Palou’s Journey to Racing Immortality: From Trophy Cabinet to Borg-Warner Legacy
The weight of history sits differently on some shoulders. For Alex Palou, that weight comes in the form of sterling silver, standing 5 feet, 4¾ inches tall, and bearing the faces of racing legends who came before him. The Spaniard’s recent visit to sculptor William Behrends’ North Carolina studio wasn’t just another post-race obligation – it was his formal induction into racing immortality.
The Emotional Reality of Racing Forever
When Palou talks about his face being carved into the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy, there’s something raw in his voice that cuts through the usual driver speak. “This is the best, honestly,” he said, and you can hear the disbelief still lingering there. “It’s crazy to know that my face is going to be on that trophy forever.”
Forever. That word carries weight that most of us can’t comprehend. While championship trophies collect dust and victory celebrations fade into memory, the Borg-Warner Trophy stands as something different entirely. It’s not just recognition – it’s permanence in a sport where careers can end in milliseconds and memories blur together like cars at 230 mph.
The 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner understands this now in ways he couldn’t before May 25. “To know that I can come to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum in like 40 or 50 years, or wherever that trophy is, and see my face and hopefully remember the memories I’ve created this year, it makes it super special,” Palou reflected. “I know my name and face will be there forever.”
The Artisan Behind Racing History
William Behrends doesn’t just sculpt faces; he captures moments in time. The Wisconsin native has been immortalizing Indianapolis 500 winners since 1990, and Palou became his 36th subject. But this particular session carried extra meaning for the artist whose granddaughters attended their first Indianapolis 500 this year.
“They were excited,” Behrends said, his pride evident. “Their mom was excited, too. She first came with me when she was their age in 1990, at my first time doing this. She wanted her daughters to experience the same thing she had. So, it’s another generation.”The sculptor’s North Carolina studio became a temporary shrine to racing excellence when Palou arrived for his September 17-18 session.
After Hurricane Helene prevented 2024 winner Josef Newgarden from making the trip the previous year, Behrends was particularly grateful for the face-to-face interaction that brings his work to life.”I like a challenge,” Behrends admitted. “So, doing the same face two years in a row is definitely a challenge.
But I always enjoy working on a new face. You just have to study it, and he’s got a good one. I was complimenting him on his nose, and he said, ‘That’s a family nose.’ He thinks it’s big, but I think it’s very distinctive,” he concluded.
Palou’s Path to Glory
The journey to that North Carolina studio began long before the checkered flag fell at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Palou’s relationship with the Indy 500 started with heartbreak and a crash-shortened P28 finish in 2020 while driving for Dale Coyne Racing. It was the kind of debut that breaks some drivers and motivates others. Since joining Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021, Palou has completed all 1,000 possible laps in the Indy 500 with the team.
That’s not just statistics, but that’s the kind of consistency that separates good drivers from great ones, and great drivers from champions. His 2025 victory marked not only a personal triumph but also historical significance. Palou became the 76th different driver to win the race in its 114-year history, joining an exclusive club that represents less than 10% of the 804 drivers who have attempted the feat since 1911.
The Hunger That Victory Creates
What strikes you most about Palou’s reflection on his Indy 500 win isn’t the satisfaction. It’s the hunger. “Now that I get to experience what it’s like to be the winner, I think, ‘Man, I can’t let anybody else do this,'” he said with the kind of intensity that explains why he’s collected four Astor Challenge Cups and 19 career victories.
“I want to do it again next year. I want to feel this feeling again. I want to be here again. I want these experiences again. So, yeah, it just burns. It puts more fuel in the fire to come back next year and try to win even harder.”That’s the paradox of great champions. Success doesn’t satisfy them; it starves them. Each victory becomes less about the trophy and more about proving it wasn’t a fluke, that they belong in that rarefied air where legends breathe.
A Legacy Written in Silver
The Borg-Warner Trophy, commissioned in 1935 and unveiled in 1936, stands as more than racing memorabilia. It’s a testament to human achievement, featuring faces cast in sterling silver except for Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Tony Hulman, whose visage is rendered in 24-karat gold.
Tom Sneva remains the only driver whose image features glasses and small details that make each face a story unto itself. Palou’s face will soon join this gallery, carved with the same precision that captures the essence of racing immortality. It’s a responsibility that weighs on him, not just as a champion but as a temporary custodian of the sport’s greatest honor.
Final Thoughts
The Spaniard’s journey from that disappointing 2020 debut to becoming a 2025 champion reads like the kind of story that racing writers dream about: one of adversity, perseverance, and ultimate triumph. But for Palou, it’s not about the story that’s been written. It’s about the chapters yet to come, the victories still to be claimed, and the legacy that’s just beginning to take shape in sterling silver.
