The celebration after the Indianapolis 500 is almost as famous as the race itself at this point, but the origin of one of racing’s great traditions is more happenstance than anything else.
The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 is set for Sunday, May 25, and the scene on victory lane at ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ will inevitably feature the winner driver drinking from a bottle of ice-cold milk. For decades, it has been the defining image to emerge from Victory Circle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It’s so ingrained in IndyCar’s premier event that the 33 drivers entered in the 2025 Indy 500 once again told race organizers their milk preference in advance.
Milk, however, wasn’t always part of the Indianapolis 500, despite the connection it now holds to this American racing institution. The customary milk chug began because of one three-time winner, nearly ended forever because of another and has now been done 75 times overall entering the 2025 edition of the Indy 500.
Why does Indianapolis 500 winner drink milk?
The origin story of milk being the drink of choice for the Indianapolis 500 winner dates back to the 1936 race, according to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Louis Foster had become the first person to win the Indy 500 three times and celebrated with the crowd while holding a bottle of buttermilk. A Movietone News cameraman captured the moment and the footage eventually made its way to a dairy executive who requested milk be made available to the Indianapolis 500 winner every year.
The Indy 500 winner from 1938 through 1941 and in 1946 (after a hiatus for World War II) each drank milk in Victory Circle. Foster later explained buttermilk was what he grew up drinking to refresh himself on a hot day and he did so out of habit after winning in 1936. He also claimed to have had buttermilk after he won the 1933 Indianapolis 500.
Indianapolis 500: Why did milk tradition almost end?
An ownership change at the Indianapolis 500 led to three-time race winner Wilbur Shaw, who was also the Indianapolis Motor Speedway president and general manager at the time, creating his own Victory Circle tradition. From 1947 through 1954, the winning driver of the Indianapolis 500 would drink ‘Water from Wilbur’ out of an engraved chalice.
Milk returned to Victory Circle for the 1956 Indianapolis 500 following Shaw’s death. The winner, according to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, received $400 for drinking milk and his chief mechanic was awarded an additional $50. Dairy has been part of ‘The Greatest Spectacle in Racing’ every year since then.
Indianapolis 500 milk tradition in 2025
Sunday will mark the 69th year in a row, and 76th time overall, the Indy 500 winner drinks milk in Victory Circle at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Each driver specifies their milk preference ahead of the race and the winner will be handed a chilled bottle of milk by a representative from the American Dairy Association Indiana. Bottles of milk are also delivered to the chief mechanic and team owner. The driver typically drinks from the bottle, and then douses himself and teammates as well.
This year, 29 drivers have chosen whole milk as their post-win drink of choice. The other four drivers in the field ‒ Hélio Castroneves, Conor Daly, Graham Rahal and Alexander Rossi ‒ each picked 2% milk. Drivers are also allowed to drink skim milk. Two-time defending Indianapolis 500 champion Josef Newgarden drank whole milk after he won in 2023 and 2024.
Watch the Indy 500 with Fubo
Indy 500: TV, streaming and where to watch
Date: Sunday, May 25
TV time: 10 a.m. ET
Race time: 12:45 p.m. ET
TV channel: FOX
Live stream: Fubo (free trial to new subscribers)
Location: Indianapolis Motor Speedway