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When Alex Palou gained the pole on the Indianapolis 500, setting the quickest four-lap common velocity in historical past at 234.217 miles per hour, his thoughts was on one thing greater than the highest beginning place for the “Best Spectacle in Racing.”
Throughout an interview with NBC Sports activities after his finish, he regarded into the digicam and stated one thing that resonates together with his major sponsor, the American Legion.
“This one at the moment is for each veteran in the US,” Palou stated.
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![Alex Palou poses in car](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/05/640/320/Alex-Palou-.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Alex Palou poses after successful the pole place for the Indianapolis 500. (Chip Ganassi Racing)
Racing sponsors purpose to promote a product, whether or not it’s motor oil, tires or gentle drinks. However Palou and Chip Ganassi Racing have an American Legion wrap on their No. 10 Honda that claims “Be The One” on its aspect and spoiler.
It’s an necessary message that hits more durable on Memorial Day weekend in Indianapolis.
In the US, 17 veterans commit suicide every single day. The American Legion’s “Be The One” campaign desires to not solely decrease that quantity however eradicate veteran suicide.
Palou, who was born in Spain and has solely lived in the US 4 years, admitted he wasn’t too snug being the face of this impactful group for veterans as a result of “I by no means had any member of the family that was a veteran.”
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Nonetheless, tales from individuals on his staff and studying extra concerning the mission shortly modified his thoughts.
“It was large to study that we’ve got some veterans in our team, they usually may actually clarify what they went by means of, what associates went by means of and actually ship the message we wished to maintain and what our precedence was. It was to not promote motor oil or any product. It was to save lots of veterans’ lives,” Palou advised Fox Information Digital earlier than the 107th Indy 500.
“It’s powerful to grasp whenever you don’t have the expertise from any individual near you. However, actually, [the team] made it quite a bit simpler to grasp. From that time, it was like, ‘OK, we have to assist individuals.’ If we may help make it possible for the racing followers know there’s the ‘Be The One’ initiative, that they will get some assist, all people may help any individual.”
It was additionally necessary to Chip Ganassi, whose father fought in World Conflict II.
American Legion Govt Director Dean Kessel defined the “Be The One” marketing campaign to Fox Information Digital.
![Alex Palou and team celebrates](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/05/640/320/Alex-Palou-Team.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Alex Palou and his American Legion staff have fun successful the pole on the Indianapolis 500. (Chip Ganassi Racing)
“Our complete purpose with what we’re doing with ‘Be The One’ is destigmatize asking for assist,” he defined. “That’s the No. 1 subject with veterans both looking for psychological assist or once they ponder suicide. It is OK to not be OK. We would like to have the ability to destigmatize the message round that.”
The American Legion has been in existence 104 years, and Kessel identified how the group has been instrumental within the creation of the G.I. Invoice, which gave World Conflict II veterans entry to free tuition, mortgage help and extra and compensation for Vietnam veterans uncovered to Agent Orange.
Right this moment, Kessel stated, “well being and suicide, particularly,” are the most important points veterans face coming back from post-9/11 and Afghan excursions, which is how the “Be The One” marketing campaign got here to be.
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“The phrase itself has numerous intentional that means to it. The explanation that we’re utilizing the phrase ‘one,’ we don’t wish to discuss concerning the 17 that die every single day. We wish to discuss concerning the one we will save at the moment,” Kessel stated. “If you happen to save one at the moment, that quantity goes down by default.
“Secondly, we wish to use motion verbs. … Be the one to speak to a veteran, be the one to take heed to a veteran, be the one to work regionally together with your laws to assist with veteran points, be the one to rent a veteran.”
Palou’s “Be The One” No. 10 automobile was on full show previous to poling on the Indy 500. He gained the 2023 GMR Grand Prix at Indianapolis Motor Speedway Could 13, his first victory in that car.
That win, together with 4 high 5 and 5 high 10 finishes, has Palou main the IndyCar Sequence in factors with 174. With Indianapolis the house of the American Legion, the victory meant a lot to the group as members watched their man cross the end line and maintain the trophy at race’s finish. The identical feeling got here when he poled this week.
“You might have all these forces coming collectively at one time,” Kessel stated concerning the Indy 500 this weekend. “We’re an Indianapolis-based group. It’s Memorial weekend. We’re the American Legion with our huge influence throughout the nation. And to have Alex not solely win the pole, however he gained the race final week main as much as the pole on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Now, to be in that place for the most important race on the globe is only a phenomenal happenstance for us.”
Palou hopes that’s the case once more Sunday, and never simply to keep up his spot on the high of the factors column.
“To win on Memorial Day weekend with the American Legion in Indianapolis, I believe that might be large for the American Legion, for us on the racing aspect, clearly. However we’d be capable to unfold the ‘Be The One’ initiative much more,” he stated.
![Alex Palou poses](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/05/640/320/Alex-Palou-1.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Alex Palou poses with a trophy after successful the Indianapolis 500 pole place. (Chip Ganassi Racing)
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“I’ll do every thing I can to get that No. 10 automobile on victory lane.”
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