INDIANAPOLIS – We often scrutinize the achievements of heroes. LeBron James has four NBA titles but six losses in the finals. Tom Brady won seven Super Bowls, but there were controversies like `Deflategate`.
In the realm of IndyCar, Álex Palou has been exceptionally successful over the last five years. His current performance, marked by numerous wins and titles, is historically remarkable. Since April 2021, he has achieved 15 victories, secured 8 pole positions, and claimed 3 championships.
Yet, a crucial missing piece remained: he had not won the Indy 500, nor any oval race. These omissions were a significant point of frustration for Palou, a composed driver striving for perfection. Just recently, he stated multiple times that his career and even his personal satisfaction would be lacking if he never triumphed in the highly prestigious Victory Lane of the Indy 500.
Now, that goal is achieved. On Sunday, the 28-year-old racer became the 74th winner of `The Greatest Spectacle in Racing` and the first Spaniard to do so. He concluded the 109th running of the event by utilizing an impeccable pit stop strategy to gain the lead and then leveraging a rapid car to maintain his advantage, finishing 0.6822 seconds ahead of Marcus Ericsson, the 2022 Indy 500 champion.
`Yes, I said that, and I meant it. Maybe it sounds ambitious, but every racer aspires to win the biggest races, and this is undoubtedly the biggest,` Palou commented, standing near the winner`s circle, still damp from the customary milk celebration. While he spoke, a fervent chant of `Palou! Pa-lou Pa-lou Pa-lou! Pa-looou, Pa-looou!` erupted from Spanish fans below, waving their flag. `Even with my previous wins and championships, some felt something was lacking. And I felt it was missing for me as well.`
He gestured towards his celebrating compatriots.
`I had no idea so many Spaniards would be here. Clearly, this win was important to them too! I am thrilled to give them this victory!`
Looking at the season overall, Palou`s performance is providing a spectacle, marking the most impressive start in IndyCar in roughly four decades, long before he was born. He has won five out of six races this season, placing second in the remaining one. For comparison, in 1979, A.J. Foyt also won five of his initial six races, with his only non-win being a second place at the Indy 500. David Malukas, a driver for the current Foyt team and one of Palou`s late-race competitors, finished in third place.
Race car drivers typically avoid discussing their historical significance in the sport. They usually give similar responses: emphasizing their focus on the present and deferring thoughts on their legacy until their racing career concludes.
However, this changes when they have just won the Indianapolis 500.
`Should I act cool now and say we expected to win, that it`s just another race, and we`re already focused on the next one?` he responded, laughing and showing off his new winner`s ring. `No, I`m going to cherish this. I will enjoy this for the rest of my life.`
He also savored the key moment that secured his win.
His Chip Ganassi Honda was conserving fuel in the final stage of the race, trailing behind Ericsson and making the Andretti Global car handle the aerodynamic work upfront. But with 15 laps left, slightly earlier than planned, he sensed competitors closing in. Entering Turn 1, he checked the pit lane and screens, noticing several potential contenders pitting for fuel. Realizing he was within the strategic window to push harder, he accelerated and surged into the lead.
A dejected Ericsson, his former teammate, remarked that Palou`s move `will haunt me tonight. What I did, and what I failed to do.`
Like every Indy 500, there was one victor, and 32 others left contemplating their race on Sunday night. This year, the outcome felt particularly harsh. Palou achieved a historic win. Every other contender who had a shot fell short.
Kyle Larson, on his second attempt at the Memorial Day `double` (Indy 500 and NASCAR`s Coca-Cola 600), retired just before the halfway point on Lap 91. He lost control during a restart, hit the wall, and then immediately departed for the NASCAR race.
Marco Andretti crashed almost as soon as his 20th Indy 500 began, prolonging his family`s winless streak in the race since his grandfather Mario`s victory in 1969.
Past winners Ryan Hunter-Reay and Alex Rossi were affected by issues with IndyCar`s new hybrid system and a dangerous fuel fire, respectively.
Scott McLaughlin, the sole Team Penske driver not involved in the week`s rule infringement controversy, didn`t even start the race. He spun out during the warmup laps while attempting to heat his tires on the coldest race day since 1992, when pole winner Roberto Guerrero had a similar incident. Temperatures were in the low 60s Fahrenheit on Sunday, with a track surface temperature in the 90s, significantly cooler than usual for May and the coldest in two weeks of preparation.
Meanwhile, Josef Newgarden of Team Penske, inadvertently central to the week`s controversy, saw his bid for redemption and a historic third consecutive Indy 500 win thwarted by a fuel pressure problem. He had advanced from a penalty-induced last-row start into the top 10 before retiring on Lap 135.
`There aren`t many genuine endurance races left, besides 24-hour events, maybe rally or off-road?` Palou mused. `But this race truly feels like one. I can tell you, afterwards, you are utterly drained, both mentally and physically.`
Even now?
`Well, perhaps not right this second. Maybe they added espresso or sugar to the milk. It was certainly the most delicious milk I`ve ever had.`
The milk supplier, the American Dairy Association of Indiana, offers Indy 500 winners a choice of milk. Palou selected whole milk. This choice seems appropriate, as he now feels complete, both as a driver and personally, echoing his earlier statements about winning this race.
`You know,` he added with a smirk, recognizing he was contradicting his previous remarks, `maybe to truly feel complete, I should aim to win this race again.`
Rupert Caldwell 
Tristan Blackwood