INDIANAPOLIS — If Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden becomes the first driver since Helio Castroneves to win the Indianapolis 500 in back-to-back years with a win in this year’s Indy 500, he will collect an additional $440,000 from BorgWarner.
That is what BorgWarner’s Rollover Jackpot has increased since it was last taken by Castroneves in 2002. That is the last time a driver has won the Indy 500 in consecutive years.
Castroneves’ first Indy 500 win was 2001.
Newgarden won his first Indianapolis 500 last year and is the only driver eligible in this year’s race to score back-to-back victories.
The BorgWarner rollover was established in 1995 with the amount of the jackpot increasing by $20,000 each year.
Castroneves is the only driver to collect the jackpot.
“Well, that would be pretty cool,” Newgarden said. “There’s no doubt about it, Helio sets a pretty high bar. It was incredible being his teammate for a couple years and seeing the way he works around the Speedway here. So, I would love to emulate him, be able to go back-to-back, the first person to do it in a long time.
“And I know this team’s motivated, so it would mean a lot to the 2 car.”
Although Castroneves is the only driver to win back-to-back Indianapolis 500s, there were four previous drivers that won the Indy 500 in consecutive years prior to the inception of the BorgWarner rollover.
The first Indianapolis 500 was in 1911 and the first driver to win in consecutive years was Wilbur Shaw in 1939 and 1940. Mauri Rose won the 500-Mile Race in 1947 and 1948, Bill Vukovich in 1953 and 1954 and Al Unser went back-to-back in 1970 and 1971.
Prior to that back-to-back wins have happened just four times since the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911 – 1939 and 1940 Wilbur Shaw, 1947 and 1948 Mauri Rose, 1953 and 1954 Bill Vukovich and 1970 and 1971 Al Unser.
Newgarden raced to his first Indianapolis 500 victory in 2023.
The prize money can only be claimed by a driver who wins the Indianapolis 500 in back-to-back years. Each year, the jackpot increases by an additional $20,000 and continues until the next driver wins the race in consecutive years.
“BorgWarner looks forward to the excitement of the Indianapolis 500 every year, and we’re thrilled to increase the stakes even further for Josef Newgarden this year with the rolling jackpot prize,” said Frédéric Lissalde, President and CEO, BorgWarner. “We’re anxious to see if Newgarden will meet me in Victory Circle for the second consecutive year and cash in on the jackpot for the first time in over 20 years.”
Last year, in 2024, Josef Newgarden won $3.666 million for winning the Indy 500.
But in Newgarden’s mind, the Indianapolis 500 could pay nothing, and the drivers would fight just as hard for the fame and glory and the accomplishment that comes with winning the World’s Biggest Race.
“You said it perfectly even if even if nothing was paid out, we would be here and we would want to win this race,” Newgarden said. “The Indianapolis 500 means everything to us, but extra money is a motivator, and it would be great to have this bonus.
“Borg Warner is such a tremendous partner of the Speedway and of this iconic event. They are the custodian of the iconic trophy of the Indianapolis 500.
“It’s pretty cool that they provide this opportunity, and let’s see if we can get it done.”