How the Borg-Warner IndyAutomotive trophy was won despite disaster

The Indianapolis 500 just isn’t short on tradition, but Will Behrends' central role within the race's legacy – creating the race winner's likeness on the famous Borg-Warner trophy – had to leave his usual tradition after the devastation attributable to Hurricane Helene.

Helene formed within the Caribbean Sea in September of this 12 months and in only 4 days it became a Category 4 hurricane because it passed through the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall within the Big Bend region of Florida. Crushing winds reaching speeds of 140 mph left wreckage in its path in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee. More than 230 people died within the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, and the continental hurricane became the deadliest hurricane since Katrina in 2005.

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The town of Tryon, Behrends, positioned in Polk County on the foot of the Blue Ridge Escarpment in western North Carolina, has a population of about 1,600 and was amongst those hit by Helene. In particular, the state of North Carolina suffered floods, mudslides, countless fallen trees, flooded bridges and impassable roads, while leaving greater than 700,000 residents without power.

Behrends is among the many happier ones.

“There is a lot of destruction around us,” Behrends told Motorsport.com. “For the 2 weeks that we weren't down there, my wife and I were down there volunteering, carrying and handing out supplies to other people.

“We were without electricity, but we have now a generator and Starlink web, so we were lucky. We are on a hill, so it didn't flood us. Many people around us lost their homes and had nothing.

Borg-Warner Trophy

Photo: BorgWarner

What's special is that Helene went through the identical week that Josef Newgarden, winner of the last two Indy 500s, was originally scheduled to are available in – the moment Behrends adds the ultimate details to a life-size facial sculpture after which transfers it’s a small version solid in silver and installed on a historical trophy. Behrends had almost finished with Newgarden's life-size head ready for the ultimate move when the storm hit.

Behrends used a generator to power the home, however the time spent within the studio working on the ultimate stages of the clay model was made possible only by the natural light streaming in through the many windows.

“This year has already been a challenge because the final part of my process is casting these images in silver – and for the last 34 years, it has been done by one person I have trusted. And he retired,” Behrends said. “So on top of all the opposite challenges, this got here up.

“Nothing was done for 2 weeks because we had no electricity for 12 days. And that was when Josef was purported to come here. His absence here mainly took away what had develop into a really priceless tool for men – the flexibility to take a seat head to head with this person and check with him. For a portrait sculpture, which may be very priceless, because you possibly can only read a lot from the photos. You do your job higher and more pleasantly when you possibly can establish direct contact with them. We didn't have that, in order that was one other challenge.

The meetings initially began in 2015, after Juan Pablo Montoya scored his second Indy 500 victory, and that's when life-size models became a part of the method. Previously, Behrends worked with the winner for a brief 15-20 minutes the day after the race and the portraits collected from it.

Helene's influence set his practice back a decade, but added latest, specific challenges. About 60 percent of Newgarden's face was left unfinished when the “freak storm,” as Behrends calls it, hit. He wasn't sure if he would even meet the deadline.

“It came down to the wire,” he said. “Fortunately, all the things ended well. We got a extremely good product and delivered it on time, but there was loads occurring on the time.

Will Behrends works on Josef Newgarden's 2024 Indy 500 Borg-Warner Trophy face sculpt

Photo: BorgWarner

Through his illustrious profession, Behrends has spent the last 50 years creating sports-related sculptural masterpieces. In addition to the trophy, Borg-Warner created statues of Major League Baseball legends similar to Hank Aaron, Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson, most of whom survive their teams' ballparks. Looking back on this latest challenge, one can feel a way of pride in having created Newgarden's likeness, especially against the chances that Mother Nature provided.

“I'm happy with that,” Behrends said. “It's funny, it's the one thing I've done in my 50-year profession that I do 12 months after 12 months. Everything else is considered one of a sort. By doing it 12 months after 12 months, how do you retain it fresh yearly? The challenge for me is that I try to not do what I did last 12 months; to contribute just a little more to it annually. Which after 35 years becomes a bit difficult.

Newgarden, who became the primary “Greatest Show in Racing” winner since Helio Castroneves in 2001-2002, finally got to see his likeness unveiled on the Borg-Warner Trophy earlier this month during a ceremony on the Freeway in Indianapolis. Behrends was unable to be present, but at that moment the Team Penske driver smiled broadly while praising the sculptor for pushing through and completing the project.

“I think it just shows Will's character,” Newgarden told Motorsport.com. “He's such a lovely person. He has a beautiful family and has met them all, including his granddaughters. They had a lot of obstacles this year, including everyone in this region, and he still jumped ahead and did an amazing piece. He is a true professional.”

The Borg-Warner trophy featuring the face of Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden

Photo: BorgWarner

According to Governor Roy Cooper, the ruins left by Helene in North Carolina alone likely caused $53 billion in damage and repair needs, and Helene's force damaged 126,000 homes. The previous damage record was set at $17 billion by Hurricane Florence in 2018, which hit the eastern a part of the state.

“It's a really sad situation,” Behrends said. “There were a lot of trees around us, but we survived them better than most around us. Just below us in the valley is a restaurant that everyone loved because it is right on the river and has a covered bridge leading across the parking lot to the restaurant. The bridge, the restaurant, all this is gone. It's just washed away. People lost their businesses and their homes.”

One oddity, nonetheless, was the undeniable fact that considered one of the BorgWarner plants in Asheville was also within the hurricane's path, but fortunately, it and its employees were spared.

Michelle Collins, global director of promoting and public relations at BorgWarner, shared her sympathy for individuals who have experienced this aftermath. She was also grateful that Newgarden had that have last 12 months with Behrends, after winning his first Indy 500.

“It would be great to do it again this year, but I was happy he had that experience already,” Collins told Motorsport.com. “Of course it is kind of possible that he can still win. And that's what we're counting on from him. But Will, as all the time, has done a incredible job and is profiting from what he has. “

There are already thoughts that Newgarden will make history as the primary driver to win three consecutive Indy 500 races in 2025 and get a probability to return to Tryon.

“It's just unfortunate that we didn't get there this year,” Newgarden said, “but I told him I would love to have the opportunity to win three years in a row and come visit and hopefully we can get that opportunity.”