Indianapolis 500 Winner Dario Franchitti and Team Owner Chip Ganassi Honored for 2010 Victory
Auburn Hills, Michigan, January 13, 2011 – With his 2010 victory, the sterling silver image of Indianapolis 500 winner Dario Franchitti earned a place in history on the Borg-Warner Trophy™. A duplicate image adorns the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy™ presented to Dario as a personal keepsake by BorgWarner Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Timothy M. Manganello during the 2011 Automotive News World Congress held in Detroit, Michigan, on January 12. Team owner Chip Ganassi will also receive the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy™.
“This is the second time I’ve had the honor of presenting a Baby Borg to Dario, and Chip has now received four trophies. They join an elite group with a winning track record built on dedication, teamwork and the pursuit of excellence,” said Manganello. “We congratulate Dario Franchitti and Chip Ganassi Racing for their 2010 Indianapolis 500 victory and are proud to present these prestigious symbols of their achievement.”
The BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy™ A one-of-a-kind replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy, the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy is awarded each year to the winner of the Indianapolis 500. Known as the “Baby Borg” in the automotive racing world, the sterling silver trophy is 14 inches high, weighs five pounds and rests on a beveled black marble base. The base is inscribed with the winner’s name and year of victory, and includes a hand-crafted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winner, a duplicate of the image affixed to the full-sized trophy. BorgWarner established the driver’s trophy in 1988 to provide the driver with a personal keepsake of the Speedway victory.
The BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy™ In 1998, the company also established the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy as a companion to the driver’s trophy. The team owner’s trophy is presented to the owner of the winning Indianapolis 500 racing ream and recognizes the significance of the team owner’s role in the Indy Racing League. Like the driver’s trophy, the team owner’s trophy is a replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy but features a band of art deco racing cars accentuated in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork in theautomotive business.
The Borg-Warner Trophy™ Featuring the image of every Indianapolis 500 winner sculpted in sterling silver, the Borg-Warner Trophy is a tribute to 100 years of racing history. Since the trophy stands over five feet tall and weighs more than 100 lbs., it remains on display at the Indianapolis 500 Museum. However, it will make a special appearance during the presentation of the driver’s and owner’s trophies at the World Congress. For more information, visitwww.borgwarner.com, and choose “The Indianapolis 500” from the “About BorgWarner” pull-down menu at the top of the home page.