SPORTS

What kind of milk each Indy 500 driver will drink if they win

Allison Carter
allison.carter@indystar.com
Juan Pablo Montoya, of Team Penske celebrates winning the 99th running of the Indianapolis 500 Sunday, May 24, 2015, afternoon at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

After you've been in a blazing hot car traveling in excess of 200 mph, there's nothing you want more than a glass of milk. Or at least so the venerable Indianapolis 500 tradition goes.

In 1936, Louis Meyer requested a glass of buttermilk after winning his third race and the rest is history.

Buttermilk is no longer offered, but drivers do get to choose between whole, 2 percent and fat-free. Every driver records their preference before the race in case they win, and the milk is kept on ice to be drunk (and often dumped on the driver's head) in victory lane.

The stories behind your favorite Indianapolis 500 traditions

This year, whole milk led the way with 17 requests. Next came 2 percent, with 13 drivers opting for the lower-fat option. Just three drivers — Charlie Kimball, Pippa Mann and Spencer Pigot — want fat-free.

All but two drivers have observed the milk tradition since 1936. The most recent example of the broken tradition led to a huge outcry when Emerson Fittpaldi drank orange juice to promote the citrus industry in 1993.

Deb Osza, general manager of the American Dairy Association Indiana, remembers the day after that breech of tradition well. "Three people fielded calls for eight solid hours from all over the country and the world," she recalled, "angry that this person didn't take a sip of milk."

According to the American Dairy Association Indiana, the milk will be provided by Indiana dairy farmer Janet Dague of Kewanna. And whoever the winner might be, he or she won't be drinking alone. The first 100,000 race visitors will get their own commemorative bottle of milk, so they, too, can raise a victory toast.

Indy 500 winner won't drink milk alone

The full list of milk requests:

  • Marco Andretti: whole.
  • Mikhail Aleshin: whole.
  • Townsend Bell: whole.
  • Matthew Brabam: whole.
  • Sebastien Bourdais: whole.
  • Ed Carpenter: whole.
  • Helio Castroneves: 2 percent.
  • Gabby Chaves: whole.
  • Max Chilton: whole.
  • Bryan Clauson: 2 percent.
  • Conor Daly: 2 percent.
  • Scott Dixon: 2 percent.
  • Jack Hawksworth: 2 percent.
  • JR Hildebrand: 2 percent.
  • James Hinchcliffe: whole.
  • Ryan Hunter-Reay: 2 percent.
  • Tony Kanaan: 2 percent.
  • Sage Karam: 2 percent.
  • Charlie Kimball: fat-free.
  • Buddy Lazier: whole.
  • Pippa Mann: fat-free.
  • Juan Pablo Montoya: whole.
  • Carlos Muñoz: whole.
  • Josef Newgarden: whole.
  • Simon Pagenaud: whole.
  • Spencer Pigot: fat-free.
  • Will Power: whole.
  • Graham Rahal: 2 percent.
  • Alexander Rossi: 2 percent.
  • Takuma Sato: 2 percent.
  • Oriol Servià: whole.
  • Alex Tagliani: 2 percent.
  • Stefan Wilson: whole.

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Allison Carter is an engagement producer at IndyStar. Follow her on Twitter @AllisonLCarter.