It’s Top Gun: Maverick Week here at For The Win, where we’ve taken to the skies for five days’ worth of content to celebrate the premiere of the sequel to 1986’s iconic ode to Naval Aviation. Strap in for a wild ride (no spoilers!).
Every year, the need for speed is alive and well during the Indianapolis 500 — one of the biggest motor sports event in the world — as drivers and their teams push the limits of their race cars.
But for the 2022 Indy 500, that sentiment will mean a little something extra. Top Gun: Maverick star Miles Teller will be at the 106th running of the Indy 500, and he’ll serve as the honorary starter, waving the green flag above the 33-car field to signal the start of the race, Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced Tuesday.
Miles Teller will serve as the honorary starter for the 106th Running of the Indianapolis 500.#Indy500 | @Miles_Teller pic.twitter.com/kb6M5aPgy0
— IndyCar on NBC (@IndyCaronNBC) May 24, 2022
Teller plays Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw, the son of Maverick’s (played by Tom Cruise) former Weapon Systems Operator, the late character Goose, who ends up clashing with Maverick in this decades-later sequel, as For The Win’s Top Gun Week team noted.
Celebrities and other athletes are regular attendees at the Indy 500, and some, like Chris Hemsworth, Matt Damon and Christian Bale, have also been the race’s honorary starter. Elevated above the iconic track’s start-finish line, the honorary starter has one of the best views possible at the beginning of the 500-mile race.
The 2022 Indy 500 is set for Sunday, and the green flag is scheduled to fly at 12:45 p.m. ET on NBC, but coverage begins at 11 a.m.
