INDIANAPOLIS, Monday, July 24,2006 - Indianapolis Motor Speedway will get a touch of Hollywood for the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard, as actor Chris Noth was named July 24 as the race’s official grand marshal.

The 13th annual Allstate 400 at the Brickyard starts at 2:30 p.m. (ET) Sunday, Aug. 6 and will be televised live on NBC.

Noth will participate in pre-race activities, including the waving of the green flag to signal the start of the race. By Indianapolis Motor Speedway family tradition, IMS Chairman of the Board Mari Hulman George will deliver the famous command, “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

“As Grand marshal. Chris Noth will be a great ambassador for the IndianaDolis Motor Speedway and Allstate during the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard,” said Joie Chihvbod, IMS president and chief operating officer. “He is a likeable and respected personality from TV and film work, so we’re excited for him to be a part of the event.”

Noth is perhaps best known from his roles as Detective Mike Logan on NBC’s long- running crime dramas “Law & Order” and “Law and Order: Criminal Intent” and Mr. Big from the hit HBO series “Sex & the City,” for which he earned a Golden Globe nomination. He recently starred and executive-produced the TNT Original film “Bad Apple,” as well as starring as Roman general Pompey in the TNT epic miniseries “Caesar.” Noth also enjoyed a successful Broadway run of the revival of Gore Vidal’s “The Best Man.” On the silver screen, Noth has been seen in such films as “Cast Away,” “Double Whammy” and “Glass House.”

“I’m a huge NASCAR fan, so it is a tremendous honor to be the grand marshal for this year’s Allstate 400 at the Brickyard,” Noth said. “However, this race is about more than just one person waving the green flag; it is all about a truly historic racetrack and the millions of loyal fans watching.”