Florence Henderson to be Indy 500 Grand Marshal
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowActress and Indiana native Florence Henderson, who has been a part of the Indianapolis 500 festivities for 25 years, will have a new role for the 100th running of the race. Henderson will serve as grand marshal, while the Indianapolis Children’s Choir will take her place in singing "God Bless America."
Henderson is a native of Dale, Indiana and is only the second person to serve as grand marshal of the race. She will have several duties as grand marshal, including greeting drivers on the pre-race stage, delivering the "drivers to your cars" announcement and riding in a grand marshal parade car before the race.
"We wanted to have a Grand Marshal as part of our buildup to the green flag of the 100th Indy 500, and Florence Henderson was the perfect choice," said Doug Boles, president of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. "She has been an integral part of the IMS family and ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,’ and this is a great way to thank her for her many contributions over the years to the Indy 500 and IMS."
The Indianapolis Children’s Choir will also be accompanying Josh Kaufman for the singing of "Back Home Again in Indiana."