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Fox News
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Fox News
'Winners Drink Milk': Inside the iconic dairy celebration at the Indy 500
Editor's note: Alex Palou has won his first-ever Indianapolis 500, which means he'll have a glass of milk waiting for him at the finish line. But what kind of milk will it be? This story was originally published on May 21. Bruce MartinSpecial to INDIANAPOLIS — Two of the greatest traditions of the Indianapolis 500 began in the same year when Louis Meyer became the first three-time winner of the Memorial Day Classic at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It was the first year for the Borg-Warner Trophy, the incredibly impressive silver trophy that has become one of the most iconic trophies in the world. Although the winner doesn't get to keep the permanent Borg-Warner Trophy, a sterling silver bas-relief likeness of the winner's face is attached to the trophy along with the other winning drivers in the history of the Indy 500. The second tradition, however, began organically — literally. When Meyer pulled into Victory Lane after 200 grueling laps that make up the 500 miles in the race, he was thirsty. He asked for a cold bottle of buttermilk, and he drank as photographers snapped photos of the celebration. The following day, many newspapers around the United States featured the photo of the winning driver of the Indianapolis 500 drinking from a bottle of milk. It was the birth of a legend. But first, a backstory few people might know. The actual buttermilk back in the 1930s, was actually different than today's strong-tasting, acidic buttermilk that is used in baking and brining. It would be considered "sweet cream" by today's dairy standards. Brooke Williams, the Director of Communications for the American Dairy Association of Indiana, knows the real story of what happened on May 30, 1936. "The buttermilk that Louis Meyer drank was back when they churned butter and took the cream off the top of the butter," Williams told me. "That was the buttermilk that Louis Meyer wanted. That sweet, rich, buttermilk. "Today's buttermilk is made for baking, and it should probably stay that way." Ed Carpenter actually wants buttermilk if he wins the 109th Indianapolis 500 on Sunday to keep Meyer's buttermilk tradition. "When Ed Carpenter says, 'I want buttermilk again,' we say, 'Let's see you drink actual buttermilk and maybe you'll want whole milk,'" Williams said. Whole milk is the preferred choice for the winning drivers because it looks much better in photos than skim, which has the fat removed and is thinner. Two percent is also an option. "Whole milk is trending," Williams said. "Twenty-nine of the 33 drivers chose whole milk. But we have had a winner with skim milk." If three-time INDYCAR champion Alex Palou wins the Indy 500, his choice in milk is easy. "Whole milk," Palou told me. "Whole milk always. The Indy 500 is about traditions and I do not think you can go with half-measures at the Indy 500. "Whole milk it is. If there were double whole milk, I would just get that. But cream would be too much." So far, no driver who chose chocolate milk has won the Indianapolis 500. But there was the time in 2021 when four-time Indianapolis 500-winning driver Helio Castroneves put powdered strawberry in his bottle of milk, creating a pinkish hue that befuddled the dairy representatives in Victory Lane. "When Helio won a few years back, he drank a sip of the white milk, then somebody handed him a bag of powdered strawberry like a Nesquik, and he added it to the milk bottle and our hearts dropped wondering what was going on as we watched him drink it. "His car was pink that year and he wanted strawberry milk." But there was no bigger controversy than Emerson Fittipaldi's victory celebration after he won the 1993 Indianapolis 500. It was Fittipaldi's second Indy 500 win and the two-time Formula One champion and two-time INDYCAR champion from Brazil pushed away the bottle of milk and drank a bottle of fresh-squeezed orange juice. Fittipaldi owned a massive orange grove in Brazil and was attempting to go off-script and promote the Brazilian orange juice industry. Indy 500 officials quickly intervened and told Fittipaldi if he didn't drink the milk in victory lane, his winner's check would be much "lighter." Fittipaldi relented and drank the milk, but by then the television cameras had already switched to another postrace interview. The "Orange-gate" controversy lives to this day. "I remember when I was back in elementary school when that happened and I had never even gone to the Indy 500 and I knew about it then," Williams said. "It is definitely something we remember. "When his grandson (Pietro) was a rookie a few years back, he made sure to tell me he would drink the milk if he won. "I know Emerson after the fact knew he should have drank the milk first." There is one form of milk that a driver cannot have, and it's raw milk that gained attention from the organic crowd. "We tell them every year raw milk is illegal in Indiana, so that takes care of that," Williams said. "We are accommodating several drivers this year who are lactose intolerant, so we will have a lactose-free option for those drivers. "Otherwise, it's whole milk, 2 percent and skim." Although Meyer was the first to drink milk in Victory Lane after the Indianapolis 500, it didn't become an annual tradition until 1956. The owner of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at the time was Tony Hulman, and he made the Bottle of Milk a permanent part of the Victory Lane celebration. Winning driver Pat Flaherty savored the first "official" swig of milk after his 1956 victory. In 1975, the American Dairy Association of Indiana established a new award for the first-time drivers — the Fastest Rookie Award. On Tuesday, pole winner Robert Shwartzman of Prema Racing was honored at a luncheon along with Indiana Dairy Farmers at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Shwartzman is both the fastest rookie in the race and the fastest qualifier in the race. The last time that happened was Teo Fabi in 1983. The rookies in this year's race all took turns milking a cow named "Indy" — a popular dairy cow that also appears at the Indiana State Fair every August. Dairy Farmers became part of the tradition in 2005 when a rookie and veteran dairy farmer handed the bottle of milk to winning driver Sam Hornish, Jr. In 2006, the pre-race preference poll began as drivers could choose between whole, 2 percent or skim milk. For the 100th Indianapolis 500 in 2016, the 350,000 fans in attendance were given bottles of milk to drink in synch with race winner Alexander Rossi, who was also that year's Fastest Rookie Award winner. "Since 1936, milk has been a staple at the Indianapolis 500 and is now a tradition the Indiana Dairy Farmers hold near and dear to their heart," Williams said. "Every year that bottle of milk represents almost 700 dairy farmers in the state of Indiana, but also a worldwide audience. "A lot of milk fans take on that 'Winner's Drink Milk' mentality and we are very happy Louis Meyer started it in 1936." The American Dairy Association of Indiana gives each of the 33 drivers in the Indianapolis 500 starting lineup their choice of whole milk, skim milk or 2 percent milk if they win the race. That means there are three different bottles awaiting the winner, along with more bottles for the winning team owner. At one time, chocolate milk, was an option. The "Bottle of Milk" is deeply rooted in the history of the Indianapolis 500. It's as much a tradition of the race as the singing of "Back Home Again, in Indiana." "In 1936, Louis Meyer drank a bottle of buttermilk in Victory Lane and ever since then, it has become a symbol of victory and a tradition here at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway," IndyCar and Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Doug Boles said. "With more than 115 years of history (at the Speedway), our traditions are something that united new and old fans alike. "At Indy, 'Winners Drink Milk.'" Eighty-nine years after Meyer drank buttermilk after winning the Indianapolis 500, it was the birth of a movement for the dairy industry. "In 1936, to have Louis Meyer be an advocate for dairy that long ago and for the Indianapolis Motor Speedway to see what that meant at that time and be carried out for so many years and the appreciation that the milk tradition means for the Indianapolis 500 and for the drivers, it's something our dairy farmers are proud of to make that happen," Williams said. A cold bottle of milk remains one of the "coolest" prizes that goes to the winner of any sporting event on Earth. Bruce Martin is a veteran motorsports writer and contributor to Follow him on X at @BruceMartin_500. BEST OF FOX SPORTS' INDY 500 COVERAGE:
Economic Times
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Economic Times
Indy 500: Why winners choose milk over champagne after victory
Live Events FAQs What is the difference between the Indy 500 and F1? Is the Indy 500 always in Indianapolis? How long is one lap at the Indy 500? How long is the Indy 500? How much do Indy 500 tickets cost? Winners of the Indianapolis 500 don't just take the trophy; they also get a bottle of ice-cold milk. But it's not random, drivers are asked ahead of time what kind of milk they want, whole, 2%, or skim, so their moment of glory is just quirky tradition is now one of the most cherished in American motorsport. As the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 25, fans will once again watch the winner sip milk in Victory Lane, besides taking the milk moment didn't start with the first race in 1911. In fact, it took more than two decades for the tradition to take all began in 1936, during the 24th edition of the race. Louis Meyer, a three-time Indy 500 winner, asked for buttermilk after his victory. It was a hot day, and Meyer said all he wanted was something refreshing. A photographer captured the moment of him sipping from the bottle, and that image caught the attention of a dairy a marketing opportunity, the dairy industry pushed to turn Meyer's casual choice into a full-blown tradition. From that point on, milk became a symbol of victory at were some interruptions. After World War II, Wilbur Shaw, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , briefly replaced milk with water. But after his passing in 1954, the tradition returned strongly. To keep it going, a bonus was even added: $400 for the winner and $50 for the mechanic if they celebrated with one driver dared to publicly break the milk tradition. In 1993, Emerson Fittipaldi drank orange juice to promote Brazil's citrus industry. Fans were furious. He was booed and heavily criticized. While he eventually sipped milk under pressure from team boss Roger Penske, the moment is remembered as a rare breach of tradition. Interestingly, Fittipaldi crashed out the following year while leading, something fans jokingly call 'milk karma'.This Sunday, tradition continued as Alex Palou went down in history, not just for winning the Indy 500, but for choosing his milk wisely and lifting the bottle high in front of cars can reach higher top speeds up to 236–240 mph on oval tracks, while Formula 1 cars usually max out around 220–231 mph. However, F1 cars are much faster around road courses due to superior acceleration and cornering speeds, often lapping significantly quicker than the Indianapolis 500 is always held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. Since its inception in 1911, the race has been consistently run at this venue, making it synonymous with the event lap at the Indy 500 covers 2.5 miles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's iconic oval track. This distance has remained consistent since the race began, contributing to the total 500-mile race length over 200 Indianapolis 500, or Indy 500, is a 500-mile race completed over 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race typically lasts under three hours, though duration can vary due to caution periods and pit stops. Indy 500 ticket prices for 2025 start at $55 for general admission, which allows access to infield viewing but no grandstand seating. Reserved grandstand seats range from around $143 to $625 on the secondary market, with premium paddock box seats over $700 and penthouses above $1,400.
Time of India
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Time of India
Indy 500: Why winners choose milk over champagne after victory
Winners of the Indianapolis 500 don't just take the trophy; they also get a bottle of ice-cold milk. But it's not random, drivers are asked ahead of time what kind of milk they want, whole, 2%, or skim, so their moment of glory is just right. The quirky tradition is now one of the most cherished in American motorsport. As the 109th edition of the Indianapolis 500 takes place on Sunday, May 25, fans will once again watch the winner sip milk in Victory Lane, besides taking the glory. The milk moment didn't start with the first race in 1911. In fact, it took more than two decades for the tradition to take root. Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Girls Show Their Perfect Figure In These Sport Photos Take At Perfect Time True Edition Undo It all began in 1936, during the 24th edition of the race. Louis Meyer, a three-time Indy 500 winner, asked for buttermilk after his victory. It was a hot day, and Meyer said all he wanted was something refreshing. A photographer captured the moment of him sipping from the bottle, and that image caught the attention of a dairy executive. Smelling a marketing opportunity, the dairy industry pushed to turn Meyer's casual choice into a full-blown tradition. From that point on, milk became a symbol of victory at Indy. Live Events There were some interruptions. After World War II, Wilbur Shaw, the president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway , briefly replaced milk with water. But after his passing in 1954, the tradition returned strongly. To keep it going, a bonus was even added: $400 for the winner and $50 for the mechanic if they celebrated with milk. Only one driver dared to publicly break the milk tradition. In 1993, Emerson Fittipaldi drank orange juice to promote Brazil's citrus industry. Fans were furious. He was booed and heavily criticized. While he eventually sipped milk under pressure from team boss Roger Penske, the moment is remembered as a rare breach of tradition. Interestingly, Fittipaldi crashed out the following year while leading, something fans jokingly call 'milk karma'. This Sunday, tradition continued as Alex Palou went down in history, not just for winning the Indy 500, but for choosing his milk wisely and lifting the bottle high in front of millions. FAQs What is the difference between the Indy 500 and F1? IndyCar cars can reach higher top speeds up to 236–240 mph on oval tracks, while Formula 1 cars usually max out around 220–231 mph. However, F1 cars are much faster around road courses due to superior acceleration and cornering speeds, often lapping significantly quicker than IndyCars. Is the Indy 500 always in Indianapolis? Yes, the Indianapolis 500 is always held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Indiana, a suburb of Indianapolis. Since its inception in 1911, the race has been consistently run at this venue, making it synonymous with the event itself. How long is one lap at the Indy 500? Each lap at the Indy 500 covers 2.5 miles on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway's iconic oval track. This distance has remained consistent since the race began, contributing to the total 500-mile race length over 200 laps. How long is the Indy 500? The Indianapolis 500, or Indy 500, is a 500-mile race completed over 200 laps on the 2.5-mile oval of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race typically lasts under three hours, though duration can vary due to caution periods and pit stops. How much do Indy 500 tickets cost? Indy 500 ticket prices for 2025 start at $55 for general admission, which allows access to infield viewing but no grandstand seating. Reserved grandstand seats range from around $143 to $625 on the secondary market, with premium paddock box seats over $700 and penthouses above $1,400.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
The Indy 500 winner who had to apologize for drinking orange juice instead of milk
The Indy 500 winner who had to apologize for drinking orange juice instead of milk Indy 500 Sunday is full of great traditions, from the singing of "Back Home Again in Indiana" during pre-race ceremonies to the winner chugging from a bottle of milk in victory lane. But what happens when a driver wants a different drink after one of the biggest wins of their lives? This happened in 1993, and it caused a bigger incident then you may imagine. Why do Indy 500 winners drink milk? The tradition dates back to the 1930's, a time when Louis Meyer, a three-time Indy 500 winner, casually enjoyed buttermilk as a refreshment after races. The milk-drinking ceremony became a part of the annual post-race celebration in 1956 and has remained ever since. The Indy 500 winner who opted for a different drink in victory lane The annual milk chug has become a part of pre-race operations - every driver pre-selects which variety of milk they want in victory lane prior to the race just in case they win. Yet in 1993, Formula 1 legend Emerson Fittipaldi had a different plan in place. He piloted his Team Penske Chevrolet to victory lane for a second career Indy 500 victory, and celebrated with.... orange juice? Fittipaldi, a Brazilian, chose to drink orange juice in order to promote the citrus industry in his home country. Fittipaldi was actually booed by fans over the stunt the following year, and though he did follow tradition and later drink milk during the same celebration of his win, he issued a public apology to the American Dairy Association.
USA Today
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
2025 Indy 500: Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
2025 Indy 500: Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk? Welcome to FTW Explains: a guide to catching up on and better understanding stuff going on in the world. You may have heard that the Indy 500 winner celebrates with a bottle of milk and want to know why. We're here to help. It's a quirky but perfectly understandable question some people have about the Indianapolis 500: Why does the winner drink milk? Simply, it's tradition. The Indy 500 is all about tradition, and this one is nearly 100 years old. After taking the Indy 500 checkered flag at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in one of the biggest motorsports races in the world, the winning driver is draped with a giant flowered wreath and handed a bottle of ice-cold milk by the official milk people and the American Dairy Association Indiana. The winner typically takes a couple sips, poses for a few quick photos and then proceeds to dump the rest of the bottle on their head — sometimes pouring milk on others nearby. The whole process makes for some truly spectacular photos, but how and when did this odd tradition start? It's largely thanks to Louis Meyer back in the 1930s. Via Indianapolis Motor Speedway: "Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk to refresh himself on a hot day and happened to drink some in Victory Lane as a matter of habit after winning the 1936 race. An executive with what was then the Milk Foundation was so elated when he saw the moment captured in a photograph in the sports section of his newspaper the following morning that he vowed to make sure it would be repeated in coming years. There was a period between 1947-55 when milk was apparently no longer offered, but the practice was revived in 1956 and has been a tradition ever since." Buttermilk is not an option anymore, as they're limited to whole, 2 percent or skim. However, the American Dairy Association Indiana does have a secret lactose-free option, should a driver request that. For the 2025 Indy 500, the majority of drivers requested whole milk with a handful of drivers wanting 2 percent.
