Alex Palou spent Sunday as Indiana royalty.
The three-time IndyCar champion recorded his first career Indianapolis 500 win with some impressive racing, then was the guest of honor as the Indiana Pacers took on the New York Knicks in the NBA’s Eastern Conference finals.
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He didn’t arrive until the second quarter, for understandable reasons, but received a hero’s welcome when he reached the court.
It took some scheduling changes to make Palou’s appearance possible, as Nathan Brown of the Indianapolis Star reports that IndyCar scheduled its post-race media tour to allow for the possibility of the winner making the trek to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Pacers coach Rick Carlisle had also congratulated Palou to open his pregame media availability.
Alex Palou had quite a day in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
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This was all a role Palou was clearly eager to play given his wardrobe choice during the Indy 500’s driver parade on Saturday. The Spaniard donned a Tyrese Haliburton jersey as he waved to the approving crowd.
Palou’s win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway was his fifth in six races so far in 2025, putting him on track for a third straight IndyCar title and a fourth in five years. The only race Palou hasn’t won this year is the Long Beach Grand Prix, where he placed second.
There is still plenty of IndyCar season, but Palou is racing at a clip that would go down as one of the dominant campaigns in the history of racing if he maintains it. Going forward, he will likely be doing it with Indianapolis’ approval.