BorgWarner (motorsport)

In 1935 the Borg-Warner Automotive Company commissioned designer Robert J. Hill and Gorham, Inc., of Providence, Rhode Island to create the trophy at a cost of $10,000. Made of sterling silver, the trophy stands just under 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighs nearly 153 pounds. Its body is hollow and its dome-shaped top is removable. The surface of the trophy bears high-relief sculpted likenesses of every Indianapolis 500 winner since the race's inception in 1911, each accompanied by the driver's name, year of victory, and average speed. The faces and inscriptions alternate in a checkerboard pattern evoking the chequered flag. A gold likeness of Tony Hulman, who owned Indianapolis Motor Speedway from 1945 to 1977, is included on the base. At its apex stands an unclothed figure waving a chequered flag, depicted in the classical tradition of ancient Greek athletic art.

First presented at the 24th Indianapolis 500, the trophy has appeared in the winner's circle after every race since 1936. Louis Meyer, its first recipient, remarked at the time: "Winning the Borg-Warner Trophy is like winning an Olympic medal." The trophy was stored securely during the World War II years when racing was suspended.

From 1936 to 1985 the trophy appeared in its original form, with its bottom rim serving as its stand. The original body had capacity for 70 Indianapolis 500 winners, and by 1985 it was nearly full. In 1986 a base was added to accommodate additional winners, following the precedent set by the Stanley Cup. The trophy underwent thorough restorations in 1991 and 2004; the original first base was removed in 2004 and replaced with a larger base with capacity sufficient through at least 2033. Today the trophy is insured in excess of $1.3 million. Since 1990, the sculpted likenesses of winning drivers on both the main trophy and its replica counterparts have been created by American sculptor William Behrends.

Because the perpetual trophy is not given to the winner — it remains permanently at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum — BorgWarner has since 1988 presented each winning driver with an 18-inch free-standing replica officially titled the Indianapolis 500 Champion Driver's Trophy, universally nicknamed the Baby Borg. It sits on a beveled square base and is typically presented at a Speedway reception in the following January, sometimes coinciding with the North American International Auto Show in Detroit near BorgWarner's headquarters. The bas-relief likenesses from the main trophy are not replicated on the Baby Borgs.

Starting with the 1997 race, a second Baby Borg was introduced for the winning car owner, officially the Indianapolis 500 Champion Owner's Trophy, mounted on a round base. Multiple owner's trophies are presented when there are co-owners. Prior to 1988, winners received a larger 24-inch upright model mounted on a walnut plaque.

Notable Baby Borg moments include Dan Wheldon's 2011 trophy, accepted by his widow Susie Wheldon after the race winner was fatally injured before the presentation, and Simon Pagenaud's 2019 trophy, which at fan request featured the likeness of his Jack Russell terrier Norman alongside a BorgWarner donation to the Humane Society of Indiana.

Since 2013 the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has maintained a tradition of presenting living pre-1988 winners with a Baby Borg on the 50th anniversary of their victory, given they had not previously been awarded one. Parnelli Jones (2013), Mario Andretti (2019), and Al Unser Sr. (2020) have each received Baby Borgs on the 50th anniversaries of their wins. The programme has since been extended to cover other drivers regardless of anniversary milestone. In 2021, Gordon Johncock was presented with Baby Borgs for his 1973 and 1982 wins at his Johncock Forestry Products business in South Branch, Michigan during a birthday party organised by BorgWarner. In 2022, A. J. Foyt received a driver's Baby Borg commemorating all four of his Indianapolis 500 victories.

In 2023, sculptor William Behrends himself was presented with a Baby Borg by BorgWarner in recognition of having created the likenesses of 33 consecutive Indianapolis 500 winners — a field size that matched the traditional 33-car starting grid.

Although the perpetual trophy is kept at the museum, it has occasionally accompanied winners on victory tours. In 2017 it travelled to Japan with Takuma Sato, and in 2022 it was displayed in Sweden following Marcus Ericsson's victory.

BorgWarner's association with Indianapolis Motor Speedway dates to 1936, predating many of the race's most storied modern traditions. Beyond the trophy, BorgWarner's turbocharger technology has been fitted to IndyCar machinery, reflecting the company's role as a supplier of performance-critical automotive components across both competition and production vehicles. The Borg-Warner Trophy remains the object most immediately associated with victory at the Indianapolis 500, and BorgWarner's stewardship of the award for nearly nine decades has made it one of the longest-running title sponsorships in North American motorsport.