Chris Hemsworth Named Honorary Starter For Indy 500

Chris Hemsworth, the Mighty Thor from the Avengers franchise, will wave the Indianapolis 500 green flag and start the iconic race. The Indy 500 will be held on May 27, 2018, and according to CNN, is known as the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” As TAG Heuer is the official timepiece of the Indy 500, and as one of the brand ambassadors, it seems fitting that Hemsworth will start the legendary 200-lap race.

According to Indianapolis Star, it seems as if cars and racing have played a pivotal role in the actor’s career, and these roles have placed him on the fast track of Hollywood’s A-list. Chris has a longstanding relationship with TAG Heuer and first teamed up with them after playing the role of James Hunt, a legendary Formula One racer in the movie Rush. Hunt became a household name when he won the 1976 Formula One World Championship after a tense season-long battle with Niki Lauda, who was played by Daniel Bruhl in the film.

Hemsworth became one of the brand ambassadors, and according to TAG Heuer, the star “handles pressure by taming it.” It’s this same ability fans have come to love him for in his various roles.

Hemsworth has starred as Thor in seven Marvel movies, including the post credits stinger in 2016’s Doctor Strange. Marvel Comics and racing also have a history. This year marks 55 years since Tales of Suspense No. 45 was released. This legendary Marvel comic depicted Iron Man, the Marvel superhero, driving in the Indianapolis 500. Iron Man’s alter ego, Tony Stark, drives the car he named after himself, “Stark Special” but according to Diverse Tech Geek, Stark was forced out of the race due to heart trouble.

This will be the fourth consecutive year that an actor will wave the green flag for the Indianapolis 500. Grey’s Anatomy actor Patrick Dempsey, a race car driver himself, had the honor in 2015, while Chris Pine waved the flag in 2016. Last year, two people started off the race. Jake Gyllenhaal and Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman, who Gyllenhaal played in the movie Stronger, waved the flag.

Perhaps when the race is over, Hemsworth will join the race winners and celebrate with a bottle of milk.