The story behind why Indianapolis 500 winners drink milk in victory circle

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The winner of the upcoming 109th Indianapolis 500 will be given an ice-cold bottle of milk in the victory circle on Sunday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. 

But why milk? When did the tradition begin?

The origin of the tradition was in 1936, when Louis Meyer, after having won his third Indy 500, sat perched on his car and had a bottle of buttermilk in his left hand. 

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Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden drinks milk on the victory podium after winning the 108th Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024. (IMAGN)

But the tradition began with an accident. Meyer drinking the milk post-victory was unplanned. 

"It was a hot day. I came into the garage area … and all I could think of was some nice, cold buttermilk," Meyer said, per the Indianapolis Motor Speedway website. 

Meyer grew up in Yonkers, New York, and his mother told him that buttermilk would refresh him on a warm day. So, after a grueling race, Meyer wanted the drink he had growing up: buttermilk. 

The milk stuck because the moment of Meyer with the milk was caught by a cameraman. An executive in the dairy industry saw the footage of Meyer and requested that milk be given to every winner of the Indianapolis 500.

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Milk bottles for the 2025 Indy 500 are signed by drivers Devlin DeFrancesco, Louis Foster and Felix Rosenqvist during the mailing of the famous blue envelopes with tickets for the Indianapolis 500 on March 12, 2025. (IMAGN)

Each winner from 1938