BorgWarner has presented Josef Newgarden with his second "Baby Borg" trophy and Roger Penske with his 20th Championship Team Owner's Trophy, celebrating their victory in the 108th Indianapolis 500.

The ceremony took place at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation, where Newgarden received the 20-inch miniature version of the Borg-Warner Trophy featuring his likeness, name, team name, and average speed in sterling silver.

Newgarden becomes one of only six drivers in history to achieve back-to-back Indy 500 wins, joining legendary names like Wilbur Shaw, Mauri Rose, Bill Vukovich, Al Unser, and Helio Castroneves. This accomplishment earned him a $440,000 bonus from BorgWarner, accumulated since Castroneves' last back-to-back wins in 2001-2002.

"It's incredible to be driving for Roger Penske, the legend of IndyCar racing, and to deliver his first two wins at Indianapolis Motor Speedway after acquiring the track," said Newgarden. At 34, he's already looking ahead, aspiring to become the first driver to win three consecutive Indy 500s and potentially the first five-time winner.

Roger Penske's 20th Indy 500 victory as a team owner extends his record-breaking success at Indianapolis. Since Mark Donohue's win in 1972, Team Penske has accumulated 14 more victories than its nearest competitor. The team's winners include Rick Mears (4 wins), Helio Castroneves (3 wins), and now Newgarden (2 wins).

Penske acknowledged the increasing difficulty of winning in modern IndyCar, noting that unlike previous decades, technological advantages are harder to find in today's spec chassis era. "Now you could name 15 or 20 cars on the grid that could win the 500, so nowadays you can't make any mistakes," he remarked.

The trophies will serve as permanent reminders of their historic achievement, with Newgarden's likeness becoming the 111th face on the iconic Borg-Warner Trophy, which has honored every Indy 500 winner since 1936.

Related Articles

Previous Articles