Auburn Hills, Michigan, January 11, 2017 – BorgWarner President and Chief Executive Officer James R. Verrier presented 2016 Indianapolis 500 winner Alexander Rossi with his first BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy™ during the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit. Rossi proudly accepted the “Baby Borg,” which sports a duplicate of the sterling silver image displayed on the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy™. He is the first American rookie to win the Indianapolis 500 since Louis Meyer in 1928. BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophies™ were also presented to Andretti Herta Autosport owners Michael Andretti and Bryan Herta. This is Andretti's fourth and Herta’s second team owner’s trophy.
“The 100th running of the Indianapolis 500 was an exhilarating competition won with a patient, determined strategy and intent focus on the finish line,” said Verrier. “On behalf of everyone at BorgWarner, we are pleased to present these trophies as symbols of your commitment to excellence. Congratulations on your 2016 victory!”
“The Baby Borg is something I will take home to remember my Indianapolis 500 win forever,” said Rossi. “To be represented throughout history on the Borg-Warner Trophy with all of the past winners is a huge honor. Winning the 100th Indy 500 is something I am very proud of. Hopefully, I can do it again in 2017!”
BorgWarner is a platinum-level sponsor of the 41st Automotive News World Congress, an annual event where leading automotive executives gather to discuss challenges and trends in the industry.
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. The sterling silver trophy is 14 inches high, weighs 5 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 Borg-Warner Trophy. BorgWarner established the driver’s trophy in 1988 to provide the driver with a personal keepsake of their 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(s) of the winning Indianapolis 500 racing team. 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 accented in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork in the automotive business.
The Borg-Warner Trophy
First presented in 1936, the Borg-Warner trophy features the image of every Indianapolis 500 winner sculpted in sterling silver as a tribute to over 100 years of racing history. Since the trophy stands over 5 feet tall and weighs more than 100 lbs., it remains on display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, making special appearances during events such as the presentation of the driver’s and team owner’s trophies at the Automotive News World Congress. For more information, visit borgwarner.com, click on the menu at the top of the home page and choose “The Indianapolis 500” under “News and Media.”