The gleaming Borg-Warner Trophy has been globally recognized as a unique, enduring and iconic symbol of the Indianapolis 500 since it was first presented to the winner of the race in 1936, a coveted tradition of immortality that continues to this day.
Now, the “Borg” will have company. A beautiful new trophy will salute the Rookie of the Year of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing” and pay homage to the legacy of the race’s first winner.
The 109th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge Rookie of Year will be the first driver to receive the Ray Harroun Trophy, a new award conceived and designed by Penske Entertainment Corp. Graphic Designer Ian Bartlett, constructed by longtime Indy 500 awards partner Jostens and sponsored by the American Dairy Association Indiana.
“I think drivers shouldn’t just chase the accolade; they should covet the hardware, as well,” Bartlett said. “It should be something they want. Any achievement at the Speedway is a significant one. It needs to have a trophy that matches its significance.”
Bartlett, who joined the company in September 2021, was tasked last fall with creating a new design for a trophy to annually honor the race’s top rookie.
He started the design process by first canvassing a few individuals within Penske Entertainment with deep knowledge of Indianapolis 500 about the race’s elite rookies. One name was universal – Harroun, who won the inaugural race in 1911 in the famous Marmon “Wasp,” which included the world’s first rearview mirror instead of the customary riding mechanic sharing the car with the driver.
“I asked all who had the best rookie year, and they all said the same person,” Bartlett said. “I asked, ‘Who do you think deserves the trophy?’ and they all said the same person. So, whenever that came to light, I was like, ‘Well, it has to be Ray Harroun.’”
Then Bartlett entered the vast Indianapolis Motor Speedway digital photo archives to find images of Harroun. He noticed that Harroun’s face looked different in many photographs, which spurred him to focus on the man and his at-the-time revolutionary machine, the legendary No. 32 “Wasp.” The IMS Museum also has numerous scans of the car, which would help Bartlett add even more realism to the design.
One famous photo of the car in motion during the race captured Bartlett’s attention. The “Wasp” appeared to be tilting forward due to the very slow shutter speeds of the cameras available in that era.
Bartlett then created his design based on that photo and sent it to Jostens, which then created a three-dimensional version that became today’s trophy. The trophy is 3D-printed from resin, sitting on a wooden base with a nameplate affixed to the base
While this trophy is new, it also is a sort of resurrection.
Indianapolis meat company Stark & Wetzel sponsored the Rookie of the Year award from the first year of its presentation, to Art Cross in 1952, until the early 70s. Other sponsors then took over the award, but from 1979-86, the American Fletcher National Bank Rookie of the Year trophy included Harroun’s image.
Harroun’s image also remained on the award when BankOne took over sponsorship of the Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year Award in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
But this is the first time the trophy is named after Harroun, a legacy that Bartlett hopes lasts for generations.
“I hope this sticks around for a long time,” Bartlett said. “Winning Rookie of the Year is not a footnote. It’s a milestone, and I think the trophy should reflect that.”
