BorgWarner to Present Championship Driver's and Team Owner's Trophies at 2010 Automotive News World Congress

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Jan. 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Following his victory at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway last May, Helio Castroneves earned another permanent position on the base of the world-famous Borg-Warner Indianapolis 500 Trophy®. On Wednesday, BorgWarner Chairman and CEO Tim Manganello will recognize Castroneves' victory, presenting him with his third BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy™. Roger Penske and Timothy Cindric will also receive the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy™. The Penske Racing team has recorded fifteen Indianapolis 500 victories.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100112/DE35939)

"Both Helio and Penske Racing are part of the select few champions who can showcase multiple Baby Borgs at home. Winning the Indianapolis 500 is a tremendous feat. Winning repeat victories is exceptional achievement," said Manganello. "We congratulate Helio Castroneves and Penske Racing for their 2009 victory and look forward to presenting these personalized symbols of excellence in automotive racing."

The awards will be presented during the 2010 Automotive News World Congress held at the Detroit Marriott at the Renaissance Center in Detroit, Michigan, on January 13.

The BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy

A one-of-a-kind replica of the Borg-Warner Indianapolis 500 Trophy, the BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy is awarded each year to the winner of the Indianapolis 500. Known as the "Baby Borg" in the automotive racing world, the sterling silver trophy is 14 inches high, weighs five pounds and rests on a beveled black marble base. The base is inscribed with the winner's name and year of victory, and includes a hand-crafted, three-dimensional sterling silver image of the winner, a duplicate of the image affixed to the full-sized trophy. BorgWarner established the driver's trophy in 1988 to provide the driver with a personal keepsake of the Speedway victory.

The BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy

In 1998, the company also established the BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy as a companion to the driver's trophy. The team owner's trophy is presented to the owner of the winning Indianapolis 500 racing ream and recognizes the significance of the team owner's role in the Indy Racing League. Like the driver's trophy, the team owner's trophy is a replica of the Indianapolis 500 trophy but has a band of art-deco racing cars accentuated in gold to symbolize the importance of teamwork in the automotive business.

The Borg-Warner Indianapolis 500 Trophy

Featuring the image of every Indianapolis 500 winner sculpted in sterling silver, the Borg-Warner Indianapolis 500 Trophy is a tribute to 100 years of racing history. Since the trophy stands over five feet tall and weighs more than 100 lbs., it remains on display at the Indianapolis 500 Museum. However, it will make a special appearance during the presentation of the driver's and owner's trophies at the World Congress. For more information, visit www.borgwarner.com, and choose "The Indianapolis 500" from the "About BorgWarner" pull-down menu at the top of the home page.

The Borg-Warner Indianapolis 500 Trophy, BorgWarner Championship Driver's Trophy, and BorgWarner Championship Team Owner's Trophy are trademarks of BorgWarner Inc.

Auburn Hills, Michigan-based BorgWarner Inc. (NYSE: BWA) is a product leader in highly engineered components and systems for vehicle powertrain applications worldwide.  The FORTUNE 500 company operates manufacturing and technical facilities in 60 locations in 18 countries. Customers include VW/Audi, Ford, Toyota, Renault/Nissan, General Motors, Hyundai/Kia, Daimler, Chrysler, Fiat, BMW, Honda, John Deere, PSA, and MAN. The Internet address for BorgWarner is: http://www.borgwarner.com.  

SOURCE BorgWarner Inc.