INDIANAPOLIS | Come rain or come shine, the stars turned out for the Indianapolis 500, and so did the fans.

Though rain drenched the city for much of Sunday, the 91st running of the Memorial Day weekend classic drew celebrities from TV, sports and music to the world-famous track, where fans pressed along metal barriers to catch glimpses of their favorite celebrities.

"There goes Peyton!" shouted Cindy O'Connell of Columbus, Ohio, as she ran to catch a glimpse of Indianapolis Colts quarterback and Super Bowl MVP Peyton Manning.

Manning said he'd attended the race a few times but acknowledged this year was special -- he got to wave the green flag to start the race. He was more concerned Sunday about his karma than about fumbling the flag.

"I'm just kind of worried that it may be me causing this bad weather, between the Super Bowl and this," Manning joked.

Sunday's race started on time, despite morning showers that had crews scrambling to dry the 2.5-mile oval. But rain moved in again around 3 p.m., just after the halfway point, halting the race for three hours.

Most fans took the delay in stride.

"A true race fan takes that risk when you buy that ticket," said Ohio resident Bob Moore, who has been coming to the 500 since 1948. "Mother Nature rules everything, it's her law."

This year's celebrity crowd drew veterans including "Grey's Anatomy" star Patrick Dempsey, who drove the pace car to start the race and is a partner in Vision Racing with IRL and Speedway CEO Tony George. It also featured several first-timers, including Olympic gold medalist and "Dancing with the Stars" winner Apolo Anton Ohno, actor Ray Liotta, NASCAR legend Richard Petty and future NBA lottery pick Greg Oden.

The 7-foot center, a former Indiana Mr. Basketball, was surprised by the size of the cars -- too small.

"I think I was bigger than the car itself," said Oden, who played one season for Ohio State. "Someone said I could wear one as a skate and just roll around out there."

Petty, too, won't be jumping into an IndyCar anytime soon.

"I think these things are a little bit beyond my years," he said. "I'm still from the old school. I still like to see windshields, wheels, fenders, bumpers and stuff like that."

Petty visited the speedway to support driver John Andretti, who drives for Petty on the Nextel Cup circuit. Andretti ran into trouble at lap 99, hitting the wall in turn 2.

Singer John Oates of Hall and Oates was cheering for car owner and driver Michael Andretti. He and son Tanner, 11, sat on a golf cart near the garages during the delay, hoping to "get a peek at a driver," Oates said.

Oates didn't seen Andretti win, but one of his drivers did: Dario Franchitti, who took the checkered flag when rain returned 34 laps shy of the finish.

One fan favorite was missing Sunday.

Jim Nabors, best-known for his TV role as Gomer Pyle, had planned to sing "Back Home Again in Indiana" for the 21st consecutive year but canceled due to illness. Instead, the crowd was urged to sing along with the Purdue University marching band.

Jeannie Collins of Union City, Ind., sang the song but didn't see a lot of younger fans joining in.

"I think the older people enjoy Gomer," she said.