Doug Boles and Alex Palou discuss 2026 IMS Gate 2 banner, returning as Indy 500 champion
IMS and IndyCar president Doug Boles joined 2025 Indy 500 champion Alex Palou to unveil the Gate 2 banner at IMS for this year's race.
Video Transcript
It's, you know, 54 days away from the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500.
When we get an opportunity to put the gate two banner up, it's the banner that everybody will see when they come into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway really from now on, but certainly on those practice days as they come in.
And it's become a big tradition for us to be able to do that, and then let the driver who won the race last year get to put that last zip tie in there to, to put that up officially.
it's been a lot of fun, and, fortunately Alex isn't afraid of heights.
Yeah.
You know, Josef Newgarden for a couple years hated the heights, so getting him up there, he didn't particularly like it, but, excited for Alex.
Yeah.
You know, Alex has had such a good year last year, and it sort of carried over this year just coming off his second win of the season at, Birmingham earlier, earlier this year.
So he was definitely the man to beat, and I know that he'll be excited that all his competitors have to see his face every time they come into the gates here in the month of May.
Just a little bit of a mental play that I know that, that Alex is looking forward to as we go forward.
What I love about these is these are graphics that are done by our staff in-house.
So Coy Fisher did that, Michael Kaltemark and his team, and Mandy Walsh and her team really then take that image and put it together and get it up there.
So it's part of the fun for all of us at the speedway, this is just a great way to highlight the g- the talent that we have here, as we continue to get everything ready to go.
So, pretty excited about it, can't wait to get things started, and, we have a little bit more fun here with Alex in a minute that he doesn't know about, so stay tuned for that.
but in the meantime Hey, Mr. Champion.
Sorry.
So, your competitors all have to see that every single day.
I know.
I've been, having to see other drivers- for the past six years, so I, I cannot wait.
I cannot wait for the month of May to get started.
So good season so far, and now- Yeah you just carried over.
We've got Long Beach, and then back here, the road course where Have done pretty well here on road course as well.
Yeah, road course, I love it, feel confident.
But, I'm excited for the month of May to start, see the fans for the first time as a, as a winner here.
and month of May is so cool as a driver and for everybody in IndyCar.
I just cannot wait to get started.
Yeah, well, congrats once again.
Thank you.
I'll let these guys ask you some questions.
I got a little work to do.
Thank you.
All right.
How is it exciting to get this up here?
It's, so exciting.
Super exciting.
first time I've seen it, I saw it, on social media I think, a couple days ago, but the first time that I've seen it, live, and it was, just super cool.
Like, as, Doug said, like, you're used to seeing other drivers.
used to seeing Newgarden, Helio, Marcus.
I don't know, the first year was maybe Pagenaud.
Like, you're used to seeing other drivers and you're like, "Man, I wish someday I can come here and, see myself and my car up there in month of May."
So it's super cool.
How was it going up there?
Was it a little, uh- Was a bit windy.
Yeah, it doesn't feel like, but when you're up, it's not, it's not crazy up, but it actually moves a little bit.
but it's all right.
I'm, I'm not scared of heights, so it's, it's good.
How do you expect it'll feel just coming back here throughout the month of May now that you've won it?
Do you think it'll feel different as a Indy 500 champion?
I think I'll be able to enjoy a lot more, yes.
I, I feel like I'll be able to experience even more, get a lot more love from the fans hopefully.
you never know, but hopefully it's just, people wanting to give you more energy, which, I think that's what makes this place and this race so special.
So, yeah, I think I'll it'll be different, but in a good way.
I'll be different because I'll get hopefully a lot more love from people.
What's it like seeing your face up there on that scale, that, that size?
It's, it doesn't look as cool when I was closer than when I was a little bit further up.
but, yeah, it's super cool.
I mean, it's, it's awesome, especially that particular moment where it's, I mean, it's the mo- exact moment where I was getting a sip of the milk.
and I'll be able to remember the exact moment every day that I cross, during this month.
Okay.
