The checkered flag at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway brings immediate fame, the iconic sip of milk, and a place in the record books. But for the winner, the true weight of their achievement doesn't sink in until months later, when they stand in a quiet studio in Tryon, N.C., staring at a life-size version of their own face made of clay.
This is the world of William Behrends, the man who has sculpted every winning face on the Borg-Warner Trophy since 1990, and Reid Smith, the master engraver who hand-etches the final details into history.
The Studio Ritual: A Life-Size Study
The journey from athlete to icon is a multi-month transformation. While the winner is often still processing the adrenaline of the bricks, the work begins on the Monday morning after the race with a high-tech 360-degree headshot session. These photos serve as Behrends’ initial blueprint.
For 2025 winner Alex Palou, the process reached a critical milestone in September when he visited Behrends’ North Carolina studio for a formal in-person sitting. Behrends insists on creating a life-size clay bust first, even though the final silver face on the trophy is only about the size of an egg.
"The time I get to spend with the person is very valuable," Behrends has said. During Palou's visit, he sat with "Clay Alex" while Behrends refined the smallest details, a specific smile line or the crinkle of the eyes, to ensure the likeness captured the driver's personality. If a driver cannot make the trip, Behrends is forced to work purely from photography, a challenge he faced with Josef Newgarden’s 2024 win due to scheduling conflicts. But the "in-person" sitting remains the gold standard for approval. Once the driver sees the clay likeness and gives a nod, the face is locked in.
Stay IN the Know
Get the best of Indiana delivered to your inbox every week.
The Miniature Miracle: From Clay to Sterling Silver
Once the life-size study is approved, the technical "shrinking" begins. Behrends doesn't use a machine; he uses the large model as a visual reference to hand-sculpt a miniature version in oil-based clay.
The transition from clay to silver utilizes the ancient lost-wax casting method:
The Rubber Mold: A mold is made of the miniature clay face using polysulfide rubber and plaster. This mold is exactly the size of the final trophy face.
The Red Wax: Wax is poured into the rubber mold to create a replica.
The Final Cast: This wax face is encased in a ceramic shell and melted away. Molten sterling silver is poured into the void, creating the final bas-relief image.
The Engraver’s Steady Hand
While the silver face is being cast, the trophy itself undergoes a transformation in late October or November. Reid Smith, an engraver based in Charlotte, N.C., takes on the high-pressure role of adding the text.
Smith’s process is a feat of physical endurance. He turns the 110-pound trophy, often cradling the base on a flannel pillowcase filled with rice, to move it precisely without scratching the silver. He coats the surface in wax, hand-draws the design with a pencil, and then uses a hand-graver to permanently etch the driver's name, the year, and the average speed. One slip of his tool would be a permanent, multi-million dollar mistake.
Stay IN the Know
Get the best of Indiana delivered to your inbox every week.
The Permanent Addition
The final assembly happens just before the official unveiling in December. The silver face isn't glued; it is mechanically fastened. Each face has a threaded stud on the back that passes through a pre-drilled hole in the trophy’s silver skin, secured from the inside with a nut.
For multiple-time winners like Palou or Newgarden, the process starts from scratch every time. Behrends ignores previous years' sculptures to capture the driver as they are that year, ensuring that the trophy tells a true story of time passing.
Key Insider Details:
The World's Most Valuable Trophy: Commissioned in 1935 for $10,000, the Borg-Warner is now valued at over $3.5 million.
The "Helmet" Exception: Only one driver appears on the trophy with a helmet: Tom Sneva (1983). Every other winner appears bare-headed.
The "Baby Borg": While the main trophy stays at the IMS Museum, winners receive a 14-inch replica called the "Baby Borg," which features a duplicate of the same silver face.
If you're heading to the Speedway this May, our Indy 500 racing lingo guide and the Indy 500 bucket list will help you make the most of race weekend. For everything else happening this month, May in Indy is the full breakdown.
For more Indy 500 history and Indiana stories, check out what's happening across Indiana and sign up for the Get Indiana newsletter.