BorgWarner Unveils 100th Image On The Borg-Warner Trophy™

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Dec. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The 100^th image on the Borg-Warner Trophy™—featuring 2013 Indianapolis 500 winner Tony Kanaan—was unveiled at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum yesterday. Set in a checkerboard pattern with the winner's name, victory year and average speed under each sculpted head, the trophy features the three-dimensional sterling silver image of every Indianapolis 500 winner dating back to Ray Harroun in 1911. Kanaan's image was sculpted by renowned American artist William Behrends, who has created the winning drivers' images since 1990.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131203/DE26259-a )
(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131203/DE26259-b )

"Unveiling the 100^th face on the Borg-Warner Trophy was a true milestone in a long tradition of achievement at the Indianapolis 500. Each image represents a driver and team that rallied to reach the pinnacle of performance," said James R. Verrier, President and Chief Executive Officer, BorgWarner. "At BorgWarner, the same spirit of competitive performance drives us to maintain our own track record of technology leadership. We are proud to be part of this historic event."

"It was an honor to win the 2013 Indianapolis 500, something I'll remember and cherish for the rest of my life," said Kanaan. "To take my place in history as the 100^th face on the Borg-Warner Trophy alongside my friends Dan (Wheldon) and Dario (Franchitti), and other great Indy 500 winners like Foyt, Mears, Andretti and the Unsers is truly humbling."

The Indianapolis 500 has been won 97 times in the past 103 years (no races were run during World War I and II). However, in 1924 and 1941, two drivers shared the victory, one for starting the race and the other for finishing it. In tribute to his rejuvenation of the track and Indianapolis 500 following World War II, a 24-karat gold portrait of late Speedway Owner and President Anton "Tony" Hulman, Jr., was also added in 1988, bringing the total number of images to 100. Two bases have been added to the original trophy, providing added capacity for more winners until 2034.

The Borg-Warner Trophy stays on permanent display at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame Museum. To provide the winner with a personal keepsake, BorgWarner established the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy™ (also known as the "Baby Borg") in 1988, which includes a duplicate image of the winner. The BorgWarner Team Owner's Trophy™ was established in 1998. Both sterling silver replicas of the Borg-Warner Trophy will be presented during the Automotive News World Congress in Detroit on January 15, 2014.

For more information about the trophies, visit borgwarner.com and choose "The Indianapolis 500" from the "Company" pull-down menu at the top of the home page.

About BorgWarner
Auburn Hills, Michigan-based BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a technology leader in highly engineered components and systems for powertrain applications worldwide. Operating manufacturing and technical facilities in 56 locations in 19 countries, the company develops products to improve fuel economy, reduce emissions and enhance performance. Customers include VW/Audi, Ford, Toyota, Renault/Nissan, General Motors, Hyundai/Kia, Daimler, Chrysler, Fiat, BMW, Honda, John Deere, PSA, and MAN. For more information, please visit borgwarner.com.

The Borg-Warner Trophy, BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy, and BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy are trademarks of BorgWarner Inc.

SOURCE BorgWarner