Every year the Indy 500 brings in celebrities and actors to make various appearances around the track, and this year's leader of them all will be one Richard Vitale. Dickie V will serve as the Grand Marshall of the 93rd running of the race, and will be joined by the likes of Mario Lopez, Melora Hardin (Jan Levinson from "The Office"), Mary Lynn Rajskub (Chloe from "24"), and the band "The Ohio Players"....

Today, 500 Festival officials are announcing a partial list of celebrities who will help celebrate the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500. Actors, artists and iconic personalities are among those who will wave to fans in the IPL 500 Festival Parade on May 23 and make their way around town during race weekend.
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Sportscaster Dick Vitale will serve as grand marshal of the parade, and Miss America Katie Stam will take part, too. On race day, Stam, a Hoosier, is expected to sing "America the Beautiful" at the track.

Mayor Greg Ballard, Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Joie Chitwood and other officials got the monthlong celebration going Friday on Monument Circle when the 500 Festival organized a bit of lunchtime pomp.

"This really kicks off what I consider to be the best month in any city in the world," Ballard said.