Caitlin Clark admits to awkward moment at Indy 500

Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark returned to the court on Friday following a back issue. She scored 22 points with nine assists to lead the Fever to a 90–82 win over the Golden State Valkyries. However, on Sunday, she swapped the hardwood for the racetrack to serve as the grand marshal for the Indianapolis 500.

The WNBA star joined a prestigious list of celebrity grand marshals, including Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Blake Shelton. As the grand marshal for the 110th running of the Indy 500, Clark delivered the traditional command. She instructed the drivers to report to their cars before the race began at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Caitlin Clark faces unexpected anxiety at Indy 500

Despite routinely playing in packed arenas, Clark admitted the historic racing event brought unexpected anxiety. In a recent interview, she recalled an awkward moment in front of thousands of people and a live television audience. The 6-foot point guard attributed it to a missed cue during the pre-race ceremony.

“Well, they had me standing there for a very long time, so I was getting nervous,” Clark told reporters. “And then they told me that the guy was gonna say, ‘I’m here to give the command,’ and then he never said that.

“So I was awkwardly kind of waiting for a second, and I was like, ‘You know what? Whatever, I’m just gonna go for it. They can adjust.’ And it turned out fine, but the crowd was cheering anyway, so it kind of seemed like I was giving them a second to cheer.

“But yeah, it turned out well. I was definitely a little nervous. I’m usually not nervous when there’s a microphone in my face, but when you get in front of 300,000 people and on live television, that’s a lot. I didn’t want to mess up my four words, but it was still super cool.”

Caitlin Clark’s no strangers to massive crowds, the big stage, being behind a microphone, etc. But doing those things as grand marshal of the Indy 500? That was an entirely new — and nerve wracking _ experience. pic.twitter.com/OT8PUfUxgM

— hank 🇰🇷 (@Brian_Haenchen) May 26, 2026

Clark’s appearance at the Indianapolis 500 reflects her growing prominence as an athlete whose reach now extends far beyond the basketball world. She has now solidified her role as a sports icon in Indiana while aiming to lead the Fever toward a 2026 WNBA championship run. 

The Fever will travel to San Francisco to face the Valkyries again on Thursday. The matchup kicks off a back-to-back West Coast stretch that concludes Saturday in Oregon against the Portland Fire. Clark is expected to resume her role as the team’s primary leader and playmaker in these crucial road games. 

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