The Indianapolis 500

Racing's Greatest Legacy

Immortality in Silver: The Borg-Warner Trophy

BorgWarner is closely associated with the Indianapolis 500, one of the world's greatest racing events. Since 1936, the Borg-Warner Trophy™ has been synonymous with top performance, speed and leading-edge automotive technology, the same qualities that continue to characterize us today. This shared pursuit of excellence has led us to become the official turbocharger the NTT IndyCar Series®”.

THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

The Borg-Warner Trophy

One of the most iconic trophies in history — is what every racer in the Indianapolis 500 wants to greet them in Victory Lane. Commissioned in 1935, it was designed by Robert J. Hill and Spaulding-Gotham, Inc. of Chicago. The trophy was unveiled at a dinner hosted by then- Indianapolis Motor Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker in 1935. At that dinner, the trophy was officially declared the annual prize for the Indianapolis 500 winners.

THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

The Baby Borg

Since 1988, the race winner has been given a one-of-a-kind replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy, affectionately known as the Baby Borg.

The sterling silver trophy is 20 inches high, weighs 5 pounds and rests on a lacquered wood base. The base is inscribed with the winner's name, winning team name, average speed and year of victory, and includes a hand-sculpted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winner, a duplicate of the image affixed to the full-sized Borg-Warner Trophy.

THE INDIANAPOLIS 500

The BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy

The owner of the racing team that wins the Indianapolis 500 receives the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy. A replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, its band of art-deco racing cars is accentuated in gold to symbolize the importance of the team, recognize the importance of the team owner's role in the Indy Racing League and pay tribute to the value of teamwork in auto racing and the automotive business. It is a companion to the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy.

Sculptor William Behrends with life size trophy clay face

Crafting the Legacy with Sculptor Will Behrends

William Behrends has been sculpting the faces of the Indy 500 winners since 1990. Behrends, who began sculpting when he was 26 years old, has been commissioned to immortalize a wide variety of subjects. Behrends, who grew up in Wisconsin, has always had a special place in his heart for the Greatest Spectacle in Racing. “Growing up in the Midwest, I was always aware of the Indianapolis 500,” said Behrends. "Each year I look forward to working with the Indy 500 winner to capture their emotions and spirit so they can be part of the Borg-Warner Trophy™ for years and years to come.”

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The BorgWarner Victory Lane Wreath

Since 1960, every Indianapolis 500 winner has proudly worn the BorgWarner Victory Lane Wreath around their neck. In 1992, florist Julie Harman Vance first standardized the wreath’s appearance – using 33 White Cymbidium orchids to represent the race’s 33 drivers, adding striped ribbon, checkered flags, 3-inch cedar letters spelling BorgWarner, and other distinctive features to welcome every year’s winner into a cherished tradition.