Championship Trophies and 1st, 2nd, 3rd Place Awards

Short answer

A championship trophy goes to whoever won the whole season: a series champion, a class champion, a league or club champion. It should be the largest and most finished piece on the table, and the second place trophy, third place and the rest of the points places should look like they came from the same family, only smaller and simpler. We design the champion piece and the points-places set together from your logo, in cut, layered and printed acrylic, wood and metal. There is no minimum order, design is free, and you approve a proof before anything is produced.

Wood plaque with a printed acrylic face for the AMA Vintage Dirt Track National Championship Series, carrying a large number one

One family, from the champion down to tenth

The most common mistake with season-end awards is ordering the champion’s trophy from one place and the rest of the top ten from another. On the night, the champion holds something that looks nothing like what fourth place is holding, and the photos show it.

The better approach is a single design that steps down. The champion gets a layered acrylic showpiece with the most depth and the most metal. The runner-up and third place get championship acrylic plaques in the same artwork. Fourth through tenth get HD Series or WB Series semi-custom awards carrying the same graphics on a stock body, with only the placing changed.

This works for any sport or league, not only racing. For the full season-end picture, including coaches, volunteers and sponsors, start at end-of-season awards.

What a championship set is made of

Champion showpiece

Two or three layers of cut acrylic over a printed back panel, often with a metal accent. The one piece nobody else gets.

Championship plaques

Printed acrylic plaques cut to the shape of your logo. Used for class champions, or for second and third overall.

Points places, semi-custom

HD or WB Series bodies with your artwork, sized down the order. The practical choice for a top ten in every class.

MVP and category awards

Most valuable player, rookie, most improved. Same artwork, a different title line, so they sit with the championship set.

Perpetual champion’s award

Stays with the league or club and gains a plate each year. The champion takes home a keeper as well.

Racing champions

Series and class champions across motocross, karting, dirt track and the rest of motorsport.

First, second and third place: how the placings differ

A 1st place trophy should be obviously bigger than second, and second obviously bigger than third. Small steps get lost in a photo. The table below is a layout we use as a starting point; the exact sizes depend on how many places you award and how much room the presentation table has.

How championship placings usually step down
Placing	Typical piece	Size in the set	Finish
Champion	Layered acrylic showpiece, cut to the logo	Largest	Two or three layers, metal accent, champion title line
2nd place	Championship acrylic plaque or HD Series with an added layer	A clear step down	One added layer, same artwork
3rd place	Championship acrylic plaque or HD Series	Smaller again	Printed, single layer
4th and 5th	HD Series	Mid-size	Printed, placing on the footer
6th to 10th	WB Series or plate awards	Smallest	Printed, placing and class on the footer

The HD Series runs from 10 to 20 inches and the WB Series from 10 to 16 inches, so a top ten can step down evenly without changing the artwork. Single-round podiums often use plate awards for the same reason.

Series, class, league and club champions

Who counts as a champion depends on how your season is scored, and that decides the count before anything is designed.

Series champion. One overall title across every round. Usually the biggest piece on the table.
Class or division champion. One per class. A motocross series with fourteen classes has fourteen of these, and they should be identical except for the class name.
League champion. A team or individual that won the regular season or the playoffs. Some leagues award both.
Club champion. Golf, bowling, shooting and car clubs often crown one member a year, frequently on a perpetual.

How many points places to award per class, what to do about ties and who is eligible are covered in points championship awards. What to engrave on each piece is in championship trophy wording.

Perpetual champion’s award with yearly plates

Many leagues and clubs keep one award that never leaves: the role a traditional champion’s cup plays. Ours is built in acrylic, wood and metal, with room for a name plate for each year. The champion is photographed with it at the banquet, it goes back on display, and they take home a smaller keeper in the same design.

Valley Bowling League
League Champions
2026 · Pin Pushers

Plan the number of plates before the first one is engraved, and decide whether the perpetual travels with the champion for a year. Perpetual trophies covers plate planning and what happens when it fills up.

What to send us

The league, series or club name and your logo in the best file you have.
The list of champions: overall, each class or division, and any category awards.
How many places each class receives, so the set can step down evenly.
Whether a perpetual is part of it, and how many years of plates to plan.
The date the awards must be in your hands.

Standings are often final only shortly before the banquet, so send the design and the count early and the names last. Lead times depend on the order and the time of year; contact us for the current lead time against your date, and see how far in advance to order.

Championship Trophies FAQs

What is the difference between a championship trophy and a first place trophy?

A first place trophy is for winning one event or round. A championship trophy is for winning the season, usually on points or in a playoff, and is normally larger and more finished than any single-round award.

How much bigger should first place be than second place?

Enough that the difference shows in a photo. We usually step each placing down one size and remove a layer or the metal accent, while keeping the artwork identical.

Can the champion award match the rest of the top ten?

Yes, and it should. We design the champion showpiece and the points-places awards from the same artwork so the whole set reads as one family.

Do you make championship trophies for sports other than racing?

Yes. Leagues, clubs and schools order them for bowling, softball, golf, esports, shooting and more. The approach is the same: one design, stepped down by placing.

Is there a minimum order for championship trophies?

No. One champion’s award is a normal order, and so is a full top ten for every class.

Can we reuse the design next season?

Yes. The design can be reordered with the year changed, so this season’s champions and next season’s match.

What materials are they made from?

Acrylic, wood and metal, cut, layered and printed in our shop in Carson City, Nevada. We do not make glass or crystal awards.

Racer in a helmet raising both arms as gold confetti falls under stage lights

STANDINGS NEARLY FINAL?

Send the champions list and we will design the set

Send your logo, the champions and how many places each class receives. We design the full set and send a proof for approval before anything is produced.

No minimum order, and the design can be reordered next season.

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Championship Trophies