 points, 9.0 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and a steal per game while shooting 42.5% from the floor.
In the Fever’s latest game against the Seattle Storm, the two-time WNBA All-Star dropped 21 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds on 50% shooting from the field to help the team register a 89-78 win, their second victory of this season.
