The Indianapolis Motor Speedway announced yesterday that Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, will be serving as the honorary starter at the 98th Indy 500, waving the green flag to start the field of 33 drivers, on Sunday, May 25.

“Whether it’s winning an NBA Championship or the honor of waving the green flag to start the Indianapolis 500, there are certain sporting events that are monumental for any true sports fan,” the Shark Tank star, and investor, said. “I am excited to come back to Indiana, not just to attend, but actually participate in this historic race.”

“Mark Cuban brings Indiana ties, a passion for sporting events, and a diverse following of fans around the globe to the flag stand at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Indianapolis Motor Speedway president J. Douglas Boles said in a statement.

“His successes and personality are well known in the business and entertainment world and we look forward to watching him wave the green flag to start the 98th Indianapolis 500.”

Cuban is one of the most successful men of our time. Shortly after graduating from Indiana University, in 1995, Cuban and his good friend Todd Wagner developed AudioNet, which streamed audio over the internet so people could listen to sporting events online.

Four years later, Cuban and Wagner sold AudioNet, which is now Broadcast.com, to Yahoo for $5.6 billion. Cuban took control of the Mavericks in 2000, and joined ABC’s popular television series Shark Tank, as an investor or “shark,” in 2010.

Image via Wikimedia Commons