Patrick Dempsey at Toyota Grand Prix Pro/Celeb Race. Long Beach, California - 08.04.06

The speedy actor, who co-owns the Vision Racing team, will lead the field of 33 drivers to the green flag at the start of the race.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway president Joie Chitwood insists Dempsey was the perfect choice to lead the race: "He truly understands and appreciates the pageantry, prestige and tradition of the Indianapolis 500."

Source: WENN