5 contenders who picked a milk option distinct from the rest of the likely Indy 500 winners

Each year, every driver in the Indy 500 selects their preferred type of milk for the iconic Victory Lane celebration, an unusual but cherished tradition of "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing." According to the Indiana Dairy Association, only five drivers opted for 2% milk this year, while the overwhelming majority stuck with the classic choice, whole milk.

Instead of champagne, which is more traditionally used on the podium in motorsport, the Indy 500 has winners celebrating with cold milk. This tradition has its accidental roots in 1936, when Louis Meyer, the race’s first three-time winner, requested a glass of buttermilk to cool down after the grueling event. A photographer captured the moment, and the image soon caught the attention of a dairy industry executive. Sensing a promotional opportunity, the dairy industry pushed to make it a fixture of the post-race celebration.

The tradition stuck, and over the decades, it has become one of the defining aspects of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.” Today, each driver is asked by the American Dairy Association, Indiana, to select their preferred milk, whole, 2%, or skim, well in advance of race day.

Since the tradition began, only one winner has famously broken with it. In 1993, two-time Indy 500 champion and former Formula One world champion Emerson Fittipaldi rejected the milk in favor of orange juice, promoting citrus from his native Brazil. The move sparked controversy among fans and remains the only known milk snub in the event’s storied history.

The Indiana Dairy Association shared the drivers' preferences on Tuesday. The stats revealed that the majority of the drivers—28 of 33—chose to drink whole milk; the remaining five drivers — Helio Castroneves, Conor Daly, Graham Rahal, Alexander Rossi, and Takuma Sato—chose 2% milk.

The 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 25th, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (12:30 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app).

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Alex Palou's milk pick for the Indy 500 has a special request for his daughter

AUTO: JUN 23 NTT IndyCar Series Firestone Grand Prix of Monterey - Source: Getty

Championship leader Alex Palou had set the tone at Indianapolis Motor Speedway during testing on April 23, topping the timesheets ahead of the 2025 Indianapolis 500. Two days later, the 2021 NTT IndyCar Series champion made headlines for a more lighthearted reason: his pick for one of the race’s oldest traditions and an adorable request for his daughter.

Palou, a frontrunner for this year’s “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” took to Instagram to share a photo of himself holding the official milk preference form, where he chose whole milk as a part of the Indy 500’s beloved 89-year-old custom. He also asked his 107,000 followers which type of milk they’d choose, whole, 2%, or skim, and invited them to explain their picks.

Alright, it’s your turn: which milk are you picking and why? 🥛

Alex Palou also made a special request, asking for an extra bottle for his 1-year-old daughter, Lucía.