THERMAL, Calif. – Successful the Indy 500 is a crowning achievement for driver and automobile proprietor, however for Chip Ganassi, final Might’s victory by Marcus Ericsson had which means even past simply capturing one of many world’s biggest sporting occasions.

When Ganassi was 5 years previous and rising up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his father, Floyd, attended a conference in Indianapolis in 1963. Floyd went to Indianapolis Motor Speedway to tour the monitor and go to the previous museum that used to face subsequent to the primary gate on 16^th and Georgetown.

Ganassi’s father introduced younger Chip a memento from the reward store. It was an 8-millimeter movie of the 1963 Indy 500, a race received by the legendary Parnelli Jones.

“I will need to have watched it about 1,000 instances,” Ganassi recalled. “Extra importantly than that, one thing you probably did if you had been 5 years previous remains to be with you as we speak.

“I used to be 50 years previous once I celebrated my Thanksgiving with Parnelli. It dawned on me that one thing I did once I was 5 years previous took me to once I was 50 years previous. That’s fairly particular.”

Ericsson and Ganassi had been introduced with their “Child Borgs,” the mini-replicas of the Borg-Warner Trophy, in a ceremony Feb. 2 at The Thermal Membership (which performed host to NTT IndyCar Collection preseason testing). The win within the 106th Indy 500 marked the sixth time a Ganassi driver received the most important race on the planet.

Ganassi will flip 65 on Might 24, simply 4 days earlier than the 107^th Indianapolis 500 on Might 28. The 2023 race will mark the 60^th anniversary of the victory by Jones, who’s now the oldest residing winner of the Indianapolis 500 at 89.

Jones needed to do one thing particular for Ericsson and Ganassi, so every was given framed photographs personally inscribed by Jones.

“Congratulations Marcus Ericsson and my good buddy Chip Ganassi on profitable the 2022 Indianapolis 500,” Jones stated in remarks conveyed by BorgWarner publicist Steve Shunck. “There isn’t a better race in the entire world and profitable it in 1963 was by far the most important thrill in my life.”

Ganassi’s relationship along with his racing hero started 60 years in the past, however the two have shared some essential moments since then.

It was Jones that signed off on Ganassi’s first Indianapolis 500 license in 1982. Jones was one of many veteran observers who labored with Ganassi and different rookie drivers that 12 months to make sure they had been able to competing within the high-speed, high-risk Indianapolis 500.

When Ganassi turned 50, he bought to rejoice Thanksgiving dinner with Jones.

“We’ve been mates over time,” Ganassi advised NBC Sports activities. “He wrote me a private notice and despatched me some private pictures. It actually says what this race is all about and the way essential it’s to win the most important auto race on the planet.”

Michelle Collins, the director of world communications and advertising and marketing for BorgWarner, introduced the “Child Borgs,” first to Ganassi after which to Ericsson.

“Extra particular is profitable the Indianapolis 500,” Ganassi stated through the presentation. “It’s been a giant a part of my life. I wish to name out my buddy, Roger Penske, and thank him for the stewardship of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and what it means to us. It’s concerning the historical past, the custom and, to me, it’s concerning the people who have meant a lot in my life.

“Thanks for the trophy, Marcus.”

The Child Borg presentation additionally got here on the birthday of sculptor William Behrends, who has crafted the Bas-relief sterling silver face of every winner on the Borg-Warner Trophy since 1990. The “Child Borg” presents every winner with a miniature of probably the most well-known trophies in sports activities.

“I’ve to thank BorgWarner for every part that has occurred since profitable the Indianapolis 500, together with the journey to Sweden,” stated Ericsson, who took a November victory lap in his native nation. “I’m very grateful for that as a result of it’s reminiscences which might be going to be with me for the remainder of my life.

“To convey the Borg-Warner Trophy to my hometown, seeing all of the folks there on town sq. on a darkish day in the midst of November. It was stuffed with folks and that was very particular.

“I’m very proud and honored to be a part of Chip Ganassi Racing. To win the Indianapolis 500 with that staff is sort of an honor. It’s a staff effort and lots of people labored very exhausting to make this occur.

“Our focus now could be to go back-to-back on the Indy 500.”

If Ericsson is profitable in changing into the primary driver to win back-to-back Indy since Helio Castroneves in 2001-02, he can acquire an extra $420,000 within the Borg-Warner Rollover Bonus. With Castroneves the final driver to gather, the bonus has grown to an astronomical quantity over 21 years.

Ericsson is from Kumla, Sweden, so the $420,000 would have an trade price of $4,447,641.67 Swedish Kronor.

“It’s a pleasant factor to know I might get that if I do win it once more,” Ericsson advised NBC Sports activities. “However the Indianapolis 500 with its historical past as the most important and biggest race on the planet, it doesn’t matter with the cash, with the factors, with something. Everybody goes to go on the market and do every part to win that race.

“It’s nice to know that, however I’ll race simply as exhausting.”

A preferred slogan in racing is “Chip Likes Winners.” After profitable the 106^th Indy 500, Ganassi should actually love Ericsson.

“It doesn’t get a lot larger than that, does it? I’m very grateful to be driving for Chip,” Ericsson stated. “He likes winners and profitable the Indianapolis 500, it doesn’t get higher than that.”

When Ericsson was introduced along with his Child Borg, he stood off to the aspect and admired it the way in which a baby seems at a particular reward on Christmas morning. The wide-eyed amazement of his career-defining second was straightforward to learn and met with delight by executives of BorgWarner (an automotive and expertise firm that has sponsored the Borg-Warner Trophy since its 1935 debut).

“I observed that instantly and I used to be watching him take a look at it wishing I had a digital camera to seize that,” Collins advised NBC Sports activities. “However possibly not as a result of we at all times have our telephones in entrance of us and it’s good to soak up that second as it’s. That’s what makes the second effectively price it.”

Stated BorgWarner govt vice chairman and chief strategic officer Paul Farrell: “It’s very particular to have the large trophy that has been round since 1935 and to have a chunk of that. Hopefully it’s one thing that (Ericsson) cherishes. We predict it’s particular, and clearly, Marcus Ericsson thinks it is extremely particular.”

The trophy course of begins shortly after the race because the winner has the famed Borg-Warner Wreath positioned round his neck, and the Borg-Warner Trophy is placed on the engine cowl. The following morning, the winner meets with Behrends, who has been sculpting the faces on the trophy since Arie Luyendyk’s first victory in 1990. Later within the 12 months, the winner visits Behrends’ studio in Tryon, North Carolina, for a “Reside Examine.”

The method takes a number of extra steps earlier than the face is diminished to the scale of an egg and casted in sterling silver. It’s connected to the everlasting Borg-Warner Trophy and unveiled at a ceremony later within the 12 months. Ericsson’s face was unveiled final October throughout a ceremony in Indianapolis.

That’s when it hit Ericsson, a three-time winner in IndyCar after going winless in Formulation One over 97 begins from 2014-18.

“Till then, it was unusual since you are so busy along with your season proper after the Indy 500 you don’t actually get a lot time to take a seat again and take into consideration what you had completed,” Ericsson stated. “It was the offseason earlier than I actually realized what I had accomplished.”

The everlasting trophy stays on show at Indianapolis Motor Speedway however has been recognized to journey with the profitable driver on particular excursions, such because the Nov. 3-7 journey to Sweden.

“It’s been unbelievable to see the quantity of curiosity in me and the IndyCar Collection and the Indy 500,” Ericsson stated. “The trophy tour with the Borg-Warner Trophy we did in November actually made a huge effect in Sweden. I used to be on each TV present, morning TV, magazines, newspapers, in all places. Persons are speaking about IndyCar racing. Persons are speaking about Marcus Ericsson. It’s been enormous.

“I used to be again in Sweden final month for the Swedish Sports activities Awards and I completed third within the Sports activities Efficiency of the 12 months. Motorsports is often not even nominated there, and I completed third. That claims loads concerning the curiosity and help I’ve gotten again dwelling in Sweden.”

Ericsson continued to reap the rewards of his Indianapolis 500 victory final week on the lavish Thermal Membership, a few 45-minute drive from Palm Springs, California.

Earlier within the day earlier than the Child Borg presentation, Ericsson, and Chip Ganassi had been among the many 27 car-driver mixtures that accomplished the primary day of IndyCar’s “Spring Coaching” on the 17-turn, 3.067-mile highway course. The following day, Ericsson turned the take a look at’s quickest lap.

The 32-year-old nonetheless appears to be using the wave, alongside along with his girlfriend, Iris Tritsaris Jondahl, a Greece native who additionally lived in Sweden and now lives with Ericsson in Indianapolis.

“Immediately, receiving my Child Borg, it was one other factor of constructing it actual,” Ericsson stated. “It’s not a dream. It’s actuality. To get the Child Borg and produce it dwelling. My girlfriend, Iris, and I are home searching, in search of a home in Indianapolis. It would undoubtedly have a really particular place in our new dwelling.”

Ericsson advised NBC Sports activities his most cherished trophy earlier than getting his Child Borg was for his first NTT IndyCar Collection win within the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix in 2021.

“It was such an enormous win for me and such an enormous breakthrough for me and my profession,” he stated. “After that, it catapulted me right into a prime driver in IndyCar.”

The Brickyard win was one other stage for Ericsson, who moved to Ganassi in 2020.

“Marcus saved himself within the race all day,” Chip Ganassi Racing managing director Mike Hull advised NBC Sports activities. “Anyone that ran a race like Marcus ran, possibly you deserve the race win, however you don’t at all times get it. Marcus did every part that it took, and we’re actually, actually happy with him.”

Ericsson additionally proved final 12 months to be among the finest oval drivers within the sequence, a a lot completely different type of racing than he skilled till he got here to america.

“Racing in Europe and around the globe, I at all times preferred high-speed corners,” he defined. “It was at all times my favourite. I at all times had this concept if I am going to IndyCar and race on the ovals, it’s one thing that might go well with me and my driving type. I used to be at all times excited to attempt that. After I got here to IndyCar and began to drive on ovals, I preferred it right away. It labored for me and my type.

“The primary few makes an attempt at Indy, I had good velocity, but it surely was at all times some small errors that bought me out of competition. I realized from them. I’m very proud I used to be in a position to pull it off, but it surely was a variety of exhausting work behind that.”

The victory within the Indianapolis 500 is etched in historical past, as is Ericsson’s face on the trophy.

“It’s such a particular factor,” the motive force stated. “The BorgWarner folks and IndyCar and everybody at IMS, I get to expertise so many cool issues since profitable the Indy 500. It’s a win that retains on giving. It by no means ends. It nonetheless does.

“I can’t wait to get again to Indianapolis, the month of Might, because the champion. I nonetheless should pinch myself. It’s a dream, for certain.”

Ganassi doesn’t should pinch himself — all he must do is take a look at his assortment of Child Borgs.

His first Indy 500 win — as a staff co-owner with Pat Patrick — got here in 1989 with Emerson Fittipaldi’s thrilling duel towards Al Unser Jr.

In 1990, Ganassi shaped Chip Ganassi Racing. Juan Pablo Montoya received the Indianapolis 500 in 2000, Scott Dixon in 2008, Dario Franchitti in 2010 and 2012 and Ericsson in 2022.

“It’s a feather within the staff’s cap for certain simply to have our illustration on the Borg-Warner Trophy with 5 different drivers,” Ganassi stated. “It’s a testomony to the staff, a testomony to Mike Hull that runs the staff in Indianapolis. I simply really feel actually fortunate to be part of it. It’s nice to work with a fantastic staff of nice folks.

“Simply to relive that second repeatedly by no means will get previous; by no means goes away. I’m actually fortunate to be within the place I’m in. It’s an honor to signify the staff with the nice people who it took to convey Marcus throughout the end line. He and I get to rejoice occasions like this, but it surely’s actually concerning the folks at Chip Ganassi Racing in Indianapolis that pull this all collectively.”

Follow Bruce Martin on Twitter at @BruceMartin_500