▁Florence ▁Hend erson ▁ 2 0 1 1 : ▁Florence ▁Hend erson ▁ 2 0 1 2 : ▁Florence ▁Hend erson ▁ 2 0 1 3 : ▁Jon ▁Mc L augh lin ▁ 2 0 1 4 : ▁Florence ▁Hend erson ▁ 2 0 1 5 : ▁Florence ▁Hend erson ▁ 2 0 1 6 : ▁Indian apolis ▁Children ' s ▁Ch oir ▁ 2 0 1 7 : ▁Ang ela ▁Brown ▁ 2 0 1 8 : ▁Jon ▁Mc L augh lin ▁ 2 0 1 9 : ▁Che vel ▁She ph erd ▁ ▁" G od ▁B less ▁The ▁USA " ▁ 1 9 9 9 : ▁Lee ▁Green wood ▁ 2 0 1 9 : ▁Lee ▁Green wood ▁ ▁Inv ocation ▁Starting ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁the ▁Ind y ▁ 5 0 0 ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Sunday ▁of ▁Memorial ▁Day ▁week end . ▁As ▁a ▁gesture , ▁the ▁Speed way ▁added ▁an ▁inv ocation ▁to ▁the ▁pre - race ▁cer emon ies . ▁In ▁most ▁years ▁since ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁the ▁Speed way ▁has ▁invited ▁a ▁representative ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Arch di oc ese ▁of ▁Indian apolis . ▁In ▁selected ▁years , ▁others ▁have ▁been ▁invited ▁including ▁nation ally ▁famous ▁cl erg ymen ▁Or al ▁Roberts ▁and ▁Billy ▁Graham . ▁ ▁The ▁Most ▁Re ver end ▁Arch bishop ▁Edward ▁T . ▁O ' M ear a ▁participated ▁several ▁times ▁until ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 2 . ▁Arch bishop