October 28, 2025 • 13 mins
Four-time NTT IndyCar Series Champion & 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner, Alex Palou, joins Query & Company to discuss his experience at the IU game on Saturday against UCLA. Jake shares something that he heard Palou state during the game, asks Alex if he is officially a "Hoosier" now, and comments on the ongoing lawsuit between him and McLaren.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Two o'clock hour in Indianapolis, for that matter, it's the
two o'clock hour everywhere in the Eastern time zone. My
name is Jake Eddie Garrison. The other voice you hear
on this program, we call it Quary and Company here
on ninety three five and one oh seven five the Fan.
We've been talking a lot about, of course, with this
being football season, the Colts, the best team in the NFL,
Indiana is now primed and hoping to put themselves in
(00:23):
position to land a top two spot within the college
football playoff. And when you want to win and you
want to have greatness, why not have on your sideline
somebody that knows a little about both. He is the
four time champion of the IndyCar Series, the reigning Indy
five hundred champion, and he was wearing his Indiana Hoosiers
jersey on the sidelines. Alex Polo is now an official
(00:45):
Hoosier and he joins us on the Java House Peel
and poor guest line, Alex, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I'm great? I am the biggest Hoosier.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Now I'm listen. I want to get to this. There's
a couple of things I want to talk to you about.
With this because I love you know, I'm here for it.
As the kids say, the first is and be honest,
you know you grew up just outside of Barcelona, Spain.
I would imagine that American football would not be amongst
the top sports of interest from a spectating standpoint during
(01:14):
your childhood. When did you become a football fan? Or
is this still a work in progress?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
You're right, I mean, honestly, I didn't even know it
existed when I was a kid. That's when I was
like a young kid in school. I only knew about
basketball soccer. Soccer is the main ninety nine percent of
people in Spain play soccer. I found out obviously when
I was growing up and I had access to internet
(01:42):
and TV. But I did not understand the game, and
I did not understand the game for the first two
three years that I was here in the US, But
then started getting to the games at the Cold started
getting into it. Cold started to get really really good
(02:02):
and started to get fun, and I started getting interested.
So I would say the last three years I've been
following and learning, especially this year this year, it's it's
been amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Okay, so you have been to and I know you
were at a colts game because they did one time
the celebrity lookalike thing, and then they actually show you
in the crowd and everybody cheers, right. And then this
weekend you were at Indiana and you were there on
the sidelines for Indiana's really you know blowout. When of UCLA.
Do you have or have you noticed at all a
(02:37):
difference between the pro game and the college game, which
one you found yourself more liking.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, So I had no idea that college football was
so big, So I'm not used to it. In Spain, college, well,
college and sports, they don't go together like here in
the US, which I think it's amazing that you have
that opportunity to do both at the same time. I
do both at the highest level. But so I went
(03:04):
to the game with expectations, basically because my neighbor got
me into watching you on Saturdays the past three weeks
and he's a big, big fan, so I already knew
a little bit. But honestly, the experience, the event, the
atmosphere was ten times better than I thought that it
(03:27):
was going to be. I had so much fun. The
game was super fast. I just felt like there was
a lot more plays that I did not expect or
you would see. Yeah, just a lot more action than
at some CALLS games. So I really liked it. I
had the best time. I think I was at the
game that was probably one of the best, with the
(03:49):
margins that we won, with how good the team was playing,
and all the fans, how excited they were. But yeah,
I just had the best Saturday, honestly.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So here's it's funny. I was I was talking to
Buddy Mine that that was kind of your I don't
know if I would say your host, but but a
guy that I grew up around, Jeremy Gray is his name,
and he works for IU and his wife had lived
in Barcelona, and I think was maybe talking to your
wife a little bit, and Jeremy told me that at
one point during the game that you said, like, and
(04:20):
I'm paraphrasing here, but basically you said, you know, I
feel kind of bad for these UCLA guys. And Jeremy said, yeah,
but I mean, do you feel bad when you've led
the Let you know, if you're leading the field by
two laps And Jeremy said that you said, well, yeah,
but I mean I'm not hurting those guys like Indiana's
hurting these guys, right, it's a collision sport, right. I
(04:40):
mean you had to have like so up close and
up personal. Is that a true recount of what your
emotion was watching that?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah? He was, he was, and it was it was
very fun. And I mean when when they were playing
so good, they just felt like we were able to
move the ball wherever we wanted. We were able to
get touchdowns almost every time, and UCLA wasn't able to.
So I just, yeah, I was laughing a little bit
(05:09):
and being a bit funny. But I mean these guys,
these guys are crazy, all of them. Like they have
a lot of contact, Like they get two hundred and
fifty pounds of people on top of them and they
stand out, stand up again in like two seconds and
they are ready to go again. And I just feel
like it's so hard to do that. Like I would
(05:31):
not be able to do that if I get somebody
hitting me or trying to get me to the ground
that fast.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
So yeah, Alex, I don't know if anybody's told you
this or not, but you drive two hundred and thirty
eight miles an hour eight inches from a concrete wall,
you know, Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
But that's not the same. I don't have somebody trying
to kill me because I'm carrying a football. That yeah,
I mean, I find it fascinating. I think I am
very lucky to do what I do. I don't have
I have people trying to chase me, or I'm trying
to chase people, but when I get there, I pass
them and on a polite way. And it's not like football.
(06:11):
But honestly, it's amazing. It's amazing to see the game
and once you understand it, once you're able to cheer
for teams like the IU or the calls that I
are doing so amazing this year. It just makes it
so fun to be part of.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Alex blows my guest on the Java House Peel and
poor guest line of course, Polo driving car number ten
for Chip Ganassi Racing and the reigning Indy five hundred
winner and IndyCar Champion. Alex. You know, when you won
the five hundred, you came to the Pacer game. It
was pretty awesome. You know, you still had the wreath on,
some of the flowers were off of it. We talked,
you know after shortly after that, but I'm curious of this.
(06:49):
You know, you grew up in one of the most
beautiful regions of the world, you know, outside of Barcelona,
and I've been there and it's it's absolutely gorgeous. The
people are fascinating and awesome and fun. And yet you
come to Indianapolis and you have really, seemingly in the
last year, maybe even last six months, really dove into
the culture here, going to the games, being a part
(07:11):
of it, soaking in the Pacer Games, and really doing
anything that's asked in terms of going out and just
trying to grow the sport and grow you know, your
name in general. Why is that? Why do you feel
the obligation to do all of those things and soak
it all in.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, I would say it's been before that, like it's
and it's not an obligation. I push for it, like
I pushed to try and get to the Pacer Games
or to the calls or to the IU. Honestly, it
was a yeah, they just told me if I wanted,
and I was like, absolutely, But it's not an obligation
for me. It's a privilege that I get to do
(07:48):
these things, like I've been going I would say at
least twice a year for the past years, but this
year already been to like three CALS games too, like
one I you not to the Pacers yet for this season,
but I am. I love it. I feel that the
city has welcomed me and they give me the opportunity
(08:11):
to be part of And I love Barcelona. I love Spain.
I know that's that's my that's always going to be
there for me, and I grew up there and I
have a lot of love for it. But this is
my home now, like that's this is where I'm I'm
having my I got my first house here, I am
spending my time with my wife, my daughter and where
(08:33):
this is our home now. So I don't know if
it's going to be for the next fifty years or
twenty five, but this is our home and I'm just
enjoying it as much as possible. And it's been super easy.
It's been super easy because the city has been welcoming,
super happily. So yeah, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Okay, lastly, when you drive, I'm curious of this. You know.
I drive past the speedway fairly often. I mean sometimes
buy intent and sometimes I just happen to be on
the west side and I drive past it, and you know,
every once in a while just stop and I look
at the size of the venue, and you know, you
can go past Lucas Oil Stadium, you can go past
Gambridge Field House, you can go past Memorial Stadium in
(09:15):
Bloomington and see and think like wow, like big games
take place there. Does it really has it sunk into you?
Does it? Do you grasp it when you drive past
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and think to yourself, currently I
own that place.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Maybe not in that phrase, but yeah, yeah, I every
time I'm there, I'm like, man, I cannot wait for
may to have people because I think that's like all events,
but especially if the five hundred. What makes it feel
so big and so good. It's it's whenever you see
so many fans and the atmosphere they bring. So I
(09:56):
cannot wait to be the winner. But once the people
are in, and once you see people that they want
to take a picture with you, and they give you
all that good energy because you just won eleven or
twelve months ago. So I cannot wait for me, honestly,
and to celebrate my first may or rate, my first
(10:18):
seventy five hundred as a winner.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Now, what makes you nervous anything.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that makes me nervous,
like what I'm gonna eat for dinner, my wife, if
I've done something wrong.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
There's a lot of stuff what I'm gonna eat for dinner,
the trials, and well, I hate to say trials, that's
probably the wrong word to say there, Alex. Right, we
know that there's that going on, and that seemingly you've
been able to stay focused with all of that. And
I guess lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't
ask in terms of the trial with the contract stuff
(10:53):
that has seemingly never bothered you. But and I don't
even know, so my parton my ignorance on asking this.
Do we know when we get a resolution with all
of that?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
It's still ongoing, but I would say beginning of next year.
I still don't really know. So I've spent some time
in the UK. I wouldn't say that it doesn't bother
it does. I mean it's important, but I mean when
it comes to racing, at the end of the day,
my job is just to drive racing car as fast
(11:24):
as they can and deliver results. So yeah, that's not
been taking Let's say a performance out of it. So yeah,
I mean, hopefully it's sold as soon as as possible
so we can get that behind But it's been good
now going into into trial and tell our story for
(11:45):
the first time instead of always saying that I couldn't
really comment, So yeah, I cannot really wait until it's
over and it's off and we can get that behind us.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So you are officially now a Hoosier. So and look
there's around here, like people around here they're like, look,
I you Purdue. It's a big rivalry. I'm just gonna
go ahead and say it. You loved your time at IU,
but you're a Purdue fan as well, right, I.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Am not really gonna comment on that because I've never
been to Purdue.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So well, well, I have to get your Prue next, right.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I guess I'll need to see uh and then I
can compare it. Yes, I would. I would say that, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Lots of engineers at Produce, so you probably can relate
to a lot of them. Alex. I'm glad you had
a good time down there, man, and you did a
great job representing the series and representing uh, just your
team and all of it. And it looked like you
had a lot of fun. So I'm certainly appreciative of
your time today and and sharing in the fun, and
we'll see if we can get you out do a
Colts game as well.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Absolutely, thank you so much, guys.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
All right, Alex Plow joining us on the Java House
Peel and Poor Guest line. And for those that are unfamiliar,
the lawsuit of which I spoke is simply the fact
that he had signed a contract with McLaren Racing and
then turns out the he still had time left on
his contract with Ganassi Racing, and then there were contractual
legalities back and forth that has led him to court
(13:10):
over in England with McLaren and figuring out where all
of that shakes out. And again he has been completely
unflappable in that regard and super nice guy, super nice guy,
and Indiana I think really enjoyed having him down there. I
do know that from the IU standpoint and then having
the milk chugging contest on Fox and everything that goes
(13:32):
into it, represented himself extremely extremely well.
Two o'clock hour in Indianapolis, for that matter, it's the
two o'clock hour everywhere in the Eastern time zone. My
name is Jake Eddie Garrison. The other voice you hear
on this program, we call it Quary and Company here
on ninety three five and one oh seven five the Fan.
We've been talking a lot about, of course, with this
being football season, the Colts, the best team in the NFL,
Indiana is now primed and hoping to put themselves in
(00:23):
position to land a top two spot within the college
football playoff. And when you want to win and you
want to have greatness, why not have on your sideline
somebody that knows a little about both. He is the
four time champion of the IndyCar Series, the reigning Indy
five hundred champion, and he was wearing his Indiana Hoosiers
jersey on the sidelines. Alex Polo is now an official
(00:45):
Hoosier and he joins us on the Java House Peel
and poor guest line, Alex, how are you?
Speaker 2 (00:50):
I'm great? I am the biggest Hoosier.
Speaker 1 (00:53):
Now I'm listen. I want to get to this. There's
a couple of things I want to talk to you about.
With this because I love you know, I'm here for it.
As the kids say, the first is and be honest,
you know you grew up just outside of Barcelona, Spain.
I would imagine that American football would not be amongst
the top sports of interest from a spectating standpoint during
(01:14):
your childhood. When did you become a football fan? Or
is this still a work in progress?
Speaker 2 (01:21):
You're right, I mean, honestly, I didn't even know it
existed when I was a kid. That's when I was
like a young kid in school. I only knew about
basketball soccer. Soccer is the main ninety nine percent of
people in Spain play soccer. I found out obviously when
I was growing up and I had access to internet
(01:42):
and TV. But I did not understand the game, and
I did not understand the game for the first two
three years that I was here in the US, But
then started getting to the games at the Cold started
getting into it. Cold started to get really really good
(02:02):
and started to get fun, and I started getting interested.
So I would say the last three years I've been
following and learning, especially this year this year, it's it's
been amazing.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Okay, so you have been to and I know you
were at a colts game because they did one time
the celebrity lookalike thing, and then they actually show you
in the crowd and everybody cheers, right. And then this
weekend you were at Indiana and you were there on
the sidelines for Indiana's really you know blowout. When of UCLA.
Do you have or have you noticed at all a
(02:37):
difference between the pro game and the college game, which
one you found yourself more liking.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
Yeah, So I had no idea that college football was
so big, So I'm not used to it. In Spain, college, well,
college and sports, they don't go together like here in
the US, which I think it's amazing that you have
that opportunity to do both at the same time. I
do both at the highest level. But so I went
(03:04):
to the game with expectations, basically because my neighbor got
me into watching you on Saturdays the past three weeks
and he's a big, big fan, so I already knew
a little bit. But honestly, the experience, the event, the
atmosphere was ten times better than I thought that it
(03:27):
was going to be. I had so much fun. The
game was super fast. I just felt like there was
a lot more plays that I did not expect or
you would see. Yeah, just a lot more action than
at some CALLS games. So I really liked it. I
had the best time. I think I was at the
game that was probably one of the best, with the
(03:49):
margins that we won, with how good the team was playing,
and all the fans, how excited they were. But yeah,
I just had the best Saturday, honestly.
Speaker 1 (03:59):
So here's it's funny. I was I was talking to
Buddy Mine that that was kind of your I don't
know if I would say your host, but but a
guy that I grew up around, Jeremy Gray is his name,
and he works for IU and his wife had lived
in Barcelona, and I think was maybe talking to your
wife a little bit, and Jeremy told me that at
one point during the game that you said, like, and
(04:20):
I'm paraphrasing here, but basically you said, you know, I
feel kind of bad for these UCLA guys. And Jeremy said, yeah,
but I mean, do you feel bad when you've led
the Let you know, if you're leading the field by
two laps And Jeremy said that you said, well, yeah,
but I mean I'm not hurting those guys like Indiana's
hurting these guys, right, it's a collision sport, right. I
(04:40):
mean you had to have like so up close and
up personal. Is that a true recount of what your
emotion was watching that?
Speaker 2 (04:49):
Yeah? He was, he was, and it was it was
very fun. And I mean when when they were playing
so good, they just felt like we were able to
move the ball wherever we wanted. We were able to
get touchdowns almost every time, and UCLA wasn't able to.
So I just, yeah, I was laughing a little bit
(05:09):
and being a bit funny. But I mean these guys,
these guys are crazy, all of them. Like they have
a lot of contact, Like they get two hundred and
fifty pounds of people on top of them and they
stand out, stand up again in like two seconds and
they are ready to go again. And I just feel
like it's so hard to do that. Like I would
(05:31):
not be able to do that if I get somebody
hitting me or trying to get me to the ground
that fast.
Speaker 1 (05:39):
So yeah, Alex, I don't know if anybody's told you
this or not, but you drive two hundred and thirty
eight miles an hour eight inches from a concrete wall,
you know, Okay.
Speaker 2 (05:46):
But that's not the same. I don't have somebody trying
to kill me because I'm carrying a football. That yeah,
I mean, I find it fascinating. I think I am
very lucky to do what I do. I don't have
I have people trying to chase me, or I'm trying
to chase people, but when I get there, I pass
them and on a polite way. And it's not like football.
(06:11):
But honestly, it's amazing. It's amazing to see the game
and once you understand it, once you're able to cheer
for teams like the IU or the calls that I
are doing so amazing this year. It just makes it
so fun to be part of.
Speaker 1 (06:25):
Alex blows my guest on the Java House Peel and
poor guest line of course, Polo driving car number ten
for Chip Ganassi Racing and the reigning Indy five hundred
winner and IndyCar Champion. Alex. You know, when you won
the five hundred, you came to the Pacer game. It
was pretty awesome. You know, you still had the wreath on,
some of the flowers were off of it. We talked,
you know after shortly after that, but I'm curious of this.
(06:49):
You know, you grew up in one of the most
beautiful regions of the world, you know, outside of Barcelona,
and I've been there and it's it's absolutely gorgeous. The
people are fascinating and awesome and fun. And yet you
come to Indianapolis and you have really, seemingly in the
last year, maybe even last six months, really dove into
the culture here, going to the games, being a part
(07:11):
of it, soaking in the Pacer Games, and really doing
anything that's asked in terms of going out and just
trying to grow the sport and grow you know, your
name in general. Why is that? Why do you feel
the obligation to do all of those things and soak
it all in.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
Yeah, I would say it's been before that, like it's
and it's not an obligation. I push for it, like
I pushed to try and get to the Pacer Games
or to the calls or to the IU. Honestly, it
was a yeah, they just told me if I wanted,
and I was like, absolutely, But it's not an obligation
for me. It's a privilege that I get to do
(07:48):
these things, like I've been going I would say at
least twice a year for the past years, but this
year already been to like three CALS games too, like
one I you not to the Pacers yet for this season,
but I am. I love it. I feel that the
city has welcomed me and they give me the opportunity
(08:11):
to be part of And I love Barcelona. I love Spain.
I know that's that's my that's always going to be
there for me, and I grew up there and I
have a lot of love for it. But this is
my home now, like that's this is where I'm I'm
having my I got my first house here, I am
spending my time with my wife, my daughter and where
(08:33):
this is our home now. So I don't know if
it's going to be for the next fifty years or
twenty five, but this is our home and I'm just
enjoying it as much as possible. And it's been super easy.
It's been super easy because the city has been welcoming,
super happily. So yeah, it's been fun.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Okay, lastly, when you drive, I'm curious of this. You know.
I drive past the speedway fairly often. I mean sometimes
buy intent and sometimes I just happen to be on
the west side and I drive past it, and you know,
every once in a while just stop and I look
at the size of the venue, and you know, you
can go past Lucas Oil Stadium, you can go past
Gambridge Field House, you can go past Memorial Stadium in
(09:15):
Bloomington and see and think like wow, like big games
take place there. Does it really has it sunk into you?
Does it? Do you grasp it when you drive past
the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and think to yourself, currently I
own that place.
Speaker 2 (09:34):
Maybe not in that phrase, but yeah, yeah, I every
time I'm there, I'm like, man, I cannot wait for
may to have people because I think that's like all events,
but especially if the five hundred. What makes it feel
so big and so good. It's it's whenever you see
so many fans and the atmosphere they bring. So I
(09:56):
cannot wait to be the winner. But once the people
are in, and once you see people that they want
to take a picture with you, and they give you
all that good energy because you just won eleven or
twelve months ago. So I cannot wait for me, honestly,
and to celebrate my first may or rate, my first
(10:18):
seventy five hundred as a winner.
Speaker 1 (10:20):
Now, what makes you nervous anything.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Yeah, there's a lot of stuff that makes me nervous,
like what I'm gonna eat for dinner, my wife, if
I've done something wrong.
Speaker 1 (10:32):
There's a lot of stuff what I'm gonna eat for dinner,
the trials, and well, I hate to say trials, that's
probably the wrong word to say there, Alex. Right, we
know that there's that going on, and that seemingly you've
been able to stay focused with all of that. And
I guess lastly, I would be remiss if I didn't
ask in terms of the trial with the contract stuff
(10:53):
that has seemingly never bothered you. But and I don't
even know, so my parton my ignorance on asking this.
Do we know when we get a resolution with all
of that?
Speaker 2 (11:03):
It's still ongoing, but I would say beginning of next year.
I still don't really know. So I've spent some time
in the UK. I wouldn't say that it doesn't bother
it does. I mean it's important, but I mean when
it comes to racing, at the end of the day,
my job is just to drive racing car as fast
(11:24):
as they can and deliver results. So yeah, that's not
been taking Let's say a performance out of it. So yeah,
I mean, hopefully it's sold as soon as as possible
so we can get that behind But it's been good
now going into into trial and tell our story for
(11:45):
the first time instead of always saying that I couldn't
really comment, So yeah, I cannot really wait until it's
over and it's off and we can get that behind us.
Speaker 1 (11:55):
So you are officially now a Hoosier. So and look
there's around here, like people around here they're like, look,
I you Purdue. It's a big rivalry. I'm just gonna
go ahead and say it. You loved your time at IU,
but you're a Purdue fan as well, right, I.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
Am not really gonna comment on that because I've never
been to Purdue.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
So well, well, I have to get your Prue next, right.
Speaker 2 (12:18):
I guess I'll need to see uh and then I
can compare it. Yes, I would. I would say that, yes, absolutely.
Speaker 1 (12:26):
Lots of engineers at Produce, so you probably can relate
to a lot of them. Alex. I'm glad you had
a good time down there, man, and you did a
great job representing the series and representing uh, just your
team and all of it. And it looked like you
had a lot of fun. So I'm certainly appreciative of
your time today and and sharing in the fun, and
we'll see if we can get you out do a
Colts game as well.
Speaker 2 (12:45):
Absolutely, thank you so much, guys.
Speaker 1 (12:47):
All right, Alex Plow joining us on the Java House
Peel and Poor Guest line. And for those that are unfamiliar,
the lawsuit of which I spoke is simply the fact
that he had signed a contract with McLaren Racing and
then turns out the he still had time left on
his contract with Ganassi Racing, and then there were contractual
legalities back and forth that has led him to court
(13:10):
over in England with McLaren and figuring out where all
of that shakes out. And again he has been completely
unflappable in that regard and super nice guy, super nice guy,
and Indiana I think really enjoyed having him down there. I
do know that from the IU standpoint and then having
the milk chugging contest on Fox and everything that goes
(13:32):
into it, represented himself extremely extremely well.
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I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.