Auburn Hills mobility solutions provider BorgWarner presented 2023 Indianapolis 500 Champion Josef Newgarden and his car’s owner, Roger Penske, with their Baby Borg’s, miniature versions of the Borg-Warner Trophy.
The presentation took place Tuesday at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation in Dearborn.
“Awarding the Baby Borg to each year’s Indianapolis 500 winner is a tradition we started in 1988 and one we look forward to following every racing season,” says Frédéric Lissalde, president and CEO of BorgWarner. “This keepsake commemorates Josef’s skilled driving, tenacity, passion for the sport, and incredible finish at the 2023 race and was something we were honored to present to him.”
The replica trophy is sterling silver with a wood base, measuring 20 inches tall and weighing five pounds. Just like the Borg-Warner Trophy, the miniature version features a hand-sculpted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of Newgarden’s likeness, which was crafted by sculptor William Behrends.
Behrends now has crafted the likeness of 34 racers, including nine other Team Penske drivers. The trophy also features Newgarden’s name, along with Team Penske, his victory year, and average speed.
“From my time as a young fan attending the Indianapolis 500 with my family, I always dreamed of what it would mean to win the biggest race in the world,” says Newgarden. “From drinking the milk and seeing my face on the Borg-Warner Trophy to now accepting my Baby Borg alongside Roger Penske, it has all been better than I ever imagined.
“To be the 14th different Team Penske driver to win the Indianapolis 500 and accept a Baby Borg is the highlight of my career, and it makes me hungry to experience it all over again.”
Roger Penske, chairman of Penske Corp. in Bloomfield Township, also received his Championship Team Owner’s Trophy, an award that represents the importance of teamwork and the role the team plays in the landmark victory. Penske is the most successful Indianapolis 500 owner in history, boasting 19 wins with at least one win in each decade since Mark Donohue’s victory in 1972. Penske also owns the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the IndyCar Series.
“It takes a total team effort to win the Indianapolis 500 and it is my honor to receive our team’s 19th Baby Borg trophy on behalf of all the hard-working men and women at Team Penske,” says Penske. “The history of the Borg-Warner Trophy and the presentation of the Baby Borgs is one of the traditions that makes winning the Indianapolis 500 such a special accomplishment. We appreciate all that BorgWarner does to honor the Indianapolis 500 champions every year.”
Both the Borg-Warner Trophy and the No. 2 Shell Powering Progress Dallara/Chevrolet Indy car that Newgarden drove to victory in the 2023 Indy 500 will be on display at The Henry Ford’s Driven to Win: Racing in America exhibit through Feb. 2.
BorgWarner has been presenting its namesake trophy too the winner of the Indianapolis 500 since 1936.
