What traditional command has been given to drivers just before the start of the Indianapolis 500?

The traditional command given before the Indianapolis 500 is “Gentlemen, start your engines.”

The phrase became associated with the race after World War II. Its exact early history is disputed, but the first documented use came in 1950, and Tony Hulman later made the booming announcement an annual Indianapolis tradition. Earlier versions reportedly used “motors” before officials settled on the more technical word “engines.”

The wording has sometimes changed. When Janet Guthrie became the first woman to qualify for the race in 1977, officials used an amended form, “Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.” Other years have used “Drivers, start your engines,” while restart commands may say “Gentlemen, restart your engines.”

Thus, the stored answer is the canonical traditional wording, even though modern ceremonies may use an inclusive variation. The command is not the signal that begins the racing laps; it tells teams to fire their cars before the field proceeds to the start.