“Unbelievably honored”- Josef Newgarden unveils his next goal after second consecutive Borg-Warner Trophy’s Indy 500 accolade

Team Penske star Josef Newgarden shed light on his goals following his back-to-back Indianapolis 500 success. He became the first driver since Helio Castroneves to achieve this accolade for two consecutive seasons.

Having won the Indy Lights series in 2011, the Tennessee native joined the IndyCar Series in 2012. The 33-year-old driver, after impressing with his initial performances, joined Team Penske in the 2017 campaign, emerging victorious in the series in the same campaign.

Newgarden won the championship again in 2019 before three back-to-back runner-up finishes. Despite his success in open-wheel racing, the one accolade that eluded Newgarden's resume was the all-prestigious Indy 500. Despite coming close on multiple occasions, the Team Penske man failed to emerge victorious in 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing'.

That was until the 2023 campaign, where, in a rain-affected weekend, Josef Newgarden fended off all competition to claim the Borg-Warner Trophy for the first time in his career in the 107th running of the event. The Hendersonville, Tennessee native went on to double this feat, writing his name in the history books and winning the Indy 500 race back-to-back in 2024.

For the second season in a row, the Borg-Warner Trophy featured Newgarden's likeness in sterling silver in the unveiling ceremony at COhatch Polk Stables. Speaking about this achievement, the 33-year-old said, via Forbes:

"Having my face added to the Borg-Warner Trophy is one of the coolest parts about winning the race. Seeing the finished product, with two side-by-side images of my face, is an unbelievable honor, and I look forward to hopefully adding a third likeness to the row after this year’s Indy 500."

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Josef Newgarden joins elite company after 2024 Indy 500 win

With his second straight victory, Josef Newgarden joined an exclusive group of drivers who have achieved consecutive Indy 500 wins. This elite list includes legends like Wilbur Shaw (1939-1940), Mauri Rose (1947-1948), Bill Vukovich (1953-1954), Al Unser (1970-1971), and Helio Castroneves (2001-2002).

Newgarden's success also marked a milestone for Team Penske, as it was their 20th Indy 500 victory. Furthermore, it was also the second Indy 500 win for the Team Penske No. 2 Chevrolet, the same team Newgarden won his two championships with.

BorgWarner's Global Director of Marketing and Public Relations, Michelle Collins, highlighted the significance of Newgarden's achievement. He said in a press release via Forbes:

"Today is a special day for Josef and BorgWarner. Josef is one of only six drivers to win back- to-back Indianapolis 500 victories in the race’s 113-year history, and unveiling his face on this spectacular trophy cements his mark not only in IndyCar, but all of motorsports."

“BorgWarner is honored to uphold the tradition of the Borg-Warner Trophy and celebrate Josef’s historic 2024 Indianapolis 500 win.”

Josef Newgarden will return with the No. 2 Chevy team in the 2025 campaign, aiming to make it three in a row at the grandest stage of them all, the Indy 500.