Special Borg-Warner Trophy Edition with Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden and BorgWarner’s Michelle Collins

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Speakers: Bruce Martin, Josef Newgarden, & Michelle Collins

Roger Penske:

This is Roger Penske, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy, sponsored by Penske Truck Rental.

[Music Playing]

Bruce Martin:

IndyCar fans, it's time to start your engines. Welcome to Pit Pass Indy, a production of Evergreen Podcasts. I'm your host, Bruce Martin, a journalist who regularly covers the NTT IndyCar Series.

Our goal at Pit Pass Indy is to give racing fans an insider's view of the exciting world of the NTT IndyCar Series in a fast-paced podcast featuring interviews with the biggest names in the sport.

I bring nearly 40 years of experience covering IndyCar and NASCAR, working for such media brands as nbcsports.com, si.com, ESPN Sports Ticker, Sports Illustrated, Autoweek, and Speed Sport.

So, let's drop the green flag on this episode of Pit Pass Indy.

Welcome to this week's edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

The holidays are here and it's time to celebrate. And on December 15th at the Stutz Museum in Indianapolis, our first guest had a career defining moment to celebrate. It was Team Penske's Josef Newgarden, the winning driver of the 107th Indianapolis 500 on May 28th, 2023.

On Friday night, December 15th, Newgarden's Indianapolis 500 victory entered immortality as his face was unveiled on the famed Borg-Warner Trophy.

That's the moment when Newgarden entered Indianapolis 500 history as his sterling silver face is part of the trophy that includes the greatest names and drivers in auto racing history.

From Ray Harroun, the winner of the first Indianapolis 500 1911, to Louis Meyer, the first three-time winner of the race, to the great Wilbur Shaw, another three-time winner. Bill Vukovich, a back-to-back winner in 1953 and ’54, to A. J. Foyt, the first four-time winner of the race to the incomparable Mario Andretti.

Four-time winners, Al Unser, Rick Mears and Helio Castroneves. Newgarden's face joins them on the Borg-Warner Trophy.

Newgarden is the 75th individual winning driver of the Indianapolis 500 dating back to Ray Harroun in 1911. A total of 795 drivers have started the 500. Alphabetically from Walt Adler won start in 1950 to Paolo Paul Zuccarelli with one start in 1913.

Newgarden is the 110th face on the Borg-Warner Trophy. All are sterling silver except Tony Hulman, the man who saved the Indianapolis Motor Speedway when he purchased it from Eddie Rickenbacker in November, 1945.

Newgarden sterling silver image was the 35th created by sculptor William Behrends of Tryon, North Carolina, dating back to Arie Luyendyk in 1990.

Newgarden's first Indianapolis 500 win is Team Penske's record extending 19th Indianapolis 500 victory. It was sculptor William Behrends's 34th image that he crafted for the trophy.

12 of those are winning drivers from Team Penske, including Rick Mears in 1991, Emerson Fittipaldi in 1993. Al Unser Jr. in 1994, Helio Castroneves in 2001 and 2002. Gil de Ferran in 2003, Sam Hornish Jr. in 2006. Helio Castroneves for a third time in 2009. Juan Pablo Montoya in 2015, Will Power in 2018, Simon Pagenaud in 2019, and Newgarden in 2023.

This was the 11th year of the formal unveiling of the winning driver sterling silver image on the Borg-Warner Trophy dating back to Tony Kanaan in 2013.

It's something BorgWarner always looks forward to, whether it's at the IMS museum in France with Simon Pagenaud or the Indiana State House with Helio Castroneves in 2022. It's something that's always memorable for everyone involved.

It was also a nice way to celebrate Newgarden's 33rd birthday on December 22nd.

This edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental is a special Borg-Warner Trophy edition featuring exclusive interviews with Josef Newgarden. And later in the show, Michelle Collins, global director, marketing, and communications at BorgWarner Corporation.

First up is the winning driver of this year's Indianapolis 500. Here is my exclusive interview with Josef Newgarden for Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

It's a special day for our next guest. It's Indianapolis 500 winning driver Josef Newgarden, who on December 15th, got to see his face on the permanent Borg-Warner Trophy along with all the other winners of the Indianapolis 500.

Is this the event where it really sinks in what the history of this will mean to you?

Josef Newgarden:

I think it sinks in at multiple moments. This is definitely another point where you're sort of immortalizing the experience in a lot of ways and immortalizing the year.

It's pretty cool, Bruce, to be able to go through this whole process and to repeat it multiple times as we go through the celebrations. I think it just speaks to the tradition of the Indy 500 and the significance.

In a lot of ways, it's like Christmas. People that love Christmas, they think about it all year long in that you're excited for the Christmas season to maybe come around. Well, people get excited for the month of May year round.

And I think for us, we're excited for the next May to just show up and to have another opportunity to compete and going through this process has been unique and pretty cool.

Bruce Martin:

Speaking of Christmas, it's also coming up on your birthday, so what a way to celebrate your birthday.

Josef Newgarden:

Yeah, it's been the most special holiday season I've ever been a part of. This definitely adds to the festivities and the specialness.

But yeah, for me, it's a tremendous honor just to go through this journey of winning the Indy 500 and something I'll cherish forever and an extra motivation, I would say in a lot of ways of going back next year and trying to do it again.

Bruce Martin:

Speaking of going back next year and trying to do it again, it's going to be a different season. You're not going to have the Hybrid Assist Unit next year's Indianapolis 500. And in a lot of ways, how much interest are you paying on that project because it will be delayed to midway through the season?

Josef Newgarden:

Well, I think everybody is obviously paying attention to it pretty extensively. We know that 2024 is going to be challenging in new circumstances, which is how every year is. Every year you mark what are the challenges for the year, what do we need to be focused on, what do we need to prepare for?

So, I think everyone is just allocating brain power and resources to the way that this year is going to flow, which is going to be different than what it was in ‘23.

So, we know what the schedule looks like up to Indianapolis, and we know there's most likely going to be a change midseason and everyone's going to have to try and adjust the best of that.

Bruce Martin:

You said flat out at the unveiling that you've been asked the question numerous times, what would you rather do, win the Indianapolis 500 or the IndyCar Championship? And a lot of times you would answer by a want to win both, obviously.

The championship may be harder to win, but tonight it was a flat out, “I'd rather win the Indianapolis 500.” When did that change?

Josef Newgarden:

Well, I think I told Nathan Brown this, it's like, “Look, you can answer that question different ways at different times.” And it's still a very tough question to give one answer to. I think the goal is always to win both. That's what you're focused on. You're not going to just try and choose one.

I think the significance of the Indy 500 still remains true. And it's the most significant thing across the year, and you want to win it, but you also want to win the championship. But I definitely want to win another 500 after experiencing what it was like this season.

Bruce Martin:

So, how do you prepare to win the Indianapolis 500 in December when there's been a little bit of uncertainty going on in the IndyCar season as far as a lot of the testing was done for the hybrid unit.

When are you going to get a chance to go out and test, knowing now, you're not going to have the hybrid, so it's going to be a lighter car for the Indianapolis 500?

Josef Newgarden:

I think it'd be similar to last year in that we normally test in April, most everybody will be there. So, that process will be similar to what we've done in years past.

By that time when we're running on the oval, everybody will be together and that's what we're used to seeing every year.

Bruce Martin:

To give team owner Roger Penske his 19th Indianapolis 500 victory, I know that there's going to be a milestone coming up, whoever gives him his 20th. I'm sure you want to be that driver.

But how does it feel now to have your face up there with the Mark Donohues, and the Rick Mears, and the Bobby Unsers, and the Al Unsers and all the great drivers that have driven for Roger Penske?

Josef Newgarden:

Yeah, it's tremendously special. It's a huge honor just to be a part of all this, and to be amongst the legends. I never thought that would happen in my career. I didn't know what a career would even look like. I just like driving race cars.

So, to be here and to represent Roger Penske, would never have dreamed that. And I have the best job in the world, one of the best bosses in the world, if not the best. And excited to get back to work.

That's kind of simple as I can put it. It's just ready to jump back in and put the work in with everybody else.

Bruce Martin:

How do you reflect back on tonight to see that for the first time? What was your reaction?

Josef Newgarden:

Yeah, just special. You think about the pain, the heartache of all the years you've been here and it's not worked out, and to finally see it 12 years later, it made it all worth it in a lot of ways. So, it gives you the emotion when you first see it.

Bruce Martin:

And wrapping up here with Josef Newgarden, the winning driver of the 107th Indianapolis 500, you don't get to take home the Borg-Warner Trophy because it's the permanent trophy, but in January at the Henry Ford, you're going to get the Baby Borg and you get to keep that one.

So, is that another Christmas moment for Josef Newgarden waiting for another present?

Josef Newgarden:

I can't wait till January. I think the Baby Borg is one of the coolest trophies that you can personally have. It's the next best thing then having the actual Borg-Warner Trophy.

So, yeah, that'll be a big day to be there with Roger and to receive them together, that'll be like just the cherry on top.

Bruce Martin:

Josef Newgarden, the winning driver of the 107th Indianapolis 500, congratulations on having your face unveiled on the Borg-Warner Trophy. Good luck in the 2024 season. Thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Josef Newgarden:

Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Josef Newgarden:

Hey everybody, this is Josef Newgarden, winner of the 107th Indianapolis 500, and you're listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Bruce Martin:

Welcome back to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Michelle Collins is BorgWarner's global director marketing and communications. The Borg-Warner Trophy is one of her favorite projects of the season, but she's also involved in many great initiatives at BorgWarner, as she tells me in this exclusive interview for a Pit Pass Indy.

It's a special day for this next guest. It is Michelle Collins, director global marketing and communications for BorgWarner.

Michelle, we unveiled Josef Newgarden's face on the Borg-Warner Trophy earlier today at a special event at the Stutz Museum in Downtown Indianapolis.

I know this is one of the highlights of the season for you. It's always cool to see a driver's reaction when he sees his face on the Borg-Warner for the first time. What was your reaction to Josef's reaction?

Michelle Collins:

It just makes me smile, it does every year. That you can tell they're internally thinking about it, that it's sinking in. So, everybody has a different reaction. Some people who are more gregarious like Helio, he'd make, “Oh, I look like Tom Cruise.”

Josef is a little bit more private. And so, you can see he's really thinking about it and it's sinking in what this really means for him. But the smile on the face always says it all.

Bruce Martin:

It's always a special event. And this year, you were able to do it a week before his birthday, and in a way that's kind of cool. How were you able to manage that?

And also, being in Downtown Indianapolis is when Indianapolis finest drives by. We're doing this event before Christmas, so there is an extra festive atmosphere involved.

Michelle Collins:

Yeah. Sometimes it just works out according to their schedule. So, there's never really a target we're looking towards. It's really more when our sculptor Will Behrends is able to complete his tasks and feel like he's not being rushed as well to do the perfect work that he does on it.

So, we follow that, we get kind of a general timeline, then we go to Josef and the team and see hey, what works in their schedule.

As you know, with any Indy 500 winner, they have a lot of commitments that year after winning with their different partners and sponsors. So, we want to make it easy and fun for them.

Bruce Martin:

Josef is also a first time Indianapolis 500 winner. And I'm sure in a lot of ways that's a little extra special too, because it's like when you have a baby for the first time, they love all their kids, but yet a first time experience has to be something that makes it even more memorable.

Michelle Collins:

Yeah, I think because they're experiencing everything for the very first time, like you said. So, not knowing really the different things we do for them with the Baby Borg, with the face sculpting with Will.

And like I said, we try to make it as easy as possible for them. We don't want to make it a chore. We want to make it something that they really enjoy.

And I think after we did the sit down session with Will in North Carolina, Josef, it was all kind of falling into place for him he was like, “Wow, this is really special. This is more than I ever thought it could be.”

And I said, “Well, there's even more coming over the next months with a face unveil. And then you ultimately get the Baby Borg.”

Bruce Martin:

Do you think that the enormity of the accomplishment sinks in when they see their face on the trophy with the other winning drivers of the Indianapolis 500?

Michelle Collins:

For sure. And that just even gave me chills, I think, once they realized they're etched on there, ingrained on there in perpetuity, with all of these other greats that came before them from nearly a 100 years ago, it's really, really phenomenal.

And like Josef said in his remarks tonight, there's nothing like it.

Bruce Martin:

Speaking of nothing like it, there's nothing like being able to have this event in Indianapolis. And what's it like to see the community support of this event every year?

Michelle Collins:

It's such a cool community, just like Josef said earlier tonight. People who are from Indianapolis know, I mean, as soon as you know somebody's from there or they have ties there, there's one common thread, and that's the Indy 500.

So, it's just really cool to just kind of be back where it all happened, and it feels really organic that way.

Bruce Martin:

You've done a lot of cool things with the trophy in the past. I know when Simon Pagenaud won it back in 2019, you took it to France, the trophy's been to Japan with Takuma Sato, Josef lives in Nashville.

Are there any plans at some point to maybe have this trophy on display in Nashville, especially leading up maybe to next year's championship race that's going to be on the streets in Nashville?

Michelle Collins:

Yeah, I'm sure there will be. We don't have anything committed at this point.

And it's kind of funny how that happens because when we've had an international driver win, of course, that's the first thing they think of. They want to bring it back to their home, to their hometown and really celebrate with their community.

And I think because we had a native US driver here, it didn't come up as naturally in conversation as it did.

But I've been thinking about that a lot over the months, about that race in Nashville. What that tie-in is that we could do there. So, I would definitely love to make it happen, which I'm sure we can.

Bruce Martin:

I'm going to ask you an unfair question. It is the 34th face that sculptor William Behrends has sculpted that's on the trophy. His first one was Arie Luyendyk in 1990. What number face is it for you?

Michelle Collins:

Oh, well, I started with BorgWarner in 2013. And I started later in the year, so the race had already happened. And I was kind of getting up to speed and learning about this whole process and our involvement with IndyCar.

The very first year that I did the unveiling though was the year that Will Power won.

Bruce Martin:

Is it fair for me to ask you which of William Behrends's faces or the faces under your regime is your favorite?

Michelle Collins:

Oh, I love the shot that they showed in that video earlier about — they did a pan over the shot of all the full face figures that Will has in his studio that are cast. And we started doing that studio sit-in with Juan Pablo.

And every time I think, “Oh, yeah, I think that's the best one.” And then I see that scan of that shot and it just has me like doubting myself like, “Well, no, I actually think this one is the best.” They're all phenomenal. I feel like that's asking which of Michelangelo's works are the most epic.

But I don't know. I mean, they're all great. I guess I've never been asked that question before. I have to think about it a little bit.

Bruce Martin:

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum is being renovated so it's going to be closed till 2025. And generally, the Borg-Warner Trophy, its permanent display was always in the museum.

Where will it be housed in the meantime, and how will it be displayed so that when fans come in from out of town and want to see the Borg-Warner Trophy that they're able to see it?

Michelle Collins:

Yeah, we're working on that closely with the museum and also with IMS. So, first, in the off season, I would say we're not doing as much of it. That's usually when it's more stationary at the museum.

But there is some restoration work that I'm planning to have done to it, just some touchups to that wooden base and the black base around the bottom that needs a little bit of refurbishment. So, I'm hoping to get that done during some of this downtime and before the next race in May.

But we're in discussions collaboratively with some other museums where we're hoping to potentially have it on a temporary display. Ultimately, we want to keep it close to Indianapolis and have it somewhere where fans can enjoy it, especially during the race.

So, there's still a lot of discussion going on about that.

Bruce Martin:

Because of BorgWarner's connection to the automotive industry and because you're based in Detroit, is the Henry Ford among one of those places where it may be on display?

Michelle Collins:

Potentially. We definitely think that it would be a really neat tie-in with the Motorsports in America display that they have there right now. I was able to personally go and see that myself last week.

Phenomenal display, one of which I know Team Penske has put a lot of support into as well as a lot of local automotive OEMs like you said in the Metro Detroit area.

Bruce Martin:

And what are some of the initiatives that BorgWarner is working on now? I know that you're heavily involved in electric vehicles, and the battery, and recharging systems, and lithium and things of that nature.

What are some of the things BorgWarner's working on now, some of the new projects we can expect to see the corporation make in the future?

Michelle Collins:

Yeah. So, like you mentioned, a lot in the realm of electrification. We've done a few acquisitions this year to help bolster and I would say increase our bench strength with some of those products like charging.

I get asked the question occasionally as well, what is BorgWarner doing about combustion engines? They're obviously still on the road and will be for some time. We are not abandoning that. We still have a lot of innovative technology there.

I mean, as most people know, we have the BorgWarner turbochargers. I think that's what a lot of people in racing and just car enthusiasts in general know us for.

So, we're not abandoning that. There's still a lot of technology in there and into the future 10 years and beyond. This isn't a evolution that's going to happen overnight.

Bruce Martin:

Is BorgWarner looking with keen interest at the Hybrid Assist Unit that IndyCar is developing? It was going to start at the beginning of the 2024 season, that's now, been delayed the midway through the 2024 season.

But how keen is your interest in seeing how well that develops because it really is heading toward the future?

Michelle Collins:

Yeah. We have a lot of products for hybrid vehicles as well. And quite honestly, I mean, that's going to be a natural bridge in between the world of combustion and the world of electric, especially as that cost is still pretty high for an electric vehicle.

So, I would say general middle-class people, that's still generally unattainable for them as well as the infrastructure getting built up and everything. So, hybrid is definitely a bridge to electrification.

Bruce Martin:

And is it a cool feeling to know that you may have helped change Josef Newgarden's buy-in? Because if you had asked him midway through the season, which he appreciated more winning the Indianapolis 500 or the championship, he admitted it would've been tough for him to come to the decision.

Tonight, when he was asked the same question, he says, by far and away winning the Indianapolis 500 is a bigger throw than winning the championship. So, in a way, how cool was that to hear him say that?

Michelle Collins:

That was pretty cool. That was pretty cool. I think there's no denying that there's something just very special about winning the Indy 500 that you don't get that same comparable experience with the championship.

Bruce Martin:

As we get serenaded by the Gordon Pipers, there seems to be some symmetry there because on race day morning, the Gordon Pipers come down the front stretch of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway helping to deliver the Borg-Warner Trophy to the start finish line that's on the back of the pace car.

So, in a lot of ways today, you were able to escort in the winning driver of this year's Indianapolis 500 with the Gordon Pipers. So, in a lot of ways, do you see some symmetry in that?

Michelle Collins:

Yes. I mean, it just literally came full circle. That's kind of funny how that happened. And as soon as I hear that, I'm instantly transported to race day. I don't know if everybody feels that way, but as soon as I hear them start playing, I just feel all of the senses of that day.

Bruce Martin:

And speaking of full circle, how big of a morale for the company, how big does that boost the morale to be involved with the Borg-Warner Trophy in the Indianapolis 500? Because it really does seem to be something everybody in the BorgWarner Corporation can rally behind.

Michelle Collins:

Definitely. Of course, our employees based here in Indianapolis I'm sure feel even stronger connection to that. But globally, it's just something we're really proud of.

And I would say really, with having so many international drivers win the Indy 500 over the last 10 years, that has really brought an extra level of awareness even within our company.

So, taking the trophy back to the hometown visits, everywhere that we've gone, we've had a location. So, we've been able to also celebrate it with our employees that are in that country.

And a lot of them have told me afterwards, “Hey, I became a real fan of this. Now, I'm able to stream the race and watch it at …” Whatever time of day it is based on the time zone they're in.

So, we've brought it to Sweden, had lots of fans at our location there in Landskrona, who I found out later travel every year to come see the race.

So, I think that's done a lot, even just within our employee population to increase awareness globally.

Bruce Martin:

Josef Newgarden's face has been unveiled on the permanent Borg-Warner Trophy. Of course, he doesn't get to take that one home with him, but the end of January at the Henry Ford, he will get his Baby Borg and so will team owner, Roger Penske.

And how big is that? And in a lot of ways, that's completes the BorgWarner victory tour, as I call it.

Michelle Collins:

Exactly. Yeah, that's pretty much the pinnacle of it. I'm sure we'll have some periphery events afterwards. But yeah, I mean, these are the heavy hitters, the face unveil and the Baby Borg.

It's great, we love Team Penske, we love all the teams, but of course, we're pretty familiar with Roger with this being his 19th. So, super excited to celebrate that with him in January. Really looking forward to it.

Bruce Martin:

And then the planning begins for the 108th Indianapolis 500. You got a lot of guests, you have a lot of corporate people that you entertain at that event. It's one of the highlights of the season for you, and you get a chance to do this all over again with another winner in 2024.

Michelle Collins:

Yes. Yeah, we're very excited about that. We've already done the planning, invitations are going out, we're working on some really cool gifts as well. Always looking for something fun and interesting to give our guests and celebrate the weekend. So, we're excited.

Bruce Martin:

Michelle Collins, director global marketing and communications for BorgWarner, congratulations on another outstanding Borg-Warner Trophy unveiling with Josef Newgarden. Good luck in 2024. And thank you for joining us today on Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

Michelle Collins:

Thanks, Bruce.

Bruce Martin:

We'll be right back to Pit Pass Indy after this short break.

Will Power:

This is Will Power of Team Penske, and you are listening to Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

[Music Playing]

Bruce Martin:

And that puts a checkered flag on this edition of Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental.

We want to thank our guests, the winner of the 107th Indianapolis 500, Josef Newgarden of Team Penske and Michelle Collins, global director of marketing and communications BorgWarner Corporation for joining us on today's podcast.

Along with loyal listeners like you, our guests help make Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental, your path to victory lane in IndyCar.

And because of our guest and listeners, Pit Pass Indy is proud to be the winner of The Best Podcast by the National Motorsports Press Association.

For more IndyCar coverage, follow me at Twitter @Bruce Martin (one-word, uppercase B, uppercase M) _500.

And all of us at Pit Pass Indy presented by Penske Truck Rental, wish everyone a fantastic holiday season in 2023 and a very happy New Year entering 2024.

This has been a production of Evergreen Podcasts. A special thanks to our production team. Executive producers are Brigid Coyne and Gerardo Orlando. Recordings and edits were done by me, Bruce Martin and final mixing was done by Dave Douglas. Learn more at evergreenpodcasts.com.

Until next time, be sure to keep it out of the wall.