Why Indy 500 winners always drink milk at the end of the race

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 (Indy 500) takes place on May 25th, 2025, with 33 IndyCar drivers set to battle it out to win the ‘Greatest Spectacle in Racing.’

The Indy 500 regularly serves up drama and excitement. Fans of motorsport around the globe always tune in, with the 2024 edition of the race one of the greatest of all time.

At the end of the race, the winning driver always takes a long swig of milk and sometimes pours it all over themselves in celebration.

But why do they do this, and what started the tradition? We at Supercar Blondie are here to reveal all, as well as what milk the 2025 drivers have chosen should they win one of the world’s greatest races.

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Some traditions are somewhat obscure.

However, the drinking of the milk in Indianapolis is actually quite an easy one to explain.

In 1936, American Louis Mayer was exhausted after winning his third Indy 500 and wanted a cold drink after finishing the event.

Mater drank fresh buttermilk to refresh and rehydrate, making this the first time a driver had drunk milk after winning.

Following this, milk was seen off and on, with it not seeping into tradition until the 1950s.

Pat Flaherty drank two glasses of milk after winning the 1956 event, and this is when the tradition took off.

This was aided by a cash incentive from the American Dairy Industry.

However, it worked, and they still supply the drink for the winner to this very day.

Milk has been drunk by the winner every year, bar one.

This was in 1993 when Emerson Fittipaldi drank orange juice.

The Brazilian F1 legend did so to promote his business.

Yet it was such a snub of tradition for some fans that they have still not forgiven him.

Chocolate milk has been requested by drivers, such as two-time Indy 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya.

But as it is still very much dairy, fans have not batted an eyelid at that particular choice.

Speaking of requests, the drivers contesting the event each year will always make their selection for what type they would drink should they win the Indy 500.

IndyCar and the Indiana Dairy Association recently revealed the selections made by the 2025 drivers.

Of the 33 who qualified for the race, 28 have selected whole milk, five have chosen two percent, and two Indiana dairy farmers will deliver it all to the circuit.

Compared to the champagne that F1, MotoGP, and other racing series winners drink, the milk is certainly a very different choice.

However, like F1’s Monaco Grand Prix, the Indy 500 is a marquee event.

It is also by far the biggest on the IndyCar calendar.

CORRECTION:

2️⃣8️⃣ drivers select whole milk.
5️⃣ drivers select 2%.
2️⃣ Indiana dairy farmers will deliver the milk.
A field of 3️⃣3️⃣ ready to carry on the tradition.

🥛 #winnersdrinkmilk
🏁 #indy500@IMS @IndyCar @IndyCarOnFOX pic.twitter.com/xsoNDnMw9k

— Indiana Dairy Assoc. (@INDairy) May 20, 2025

It is also one-third of the ‘Triple Crown.’

This is the racing trilogy of events that also includes the Monaco GP and the Le Mans 24 Hours.

The milk is just another thing that makes the Indianapolis 500 such an incredible event

The 109th running on May 25th looks set to be a thriller.

With a rookie driver and team in Robert Schwartzman and Prema in pole position, the race has already thrown up a big surprise.

The question is, which driver will get to enjoy what will likely be the best drink they have had in their life?

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