The 32-year-old Tennessee native, the 75th individual winner of IndyCar’s crown jewel race, was the centrepiece of the event held at the Stutz Building in Indianapolis.
The sterling silver image was crafted by sculptor Will Behrends, who was crafted every Indy 500 winner’s likeness on the trophy since 1990. Newgarden visited Behrends’s workshop in North Carolina in late September for a final sitting.
When the cloth was removed and the final result of the master craftsman’s work was revealed, it triggered Newgarden’s emotions as he reflected over contributions allowed for his #2 Team Penske to achieve victory that provided this everlasting moment.
“You just get emotional,” Newgarden told Autosport.
“I thought about the time and the effort and the sacrifice that everyone made to keep doing this. It's not just to get to this point, but then to keep doing it year after year. It's just a lot that goes into it from everybody.
“That's what hits me, is the memory and the timeline and the sacrifice that everybody puts in. It's what it makes you think about. It's what the face on the trophy represents.“
It took Newgarden 12 attempts before winning 'The Greatest Spectacle in Racing' and he is soaking up every occasion that follows.
Source: Autosport