INDYCAR will crown its 2019 NTT IndyCar Series champion Sept. 22 at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca and to the victor goes the historic Astor Cup, which dates to 1915.

Originally known as the Astor Challenge Cup, the sterling silver trophy was commissioned by Vincent Astor for a 350-mile race on a 2-mile board track in Sheepshead Bay, N.Y. That inaugural race was held in October 1915 with a purse of $50,000, a figure matching the Indianapolis 500 purse of that year. Gil Anderson and the Stutz team outlasted a field of 20 to win in 3 hours, 24 minutes, 42 seconds.

The names of all Indy car champions through the years are laser-etched into the three black granite bases supporting the trophy that keeps a permanent home in the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum. The winning driver and team receive a replica trophy.

For “Wednesday’s Word,” members of the INDYCAR community describe the Astor Cup in a single word.

“Iconic”

Graham Rahal, driver of Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing’s No. 15 United Rentals Honda

“Chrome”

Dale Coyne, owner of Dale Coyne Racing and a former Indy car driver

“Historical”

Tyler Bell, Harding Steinbrenner Racing engineer

“Champion”

Barry Wanser, manager of competition, Chip Ganassi Racing

“Heroic”

Santino Ferruci, driver of Dale Coyne Racing’s No. 19 Cly-Del Manufacturing Honda

“Need another"

Ryan Hunter-Reay, driver of Andretti Autosport’s No. 28 DHL Honda and the 2012 INDYCAR champion

“Completeness”

Charlie Kimball, driver of Carlin’s No. 23 Tresiba Chevrolet

“Goal”

Brian Barnhart, president of Harding Steinbrenner Racing

“Championship”

Will Power, driver of Team Penske’s No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet and the 2014 INDYCAR champion

INDYCAR concludes its 17-race season with the Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey on Sunday, Sept. 22. Television coverage will begin on NBC at 2:30 p.m. ET (11:30 a.m. PT local) with the green flag scheduled for 3:15 p.m. (12:15 p.m. local). Live radio broadcasts will be available on the Advance Auto Parts INDYCAR Radio Network and SiriusXM Satellite Radio (XM 205, Sirius 98, Internet/App 970).