▁B ale ▁& ▁Matt ▁Dam on ▁Green ▁flag ▁delivered ▁by ▁E MS ▁first ▁res ponder ▁and ▁former ▁R iley ▁Hospital ▁patient ▁Tre y ▁Ed ens ▁ ▁C ele br ity ▁guests ▁Since ▁the ▁early ▁years ▁of ▁the ▁race , ▁cele brit ies ▁from ▁all ▁wal ks ▁of ▁fame ▁have ▁been ▁invited ▁to ▁the ▁race , ▁some ▁have ▁returned ▁for ▁many ▁years ▁or ▁even ▁dec ades . ▁Television ▁and ▁movie ▁stars , ▁recording ▁artists , ▁sports ▁figures , ▁polit icians , ▁and ▁military , ▁are ▁among ▁the ▁many ▁dign itar ies ▁invited . ▁During ▁the ▁pre - race , ▁a ▁para de ▁of ▁stars ▁is ▁conducted ▁around ▁the ▁track , ▁usually ▁in ▁convert ibles . ▁In ▁numerous ▁years , ▁cele brit ies ▁have ▁been ▁invited ▁to ▁drive ▁the ▁pace ▁car ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁race . ▁ ▁Clark ▁G able ▁is ▁seen ▁in ▁a ▁famous ▁photograph ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁race . ▁Among ▁the ▁many ▁cele brit ies ▁who ▁attended ▁or ▁have ▁attended ▁multiple ▁Ind y ▁ 5 0 0 s ▁include ▁Jim ▁N ab ors , ▁James ▁Gar ner ▁( who ▁drove ▁the ▁pace ▁car ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁ 1 9 7 7 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 5 ), ▁David ▁Let ter man , ▁Tim ▁Allen , ▁Florence ▁Hend erson , ▁L inda ▁V aug hn , ▁and ▁many ▁others . ▁Paul ▁New man , ▁who ▁star red ▁in ▁the ▁Ind y - related ▁film ▁Win ning , ▁attended ▁the ▁race ▁many ▁times ,