The Borg Warner Trophy

[Len Ashburn]

Here's a site about the Borg Warner Trophy. Maybe it will tell us where the Rickenbacker left off and the Borg Warner began.

http://www.indy500.com/stats/pdf/his...ner_trophy.pdf - Cached

[Len Ashburn]

Borg Warner Trophy

Here's a little more on this award.

http://www.infoplease.com/ipsa/A0113875.html

[ClintCurtis]

Inquiring minds would like to know:

1. How many spaces for winners are on the trophy?

2. How many empty spaces are left ?

3. What are the plans for when the trophy is filled?

[theunions]

Originally posted by ClintCurtis
Inquiring minds would like to know:

2. How many empty spaces are left ?

3. What are the plans for when the trophy is filled?

I believe the last available spot on the 1986 base was filled by Gil this year and that design for a new base was already under way in June.

[Doctorindy]

Originally posted by theunions
I believe the last available spot on the 1986 base was filled by Gil this year and that design for a new base was already under way in June.

Great question, I pretty much found out this past weekend...

They appear to be getting rid of that base, and are making a whole new one.

The original spots ran out after the '86 race. That was 70 spots. The two years where there were co-winners, they squeezed both faces in the same block. So there were 72 faces over 70 races.

After the '87 race, they made a base (a very poor job if you ask me) and started it off by putting a gold face of Tony Hulman on it. I always wondered thier logic in making it the way they did (3 blocks high) because it made it so it would not last very long. One more row of blocks could have made it last about 7 years more or so.

Anyway, they recently removed that base entirely, and the trophy is currently on display without the base at the museum. It appears they are making a whole new base, and will affix the '87-'02 faces, along with the new '03 face on it. Hopefully this one will last a lot longer, and make the trophy slightly more stable standing up.


Also...
The 2002 Indy 500 program (or was it '01?) had a great article about the man who makes the faces, or at least some of them. Each is carved out to make a mold, then that mold is used to mold the silver. Amazingly, the '89 face of Fittipaldi was made differently. Out of a single flat piece of silver, hammered into the shape of Emmo's mug!

The 1992 Indy 500 has an article that documents the restoration of the trophy that took place in the winter of 1991.

The 1981 Indy 500 Program has a good fold-out poster of the trophy, and has several "fun facts" about the trophy.

[ClintCurtis]

Hey, thanks you guys! Appreciate the info on such a fascinating piece of hardware.

[lotuspoweredbyford]

Don't forget the man who put the trophy on the back of the car for decades, Jack Mackenzie.

He has some wonderful stories to tell about the trophy.. you can see him in the victory lane photos from Pat Flaherty to Gordon Johncock's 2nd win.

He's a great guy.

[Eagle104]

thanks for mentioning Jack, lotuspoweredbyford.

he really is a great guy.

i'm proud to say that my latest 'tradition' is to watch the 500 with him for the past few years from the grassy area inside of turn1.

[lotuspoweredbyford]

Jack is a really special person, he's been a huge help finding Indy winner autographs for me... a truly great guy.



Mike

[PHJIndy]

A good friend of mine owns a metal spinning business, not far from IMS, and he has been commissioned to spin the new base for the Borg Warner.