THE MILK–85 YEARS
An ice-cold bottle of milk after 500 miles of racing is one of the most iconic celebrations in all of sports. It is a simple representation of a lifetime of dreams, a symbol of our proudest moments and motivation for 33 of the best drivers in the world to achieve the unimaginable.
Whether it’s Simon Pagenaud’s face covered entirely in milk or white droplets flying off Takuma Sato’s hat, chugging milk in Victory Circle after winning the Indianapolis 500 is an iconic tradition and creates scenes that last a lifetime.
– Jill Houin
“Water from Wilbur”
When the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to the war, it was under the ownership of Tony Hulman. Now, another three-time Indy 500 winner was orchestrating the post-race drink of choice.
Shaw died in a private plane crash in October 1954, and “Water from Wilbur” continued a little while longer until being retired as milk made its return with the help of dairy industry executives.
Now, for the 65th consecutive 500-Mile race and 72nd time overall, the winner of the 2021 Indianapolis 500 will drink milk.
The origin of the milk tradition at the Indianapolis 500 is simple, really.
After having just won his third Indy 500 in 1936, Louis Meyer parked his No. 8 machine in Victory Circle and sat atop it, exhausted from making history as the first person to win the “500” for a third time.
With a cheering crowd around him, Meyer held up three fingers with his right hand, and in his left hand he held a bottle of buttermilk.
“Somebody has given him a bottle of milk,” the announcer remarked nearly a century ago. “Well, that race would make anybody thirsty.”
Simple as that. And the rest, as they say, is history.
ORIGINS
– Donald Davidson
Meyer was a regular drinker of buttermilk, dating back to his childhood days in Yonkers, New York. His mother told him buttermilk would refresh him on a hot day, and it was a personal preference he carried.
Meyer claimed he drank milk at IMS in 1933, the year he won the race for a second time. Considering it was his drink of choice, he likely did so. However, there is no photographic evidence of this, and 1934 winner Bill Cummings and 1935 winner Kelly Petillo did not drink milk after their respective wins in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
As the story goes, a dairy industry executive saw the footage and enthusiastically requested milk be made available to the winner of each Indianapolis 500 thereafter. Each winner from 1938 through 1941, and in 1946 after the race returned from hiatus due to World War II, drank milk in Victory Circle.
Little did that cameraman know he had just captured one of the most significant moments in Indy 500 history.
So why, then, did Meyer’s milk stick after 1936? It all goes back to that scene above with Meyer holding a bottle of milk. That moment was captured by a Movietone News cameraman. Movietone News was a newsreel that ran in the United States from 1928 through 1963.
– Louis Meyer
When the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to the war, it was under the ownership of Tony Hulman. Now, another three-time Indy 500 winner was orchestrating the post-race drink of choice.
A Defining Drink
Each year, two Indiana dairy farmers are present in Victory Circle. One practices the handoff of the ice-cold milk to the winning driver, while the other delivers bottles of milk to the winning chief mechanic and team owner.
The “rookie,” as the latter is referred to, must also take notes, because they will be the one performing the coveted handoff the following year. In 2020, Plymouth, Indiana, dairy farmer Jill Houin delivered Takuma Sato his bottle of milk in Victory Circle.
2020 – Takuma Sato: 2% milk | 2019 – Simon Pagenaud: Whole milk
2018 – Will Power: No Preference | 2017 – Takuma Sato: 2% milk
2016 – Alexander Rossi: 2% milk | 2015 – Juan Pablo Montoya: Whole milk
2014 – Ryan Hunter-Reay: 2% milk | 2013 – Tony Kanaan: 2% milk
2012 – Dario Franchitti: Whole milk | 2011 - Dan Wheldon: Fat-free milk
These days, buttermilk is no longer offered as an option. All 33 drivers entered in the Indianapolis 500 submit their milk preference to the Dairy Association in advance. They can choose between fat-free, 2%, whole milk or no preference. Whole milk is the most popular choice, but there are some drivers that still request buttermilk in honor of Meyer.
In 1956, milk returned, this time being offered as an accessory prize. The winner received $400 for drinking milk, and his chief mechanic was awarded an additional $50. That year, the prize went to Pat Flaherty, who coincidentally enough was an avid drinker of milk due to a slight calcium deficiency.
Wilbur Shaw, the winner of the 1937, ‘39 and ‘40 Indianapolis 500s, was president and general manager of IMS. In place of milk, Shaw handed the winning drivers from 1947 through 1954 cold water in a silver chalice. Engraved on the cup was “Water from Wilbur.”
WHERE TRADITION NEVER STOPS
THE MILK–85 YEARS
An ice cold bottle of milk after 500 miles of racing is one of the most iconic celebrations in all of sports. It is a simple representation of a lifetime of dreams, a symbol of our proudest moments and motivation for 33 of the best drivers in the world to achieve the unimaginable.
Whether it’s Simon Pagenaud’s face covered entirely in milk or white droplets flying off Takuma Sato’s hat, chugging milk in Victory Circle after winning the Indianapolis 500 is an iconic tradition and creates scenes that last a lifetime.
The origin of the milk tradition at the Indianapolis 500 is simple, really.
After having just won his third Indy 500 in 1936, Louis Meyer parked his No. 8 machine in Victory Circle and sat atop it, exhausted from making history as the first person to win the “500” for a third time.
With a cheering crowd around him, Meyer held up three fingers with his right hand, and in his left hand he held a bottle of buttermilk.
“Somebody has given him a bottle of milk,” the announcer remarked nearly a century ago. “Well, that race would make anybody thirsty.”
Simple as that. And the rest, as they say, is history.
ORIGINS
– Donald Davidson
– Louis Meyer
Meyer was a regular drinker of buttermilk, dating back to his childhood days in Yonkers, New York. His mother told him buttermilk would refresh him on a hot day, and it was a personal preference he carried himself.
Meyer claimed he drank milk at IMS in 1933, the year he won the race for a second time.
Considering it was his drink of choice, he likely did so. However, there is no photographic evidence of this, and 1934 winner Bill Cummings and 1935 winner Kelly Petillo did not drink milk after their respective wins in “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Little did that cameraman know they had just captured one of the most significant moments in Indy 500 history.
As the story goes, a dairy industry executive saw the footage and enthusiastically requested milk be made available to the winner of each Indianapolis 500 thereafter. Each winner from 1938 through 1941, and in 1946 after the race returned from hiatus due to World War II, drank milk in Victory Circle.
So why, then, did Meyer’s milk stick after 1936? It all goes back to that scene above with Meyer holding a bottle of milk. That moment was captured by a Movietone News cameraman. Movietone News was a newsreel that ran in the United States from 1928 through 1963.
When the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to the War, it was under the ownership of Tony Hulman. Now, another three-time Indy 500 winner was orchestrating the post-race drink of choice.
Wilbur Shaw, the winner of the 1937, ‘39 and ‘40 Indianapolis 500s, was president and general manager of IMS. In place of milk, Shaw handed the winning drivers from 1947 through 1954 cold water in a silver chalice. Engraved on the cup was “Water from Wilbur.”
Shaw died in a private plane crash in October 1954, and “Water from Wilbur” continued a little while longer until being retired as milk made its return with the help of dairy industry executives.
In 1956, milk returned, this time being offered as an accessory prize. The winner received $400 for drinking milk, and his chief mechanic was awarded an additional $50. That year, the prize went to Pat Flaherty, who coincidentally enough was an avid drinker of milk due to a slight calcium deficiency.
Now, for the 65th consecutive 500-Mile race and 72nd time overall, the winner of the 2021 Indianapolis 500 will drink milk.
“Water from Wilbur”
When the Indianapolis 500 returned from its four-year hiatus due to the War, it was under the ownership of Tony Hulman. Now, another three-time Indy 500 winner was orchestrating the post-race drink of choice.
Each year, two Indiana dairy farmers are present in Victory Circle. One practices the hand-off of the ice cold milk to the winning driver, while the other delivers bottles of milk to the winning chief mechanic and team owner.
The “rookie,” as the latter is referred to, must also take notes, because they will be the one performing the coveted handoff the following year. In 2020, Plymouth, Indiana, dairy farmer Jill Houin delivered Takuma Sato his bottle of milk in Victory Circle.
These days, buttermilk is no longer offered as an option. All 33 drivers entered in the Indianapolis 500 submit their milk preference to the Dairy Association in advance. They can choose between fat-free, 2%, whole milk or no preference. Whole milk is the most popular choice, but there are some drivers that still request buttermilk in honor of Meyer.
2020 – Takuma Sato: 2% milk
2019 – Simon Pagenaud: Whole milk
2018 – Will Power: No Preference
2017 – Takuma Sato: 2% milk
2016 – Alexander Rossi: 2% milk
2015 – Juan Pablo Montoya: Whole milk
2014 – Ryan Hunter-Reay: 2% milk
2013 – Tony Kanaan: 2% milk
2012 – Dario Franchitti: Whole milk
2011- Dan Wheldon: Fat-free milk
A Defining Drink
– Jill Houin
A Defining Drink
The last 10 drinks
