Indy 500: Explanation of the story behind the legendary Borg-Warner Trophy

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The iconic Borg-Warner Trophy is a constant in the legendary Indianapoli’s 500 races every year.

Each winner gets their name, average speed, the year they won, and their face engraved on the trophy weighing approx. 110 pounds and stands just over five meters, four inches high.

The first time the trophy was revealed was in 1936 when it was given to Louis Meyer and declared an annual award for Indy 500 winners.

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Former Indy 500 winners Will Power, Front Left, Josef Newgarden, Scott Dixon, Takuma Sato and Back to the left, Alexander Rossi, Ryan Hunter-Reaut, Helio Castroneves and Marcus Ericsson make up with Borg-Warner Trophy on May 19, 2025, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. (Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

While the trophy was established in 1935, it honored the winners of 1911 onwards, when they had their name, years, average speed and faces engraved on the trophy.

In its original form, the trophy was 52 inches tall and 80 pounds of sterling silver. It was made to commemorate 70 race winners. Two bases were added to the trophy in 1987 and 2004, and these additions to the trophy can remember the winners of the Indy 500 to 2033.

There is a non-race winner engraved on the trophy and that is Anton Hulman. Hulman owned Indianapoli’s Motor Speedway from 1945 until his death in 1977. His face is the lonely on the trophy that is gold.

The trophy is permanently located in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum.

Indy 500 will be released on May 25 at Fox with coverage, which starts at 1 p.m. 10 et. It will also be available for Stream Live at FoxSports.com and the Fox Sports app.

The Indy 500 is officially sold out for the first time in almost a decade; 350,000 fans expected

Borg-Warner Trophy (IMagn)

Below is a list of each winner of the Indy 500:

1911 – RAY HARROUN

1912 – Joe Dawson

1913 – Jules Goux

1914 – Rene Thomas

1915 – Ralph Depalma

1916 – Dario Resta

1917 – Not held because of World War I

1918 – Not held because of World War I

1919 – Howdy Wilcox

1920 – Gaston Chevrolet

1921 – Tommy Milton

1922 – Jimmy Murphy

1923 – Tommy Milton

1924-Lora L. Corum, Joe Boyer (co-drivers)

1925 – Pete Depaolo

1926 – Frank Lockhart

1927 – George Souders

1928 – Louis Meyer

1929 – Ray KEECH

1930 – Billy Arnold

1931 – Louis Schneider

1932 – Fred Frame

1933 – Louis Meyer

1934 – Bill Cummings

1935 – Kelly Petillo

1936 – Louis Meyer

1937 – Wilbur Shaw

1938 – Floyd Roberts

1939 – Wilbur Shaw

1940 – Wilbur Shaw

1941-Floyd Davis, Mauri Rose (Co-drivers)

1942 – not held due to 2nd World War

1943 – not held because of the 2nd World War

1944 – not held because of the 2nd World War

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1946 – George Robson

1947 – Mauri Rose

1948 – Mauri Rose

1949 – Bill Holland

1950 – Johnnie Parsons

Indy 500 polesites Robert Shwartzman floats on and off the field

Borg-Warner Trophy (IMagn)

1951 – Lee Wallard

1952 – Troy Ruttman

1953 – Bill Vukovich

1954 – Bill Vukovich

1955 – Bob Sweiker

1956 – Pat Flaherty

1957 – Sam Hanks

1958 – Jimmy Bryan

1959 – Rodger Ward

1960 – Jim Rathmann

1961 – AJ FYT

1962 – Rodger Ward

1963 – Parnelli Jones

1964 – AJ Fey

1965 – Jim Clark

1966 – Graham Hill

1967 – AJ FYT

1968 – Bobby Unser

1969 – Mario Andretti

1970 – Al Unser

1971 – Al Unser

1972 – Mark Donohue

1973 – Gordon Johncock

1974 – Johnny Rutherford

1975 – Bobby Unser

1976 – Johnny Rutherford

1977 – AJ FYT

1978 – Al Unser

1979 – Rick Mears

1980 – Johnny Rutherford

1981 – Bobby Unser

1982 – Gordon Johncock

1983 – Tom Snowva

1984 – Rick Mears

1985 – Danny Sullivan

1986 – Bobby Rahal

1987 – Al Unser

1988 – Rick Mears

1989 – Emerson Fittipaldi

1990 – arie luyendyk

1991 – Rick Mears

1992 – Al Unser Jr.

1993 – Emerson Fittipaldi

1994 – Al Unser Jr.

1995 – Jacques Villeneuve

1996 – Buddy Lazier

1997 – arie luyendyk

1998 – Eddie Cheever

1999 – Kenny Brack

2000 – Juan Pablo Montoya

2001 – Helio Castroneves

2002 – Helio Castroneves

2003 – Gil de Ferran

2004 – Buddy Rice

2005 – Dan Wheldon

2006 – Sam Hornish Jr.

2007 – Dario Franchitti

2008 – Scott Dixon

2009 – Helio Castroneves

2010 – Dario Franchitti

2011 – Dan Wheldon

2012 – Dario Franchitti

2013 – Tony Canaan

2014-Ryan Hunter-Reay

2015 – Juan Pablo Montoya

2023 Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden is photographed with his equality during a revelation ceremony for the latest addition to Borg-Warner Trophy on December 15, 2023 at the Stutz Museum in Indianapolis. (IMagn)

2016 – Alexander Rossi

2017 – Takuma Sato

2018 – will power

2019 – Simon Pagenaud

2020 – Takuma Sato

2021 – Helio Castroneves

2022 – Marcus Ericsson

2023 – Josef Newgarden

2024 – Josef Newgarden

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