THIS WEEK’S FEATURED STORY
02/23/2021
03/09/2021
03/23/2021
03/30/2021
04/13/2021
07/27/2021
08/03/2021
08/10/2021
05/04/2021
03/16/2021
02/19/2021
07/06/2021
07/13/2021
07/20/2021
04/06/2021
03/02/2021
04/27/2021
04/20/2021
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
Beloved Song Traces Back to 1946
BACK HOME AGAIN
First African-American To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
Willy T. Ribbs
First Woman To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
JANET GUTHRIE
Stars Shine Bright at the Brickyard
CELEBRITIES
A New Era Commences in 2001
HELIO CASTRONEVES
All-Time IMS Speed Record Holder
Arie Luyendyk
Stock Cars Make IMS Debut in 1961
FIRST STOCK CAR TEST
Johnson Rebounds at the Brickyard
2006 Brickyard 400
Menard Scores Shock Win for Family
2011 Brickyard 400
Thanks to Louis Meyer, Winners Drink Milk
THE MILK
BorgWarner Commissioned History in 1936
THE TROPHY
Tribute Quickly Becomes Fan Favorite Tradition
KISS THE BRICKS
Five-Time Brickyard 400 Winner ('94, '98, '01, '04, '14)
JEFF GORDON
Four-Time Brickyard 400 Winner (’06, ’08, ’09, ’12)
JIMMIE JOHNSON
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’70, ’71,’78, ’87)
AL UNSER
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’61, ’64, ’67, ’77)
A.J. FOYT
Two-Time Indy 500 Winner (’05, ’11)
DAN WHELDON
RICK MEARS
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’79, ’84, ’88, ’91)
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
Willy T. Ribbs
First African-American To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
02/23/2021
JANET GUTHRIE
First Woman To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
03/23/2021
CELEBRITIES
Stars Shine Bright at the Brickyard
03/30/2021
HELIO CASTONEVES
A New Era Commences in 2001
05/04/2021
Arie Luyendyk
All-Time IMS Speed Record Holder
05/18/2021
FIRST STOCK CAR TEST
Stock Cars Make IMS Debut in 1960
07/27/2021
2006 Brickyard 400
Johnson Rebounds at the Brickyard
08/03/2021
2011 Brickyard 400
Menard Scores Shock Win for Family
08/10/2021
BACK HOME AGAIN
Beloved Song Traces Back to 1946
03/02/2021
THE MILK
Thanks to Louis Meyer, Winners Drink Milk
03/09/2021
BORG- WARNER
BorgWarner Commissioned History in 1936
03/16/2021
KISS THE BRICKS
Tribute Quickly Becomes Fan Favorite Tradition
07/06/2021
AL UNSER
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’70, ’71,’78, ’87)
04/06/2021
AJ FOYT
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’61, ’64, ’67, ’77)
04/13/2021
RICK MEARS
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’79, ’84, ’88, ’91)
04/20/2021
DAN WHELDON
Two-Time Indy 500 Winner (’05, ’11)
04/27/2021
JEFF GORDON
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’70, ’71,’78, ’87)
07/13/2021
JIMMIE JOHNSON
Four-Time Brickyard 400 Winner (’06, ’08, ’09, ’12)
07/20/2021
For more than a century, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been home to some the greatest stories in sports. Each year, millions of race fans around the world witness odds-defying accomplishments that turn time into history and drivers into legends, setting in stone legacies that will live forever. This immersive web series chronicles the greatest moments, traditions and heroes of the Racing Capital of the World, Where Tradition Never Stops.
THIS WEEK’S FEATURES STORY
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
Willy T. Ribbs
First African-American To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
JANET GUTHRIE
First Woman To Qualify for Indianapolis 500
02/23/2021
03/09/2021
CELEBRITIES
Stars Shine Bright at the Brickyard
03/23/2021
HELIO CASTRONEVES
A New Era Commences in 2001
03/30/2021
Arie Luyendyk
All-Time IMS Speed Record Holder
04/13/2021
FIRST STOCK CAR TEST
Stock Cars Make IMS Debut in 1960
07/27/2021
2006 Brickyard 400
Johnson Rebounds at the Brickyard
08/03/2021
2011 Brickyard 400
Menard Scores Shock Win for Family
08/10/2021
BORG- WARNER
BorgWarner Commissioned History in 1936
02/19/2021
THE MILK
Thanks to Louis Meyer, Winners Drink Milk
03/16/2021
BACK HOME AGAIN
Beloved Song Traces Back to 1946
03/02/2021
KISS THE BRICKS
Tribute Quickly Becomes Fan Favorite Tradition
07/06/2021
A.J. FOYT
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’61, ’64, ’67, ’77)
03/02/2021
DAN WHELDON
Two-Time Indy 500 Winner (’05, ’11)
AL UNSER
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’70, ’71,’78, ’87)
04/06/2021
04/20/2021
RICK MEARS
Four-Time Indy 500 Winner (’79, ’84, ’88, ’91)
04/27/2021
JEFF GORDON
Five-Time Brickyard 400 Winner ('94, '98, '01, '04, '14)
07/13/2021
JIMMIE JOHNSON
Four-Time Brickyard 400 Winner (’06, ’08, ’09, ’12)
07/20/2021
THIS WEEK’S FEATURES STORY
THIS WEEK’S FEATURES STORY
VIEW STORY
Picture this: The largest single-day sporting event on the planet is moments away from roaring to life, and the Racing Capital of the World falls silent. The 33 drivers and a crowd of more than 300,000 are ready for an Indianapolis institution: the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana.”
And for 75 years now, we have all been coming Back Home Again. “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can be traced back to 1919, when a trackside brass band performed the song as Hoosier Howdy Wilcox was on his way to victory. However, it wasn’t until 1946 that this beloved Indianapolis 500 tradition became a staple of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
On May 30, 1946, the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to World War II. To commemorate the special Thursday morning, famed singer James Melton, of the New York Metropolitan Opera and an avid car collector, performed the ballad about one hour before the race began.
Back in a time when pre-race festivities were not common, Melton’s booming voice over the public address brought the Speedway to a hush. The response to Melton’s performance was so overwhelming that he was invited back for the next few years. In 1949, the performance was moved closer to the start of the race, approximately where it is today, and Melton performed several times between 1946 and 1954.
From 1955 through 1972, the pre-race tradition was performed by a rotating cast of celebrities and students from Purdue. The singers were usually a last-minute surprise for fans in attendance. Then, the 1972 surprise stuck around intermittently for the next 42 years.
has accompanied a majority of the “Back Home Again in Indiana” performers since 1946. However, the marching band performing on race morning can be traced back to 1919 when the marching band’s first director, Paul Spotts Emrick, forged a relationship with Indianapolis Motor Speedway management.
– J. Douglas Boles, IMS President
Nabors’ stirring rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana” was so moving that he was asked to return in 1973 – the first consecutive repeat performer in 20 years – and the next year. And the next year. In all, Nabors sang his way into Hoosier hearts 36 times between 1972 and 2014 and became as much of a “500” tradition as fast cars and Foyt.
In March 2014, Nabors announced that year would be his last performing the revered song, and adoring fans said goodbye to the man who took the microphone as a last-minute favor and gave it back as one of the most beloved figures in racing history.
For the next few years, IMS experimented with who should follow in Nabors’ voice notes as the “Back Home Again in Indiana” singer. Nabors, an Alabama native and resident of Hawaii, had no Hoosier origins, and IMS looked for someone with Indiana ties. Straight No Chaser, a male a cappella group that originated just down the road at Indiana University, performed a stirring rendition in 2015. For the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Josh Kaufman, the season six winner of NBC’s hit show “The Voice,” performed alongside the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Then, in 2017, IMS struck gold when Indiana University alum and Chicago Blackhawks national anthem singer Jim Cornelison made the trip from Chicago to sing the beloved song.
– Jim Cornelison
The sound of this song fills the Indiana air with a buzz of energy that cannot be explained. Whether Indiana natives or Hoosiers at heart, the words of this special song strike a chord with all of us. Look into the mammoth grandstands and you will see strangers embracing each other, swaying arm-in-arm to the music, while others around them are moved to tears. A sense of appreciation, pride and togetherness consume the legendary Speedway in one of the most special moments in all of sports.
For the next few years, IMS experimented with who should follow in Nabors’ voice notes as the “Back Home Again in Indiana” singer. Nabors, an Alabama native and resident of Hawaii, had no Hoosier origins, and IMS looked for someone with Indiana ties. Straight No Chaser, a male a cappella group that originated just down the road at Indiana University, performed a stirring rendition in 2015. For the historic 100th Running of the Indianapolis 500, Josh Kaufman, the season six winner of NBC’s hit show “The Voice,” performed alongside the Indianapolis Children’s Choir. Then, in 2017, IMS struck gold when Indiana University alum and Chicago Blackhawks national anthem singer Jim Cornelison made the trip from Chicago to sing the beloved song.
And he hasn’t stopped since.
“ P e r f o r m i n g a t t h e I n d i a n a p o l i s 5 0 0 i s o n e o f t h e u l t i m a t e h i g h l i g h t s a n d p r i v i l e g e s o f m y c a r e e r , a s t h e e l e c t r i c i t y a n d m a g i c o f R a c e D a y a r e i n c r e d i b l e . I ’ m s o g r a t e f u l f o r t h e w a r m w e l c o m e f r o m I n d y 5 0 0 a n d I n d y C a r S e r i e s f a n s a r o u n d t h e w o r l d . ”
– J i m C o r n e l i s o n
In March 2014, Nabors announced that year would be his last performing the revered song, and adoring fans said goodbye to the man who took the microphone as a last-minute favor and gave it back as one of the most beloved figures in racing history.
“ W e l o v e d t h a t v o i c e , b u t w h a t w e l o v e d m o r e w a s t h e h e a r t . T h e h e a r t o f a m a n w h o u n d e r s t o o d w h a t t h a t m o m e n t m e a n t . ”
– J . D o u g l a s B o l e s , I M S P r e s i d e n t
Nabors’ stirring rendition of “Back Home Again in Indiana” was so moving that he was asked to return in 1973 – the first consecutive repeat performer in 20 years – and the next year. And the next year. In all, Nabors sang his way into Hoosier hearts 36 times between 1972 and 2014 and became as much of a “500” tradition as fast cars and Foyt.
On the morning of the 1972 Indianapolis 500, IMS owner Tony Hulman ventured into the grandstands and found celebrity Jim Nabors, who was in attendance as a guest of casino magnate Bill Harrah. Hulman spontaneously asked Nabors, famous for his television character Gomer Pyle, if he would like to “sing a song.” Nabors obliged with no idea what he was about to sing for the hundreds of thousands of race fans in attendance, and certainly unprepared to become an Indianapolis Speedway icon.
From 1955 through 1972, the pre-race tradition was performed by a rotating cast of celebrities and students from Purdue. The singers were usually a last-minute surprise for fans in attendance. Then, the 1972 surprise stuck around intermittently for the next 42 years.
has accompanied a majority of the “Back Home Again in Indiana” performers since 1946. However, the marching band performing on race morning can be traced back to 1919 when the marching band’s first director, Paul Spotts Emrick, forged a relationship with Indianapolis Motor Speedway management.
The Purdue Univeristy All-American Marching Band
On May 30, 1946, the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to World War II. To commemorate the special Thursday morning, famed singer James Melton, of the New York Metropolitan Opera and an avid car collector, performed the ballad about one hour before the race began.
Back in a time when pre-race festivities were not common, Melton’s booming voice over the public address brought the Speedway to a hush. The response to Melton’s performance was so overwhelming that he was invited back for the next few years. In 1949, the performance was moved closer to the start of the race, approximately where it is today, and Melton performed several times between 1946 and 1954.
And for 75 years now, we have all been coming Back Home Again. “Back Home Again in Indiana” at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway can be traced back to 1919, when a trackside brass band performed the song as Hoosier Howdy Wilcox was on his way to victory. However, it wasn’t until 1946 that this beloved Indianapolis 500 tradition became a staple of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
This isn’t just a song. It’s an anthem for a community of millions that has turned into its mantra.
“I k n e w e v e r y t i m e ( t h e y ) s a n g t h a t s o n g b e f o r e t h e r a c e , i t w o u l d b e o n e o f t h e f i n a l m o m e n t s o f c a l m b e f o r e w e s t a r t e d r a c i n g . I t h e l p e d s e t t h e s t a g e a n d w a s a l w a y s a g r e a t r e m i n d e r t o m e o f h o w p o w e r f u l ' B a c k H o m e A g a i n ' w a s d u e t o i t s m e a n i n g f o r t h e r a c e . ”
- H E L I O C A S T R O N E V E S
The sound of this song fills the Indiana air with a buzz of energy that cannot be explained. Whether Indiana natives or Hoosiers at heart, the words of this special song strike a chord with all of us. Look into the mammoth grandstands and you will see strangers embracing each other, swaying arm-in-arm to the music, while others around them are moved to tears. A sense of appreciation, pride and togetherness consume the legendary Speedway in one of the most special moments in all of sports.
Picture this: The largest single-day sporting event on the planet is moments away from roaring to life, and the Racing Capital of the World falls silent. The 33 drivers and a crowd of more than 300,000 are ready for an Indianapolis institution: the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana.”
BACK HOME AGAIN–75 YEARS
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
THE YEARS
T H E P e r f o r m E R S
THROUGHOUT
1950
1946-1948
1949
1951
1955
1952-1953
1954
1959
1956
1957
1958
1964
1960
1961
1962
1963
1969
1965
1966
1967
1968
1970
1971
1980
1972-1978
1979
1981
1982
1983-1984
1985
1986
1987-2006
2007
2008-2014
2015
2016
2017-Present
Jim Cornelison (IU Alum, Chicago Blackhawks Anthem Singer)
Josh Kaufman with Indianapolis Children’s Choir (Indy-based singer, winner of “The Voice”)
Straight No Chaser (Male a cappella group, IU origins)
Jim Nabors
Race Fans and Purdue “All-American” Marching Band
Jim Nabors
John Davies with 74th U.S. Army Band (Indianapolis Opera Co.) *Nabors couldn’t make rescheduled race date
Walt Disney World Singers
Jim Nabors
Louis Sudler (Chicago Symphony Orchestra)
Phil Harris (Musician and voice actor – “The Jungle Book,” “The Aristocats”)
Richard Smith (Purdue Glee Club soloist)
Peter Marshall (The Hollywood Squares)
Jim Nabors (“The Andy Griffith Show”)
Peter DePaolo (1925 Indy 500 winner)
Saverio Saridis (NYC Policeman-turned vocalist)
Mack Shultz (Purdue student, Varsity Glee Club)
Purdue “All-American” Marching Band
Russell Wunderlich (Purdue Varsity Glee Club member)
Ed Ames (Actor/singer)
Johnny Desmond (Actor/musician)
Vic Damone (Singer)
Brian Sullivan
David Cochard (Purdue student, Varsity Glee Club)
Mel Tormé (Celebrated Jazz singer)
Dennis Morgan (Actor/singer)
Purdue Varsity Glee Club ( Men’s vocal ensemble founded in 1893)
Brian Sullivan
Jerome Hines (New York Metropolitan Opera)
Brian Sullivan (New York Metropolitan Opera)
Dinah Shore (Singer/TV Personality)
James Melton
Morton Downey Sr. (Singer)
Frank Parrish
James Melton
Frank Parrish (Indianapolis singer, radio personality)
James Melton (New York Metropolitan Opera)
years
decade
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
No, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 does not get to keep the Borg-Warner Trophy, not even for a minute. It is permanently housed and displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. They do, however, get a miniature version of the trophy. Officially called the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy, it is affectionately referred to as the “Baby Borg.” And if it weren’t for four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, this trophy might not exist. Starting in 1936, the winner of the race received a wooden plaque with a small, half replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy affixed on it as their take-home prize. After the 1988 Public Drivers’ Meeting, Mears inquired with BorgWarner representatives about how much it would cost to get two more halves of the replica trophy, because he wanted to build miniature versions of the trophy on a base. Oh, and he also wanted a copy of his face that is featured on the Borg-Warner Trophy that he could put on that base. The next day, Mears won his third “500,” and he assumed his inquiry got lost in the hype that surrounds the race. However, he got a call a month later from BorgWarner telling him that they were creating a new trophy, called a “Baby Borg.” The kicker? It was exactly what Mears had described. In January 1989, Mears received a 14-inch version of the Borg-Warner Trophy with his likeness sculpted on the black marble base, and so has every winning driver since.
“BABY BORG”
In 1998, BorgWarner established the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy so owners can have a keepsake from the monumental win, as well. This trophy is different, though, as it features a band of Art Deco race cars accented in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork.
“I don’t know how much I had to do with it other than we just had the conversation, but it was great. It did surprise me. They basically did what I was wanting to do with mine. It did cross my mind, but I just thought it was cool, whether it was because I said anything or not. It’s a classy trophy.”
– RICK MEARS
In 1935, Borg-Warner Corporation commissioned designer Robert J. Hill and Spaulding-Gorham Inc. to create a commemorative trophy honoring the winner of the Indianapolis 500. In early 1936, then-Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker unveiled the trophy at a dinner, declaring it the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 winners. While the trophy was new when it arrived that May, it also went back in time. Sculpted on the trophy’s cup were the 24 faces of every race winner from 1911 through 1935 with their name, year and average speed engraved below their quarter-sized faces. The trophy in its original form was 52 inches tall, 80 pounds of sterling silver and cost $10,000. Over time, the trophy has grown. Originally crafted to commemorate 70 race winners (the last being Bobby Rahal in 1986), two bases have been added to the trophy in 1987, and 2004. The trophy is now valued at $3.5 milion, and the current base can accommodate each Indy 500 winner through 2033. It is pure coincidence that Louis Meyer, one of the most influential people in Indy 500 history because of his love for buttermilk, which spawned the tradition of the winner drinking milk, was the first recipient of the trophy. However, the trophy didn’t appear in Victory Lane until 1939, when another iconic name won the “500” – Wilbur Shaw.
– Louis Meyer
– Simon Pagenaud
The Borg- Warner Trophy
is so recognizable because it is one of the most constant pieces of the Indianapolis 500 aside from the racetrack itself. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2021, the Borg-Warner Trophy has lived through three different Speedway ownership groups, one World War and 82 500-Mile races. There’s nothing else like it. The name, year and average speed of each winner is engraved on the trophy, but what sets this work of art apart from the rest is the faces.
The Borg-Warner Trophy is one of the most recognizable prizes in all of sports. It’s art, speed and elegance all wrapped in one, chronicling every moment of the Indianapolis 500 it has witnessed.
BORG-WARNER – 85 YEARS
The sculpting of the face happens over a period of months, and world-renowned sculptor Will Behrends is the face behind the faces. Behrends got his first opportunity to create a face for the Borg-Warner Trophy in 1990, when BorgWarner commissioned a different prominent American sculptor each year. BorgWarner and the Speedway were so captivated by how Behrends captured 1990 winner Arie Luyendyk’s luscious locks of hair that they have continued to commission him ever since.
SCULPTING GREATNESS
BorgWarner Inc.
“I’m humbled to have my work on the Borg-Warner Trophy, because it is a piece of art and a piece of our culture. It’s absolutely the best, most prestigious trophy out there in sports. I have to pinch myself.”
– Will Behrends
Behrends’ work begins shortly after the race is over when the winning driver sits for a photoshoot that gives provides a 360-degree view of their head. He then takes those photographs and creates a life-sized version of their head, as he describes in the video below about the process following the 100th Running of the Indy 500 in 2016 After nailing down the details on the life-sized version, he replicates it on a smaller scale – smaller than an egg – to fit on the trophy. It’s not done mechanically or digitally. Simply by memory and two hands. Back in 1990, Behrends mixed his own clay to build Luyendyk’s face – enough for just one face (in his defense, he thought this was a one-year gig). As Behrends has been brought back for 30 years now, he has used the exact same clay every year. Behrends said the clay model of the winner sits on his shelf for a year until a new winner is crowned, and only then does he morph the previous winner’s face into the next winner’s likeness.
• At 74,538-square feet and 303 feet tall by 246 feet wide, the world largest Borg-Warner Trophy was featured on the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis, welcoming race fans for the 100th Running in 2016.
• There is one gold face on the Borg-Warner Trophy: Former Speedway owner Tony Hulman, whose face was the first one to be featured on the base in 1987.
• There are two sets of two drivers’ faces for one year on the trophy, as they co-drove to victory: L.L. Corum / Joe Boyer in 1924 and Floyd Davis / Mauri Rose in 1941.
• Four-time winner A.J. Foyt has just two different faces on the trophy. The same likeness was used for his wins in 1961, ’64 and ’67, while a second likeness was used in 1977.
• Al Unser’s 1970 likeness is the last to feature an open-face helmet.
• 1983 winner Tom Sneva is the only driver on the trophy wearing glasses, at his request.
• There are 13 countries and 21 U.S. states represented on the trophy.
FUN FACTS
BorgWarner Inc.
BorgWarner Inc.
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
BORG-WARNER–85 YEARS
It’s one of the most recognizable trophies in all of sports. It’s art, speed and elegance all wrapped in one that has chronicled every moment of the Indianapolis 500 that it has witnessed.
– Simon Pagenaud
“The trophy and BorgWarner have a big impact on this event. It’s amazing to think this likeness will live forever. No other trophy gives you that except the Borg-Warner Trophy.”
The Borg- Warner Trophy
is so recognizable because it is one of the most constant pieces of the Indianapolis 500 aside from the racetrack itself. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2021, the Borg-Warner Trophy has lived through three different Speedway ownership groups, one World War and 82 500-Mile races. There’s nothing else like it. The name, year and speed of each winner is engraved on the trophy, but what sets this work of art apart from the rest is the faces. These faces don’t just honor the newly crowned winner, their position on the trophy cements their place in history alongside every winner of this legendary sporting event.
In 1935, Borg-Warner Corporation commissioned designer Robert J. Hill and Spaulding-Gorham Inc. to create a commemorative trophy honoring the winner of the Indianapolis 500. In early 1936, then-Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker unveiled the trophy at a dinner, declaring it the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 winners. While the trophy was new when it arrived that May, it also went back in time. Sculpted on the trophy’s cup were the 24 faces of every race winner from 1911 through 1935 with their name, year and average speed engraved below their quarter-sized faces.
ORIGINS
The trophy in its original form was 52 inches tall, 80 pounds of sterling silver and cost $10,000. Over time, the trophy has grown. Originally crafted to commemorate 70 race winners (the last being Bobby Rahal in 1986), two bases have been added to the trophy in 1987, and 2004. Now valued at $3.5 million, the current base can accommodate each Indy 500 winner through 2033. It is pure coincidence that Louis Meyer, one of the most influential people in Indy 500 history because of his love for buttermilk, was the first recipient of the trophy. However, the trophy didn’t appear in Victory Lane until 1939, when another iconic name won the “500” – Wilbur Shaw.
• The trophy in its original form was 52 inches tall, 80 pounds of sterling silver and cost $10,000.
• There is one gold face on the Borg-Warner Trophy: Former Speedway owner Tony Hulman, whose face was the first one to be featured on the base in 1987.
• There are two sets of two drivers’ faces for one year on the trophy: L.L. Corum / Joe Boyer in 1924 and Floyd Davis / Mauri Rose in 1941.
• Four-time winner A.J. Foyt has just two different faces on the trophy. The same likeness was used for his wins in 1961, ’64 and ’67, while a second likeness was used in 1977.
• Al Unser’s 1970 likeness is the last to feature an open-face helmet.
• 1983 winner Tom Sneva is the only driver on the trophy wearing glasses, at his request.
• There are 13 countries and 21 U.S. states represented on the trophy.
FUN FACTS
– Louis Meyer
“Winning the Borg-Warner Trophy is like winning an Olympic medal.”
Behrends’ work begins shortly after the race is over when the winning driver sits for a photo shoot that provides a 360-degree view of their head. He then takes those photographs and creates a life-sized version of their head in his studio in the hills of western North Carolina. After nailing down the details on the life-sized version, Behrends replicates it on a smaller scale – smaller than an egg – to fit on the trophy. It’s not done mechanically or digitally. Simply by memory and two hands. Back in 1990, Behrends mixed his own clay to build Luyendyk’s face – enough for just one face (in his defense, he thought this was a one-year gig). As Behrends has been brought back for 30 years now, he has used the exact same clay every year. Behrends said that the clay model of the winner sits on his self for a year until a new winner is crowned, and only then does he morph the previous winner’s face into the next winner’s likeness.
– Will Behrends
“I’m humbled to have my work on the Borg-Warner Trophy, because it is a piece of art and a piece of our culture. It’s absolutely the best, most prestigious trophy out there in sports. I have to pinch myself.”
The sculpting of the face happens over a period of months, and world-renowned sculptor Will Behrends is the face behind the faces. Behrends got his first opportunity to create a face for the Borg-Warner Trophy in 1990 when BorgWarner commissioned a different prominent American sculptor each year. BorgWarner and the Speedway were so captivated by how Behrends captured 1990 winner Arie Luyendyk’s luscious lochs of hair that they have continued to commission him ever since.
In 1998, BorgWarner established the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy so that owners can have a keepsake from the monumental win as well. This trophy is different, though, as it features a band of art deco race cars accented in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork.
– RICK MEARS
“I don’t know how much I had to do with it other than we just had the conversation, but it was great. It did surprise me. They basically did what I was wanting to do with mine. It did cross my mind, but I just thought it was cool, whether it was because I said anything or not. It’s a classy trophy.”
No, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 does not get to keep the Borg-Warner Trophy, not even for a minute. It is permanently housed and displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. They do, however, get a miniature version of the trophy. Officially called the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy, it is affectionately referred to as the “Baby Borg.” And if it weren’t for four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, this trophy might not exist. Starting in 1936, the winner of the race received a wooden plaque with a small, half replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy affixed on it as their take-home prize. After the 1988 public drivers’ meeting, Mears inquired with BorgWarner representatives about how much it would cost to get two more halves of the replica trophy, because he wanted to build miniature versions of the trophy on a base. Oh, and he also wanted a copy of his face that is featured on the Borg-Warner Trophy that he could put on that base. The next day, Mears won his third “500,” and he assumed his inquiry got lost in the hype that surrounds the race. However, he got a call a month later from BorgWarner telling him that they were creating a new trophy, called a “Baby Borg.” The kicker? It was exactly what Mears had described. In January 1989, Mears received a 14-inch version of the Borg-Warner Trophy with his likeness sculpted on the black marble base, and so has every winning driver since.
“BABY BORG”
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
BORG-WARNER–85 YEARS
The Borg-Warner Trophy is one of the most recognizable prizes in all of sports. It’s art, speed and elegance all wrapped in one that has chronicled every moment of the Indianapolis 500 that it has witnessed.
– Simon Pagenaud
The Borg- Warner Trophy
is so recognizable because it is one of the most constant pieces of the Indianapolis 500 aside from the racetrack itself. Celebrating its 85th anniversary in 2021, the Borg-Warner Trophy has lived through three different Speedway ownership groups, one World War and 82 500-Mile races. There’s nothing else like it. The name, year and speed of each winner is engraved on the trophy, but what sets this work of art apart from the rest is the faces. These faces don’t just honor the newly crowned winner, their position on the trophy cements their place in history alongside every winner of this legendary sporting event.
In 1935, Borg-Warner Corporation commissioned designer Robert J. Hill and Spaulding-Gorham Inc. to create a commemorative trophy honoring the winner of the Indianapolis 500. In early 1936, then-Speedway owner Eddie Rickenbacker unveiled the trophy at a dinner, declaring it the annual prize for Indianapolis 500 winners. While the trophy was new when it arrived that May, it also went back in time. Sculpted on the trophy’s cup were the 24 faces of every race winner from 1911 through 1935 with their name, year and average speed engraved below their quarter-sized faces.
The trophy in its original form was 52 inches tall, 80 pounds of sterling silver and cost $10,000. Over time, the trophy has grown. Originally crafted to commemorate 70 race winners (the last being Bobby Rahal in 1986), two bases have been added to the trophy in 1987, and 2004. Now valued at $3.5 million, the current base can accommodate each Indy 500 winner through 2033. It is pure coincidence that Louis Meyer, one of the most influential people in Indy 500 history because of his love for buttermilk, was the first recipient of the trophy. However, the trophy didn’t appear in Victory Lane until 1939, when another iconic name won the “500” – Wilbur Shaw.
– Louis Meyer
Behrends’ work begins shortly after the race is over when the winning driver sits for a photo shoot that provides a 360-degree view of their head. He then takes those photographs and creates a life-sized version of their head in his studio in the hills of western North Carolina. After nailing down the details on the life-sized version, Behrends replicates it on a smaller scale – smaller than an egg – to fit on the trophy. It’s not done mechanically or digitally. Simply by memory and two hands. Back in 1990, Behrends mixed his own clay to build Luyendyk’s face – enough for just one face (in his defense, he thought this was a one-year gig). As Behrends has been brought back for 30 years now, he has used the exact same clay every year. Behrends said that the clay model of the winner sits on his self for a year until a new winner is crowned, and only then does he morph the previous winner’s face into the next winner’s likeness.
Scott LePage, BorgWarner Inc.
Scott LePage, BorgWarner
Scott LePage, BorgWarner Inc.
– Will Behrends
The sculpting of the face happens over a period of months, and world-renowned sculptor Will Behrends is the face behind the faces. Behrends got his first opportunity to create a face for the Borg-Warner Trophy in 1990 when BorgWarner commissioned a different prominent American sculptor each year. BorgWarner and the Speedway were so captivated by how Behrends captured 1990 winner Arie Luyendyk’s luscious lochs of hair that they have continued to commission him ever since.
In 1998, BorgWarner established the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner’s Trophy so that owners can have a keepsake from the monumental win as well. This trophy is different, though, as it features a band of art deco race cars accented in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork.
– RICK MEARS
No, the winner of the Indianapolis 500 does not get to keep the Borg-Warner Trophy, not even for a minute. It is permanently housed and displayed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. They do, however, get a miniature version of the trophy. Officially called the BorgWarner Championship Driver’s Trophy, it is affectionately referred to as the “Baby Borg.” And if it weren’t for four-time Indy 500 winner Rick Mears, this trophy might not exist. Starting in 1936, the winner of the race received a wooden plaque with a small, half replica of the Borg-Warner Trophy affixed on it as their take-home prize. After the 1988 public drivers’ meeting, Mears inquired with BorgWarner representatives about how much it would cost to get two more halves of the replica trophy, because he wanted to build miniature versions of the trophy on a base. Oh, and he also wanted a copy of his face that is featured on the Borg-Warner Trophy that he could put on that base. The next day, Mears won his third “500,” and he assumed his inquiry got lost in the hype that surrounds the race. However, he got a call a month later from BorgWarner telling him that they were creating a new trophy, called a “Baby Borg.” The kicker? It was exactly what Mears had described. In January 1989, Mears received a 14-inch version of the Borg-Warner Trophy with his likeness sculpted on the black marble base, and so has every winning driver since.
• There is one gold face on the Borg-Warner Trophy: Former Speedway owner Tony Hulman, whose face was the first one to be featured on the base in 1987.
• There are two sets of two drivers’ faces for one year on the trophy: L.L. Corum / Joe Boyer in 1924 and Floyd Davis / Mauri Rose in 1941.
• Four-time winner A.J. Foyt has just two different faces on the trophy. The same likeness was used for his wins in 1961, ’64 and ’67, while a second likeness was used in 1977.
• Al Unser’s 1970 likeness is the last to feature an open-face helmet.
• 1983 winner Tom Sneva is the only driver on the trophy wearing glasses, at his request.
• There are 13 countries and 21 U.S. states represented on the trophy.
• At 74, 538-square feet and 303 feet tall by 246 feet wide, the world largest Borg-Warner Trophy was featured on the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis, welcoming race fans for the 100th Running in 2016.
FUN FACTS
Check back next week to learn about the trailblazing tale of Willy T. Ribbs.
The Borg- Warner Trophy
