'Housewives' hubby to start Brickyard race

INDIANAPOLIS, July 9 (UPI) -- Actor James Denton travels from Wisteria Lane's "Desperate Housewives" to the Brickyard in Indianapolis to wave the green flag for the Allstate 200.

Denton will be the grand marshal for the 14th running of the Allstate 400 at the Brickyard at Indianapolis Motor Speedway July 29. The race kicks off the season's first NASCAR Nextel Cup Series event televised on ESPN, Allstate said in a news release.

Denton, who plays Mike Delfino on the ABC program, will participate in pre-race activities, including the ceremonial waving of the green flag, signaling the start of the race.

Continuing an Indianapolis Motor Speedway family tradition, Mari Hulman George, the speedway's board chair, will issue the celebrated command, "Gentlemen, start your engines."