In his role as Indy 500 grand marshal, Olympics star Nick Goepper will deliver the "drivers to your cars" message over the public-address system.
Two-time Winter Olympic medalist and Indiana native Nick Goepper will serve as grand marshal for Sunday's Indianapolis 500.
Goepper, a 24-year-old who was born in Fort Wayne and grew up in Lawrenceburg, won a silver medal this year in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and a bronze medal in 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
He competed in slopestyle, a freestyle skiing event that debuted at the 2014 Olympics.
Between Sochi and Pyeongchang, Goepper battled depression and alcohol abuse. He told USA Today a 60-day stint at a rehab facility in 2015 became a "fantastic, life-changing experience."
After claiming the silver in South Korea, Goepper said he's aiming toward the Beijing Olympics in 2022, perhaps adding the halfpipe event to his repertoire.
In his role as Indy 500 grand marshal, Goepper will deliver the "drivers to your cars" message over the public-address system.
Goepper will be just the third grand marshal in 102 editions of the Indianapolis 500, following actress Florence Henderson in 2016 and U.S. gold-medal gymnast Nastia Liukin in 2015.
>> Chris Hemsworth: "Thor" actor will wave green flag to start the race.
>> Victor Oladipo: Pacers All-Star will drive the pace car.
>> Kelly Clarkson: Three-time Grammy Award winner will sing "The Star-Spangled Banner."
>> Jon McLaughlin: Indiana native who performed during the 2008 Oscars telecast will sing "God Bless America."
>> Jim Cornelison: IU alum and national-anthem singer for the Chicago Blackhawks will sing "(Back Home Again in) Indiana" before the race for the second consecutive year.