It’s a trophy Henry Ford himself would love.
The winner of this Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Homestead-Miami Speedway will be taking home a trophy, but in this case, the new trophy represents a unique part of Ford Racing history.
For the first time, Homestead-Miami Speedway and Ford Racing collaborated on a special race winner’s trophy unlike any other in the sport.
The trophy features an exact replica of the steering wheel of Henry Ford’s first race car – the 1901 Sweepstakes racer – which is on display at Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. Mr. Ford drove Sweepstakes to an upset victory in his one and only race on Oct. 10, 1901, a win that helped attract the investors who would help him start Ford Motor Company in June, 1903.
“We’re pleased that the winner of the Ford EcoBoost 400 will get such a unique trophy,” said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors and great-grandson of Henry Ford. “The steering wheel visually represents the start of the Ford Racing program 113 years ago, and the winner of it will need to do the same thing great-grandfather did that day – defeat the best drivers in America.”
In addition to the steering wheel on the top, the base of the trophy features a plaque that includes an engraving of Henry Ford and his riding mechanic – Spider Huff – in action from 1901.
The Ford EcoBoost 400, which will decide the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship, will take place at 3:00 pm ET this coming Sunday, live on ABC television.
Ford Racing PR
