Milk matters both to racers and farmers at the Indy 500

Few traditions in sports are as iconic (or as uniquely wholesome) as the Indianapolis 500 winner drinking a bottle of milk in Victory Lane. What began in 1936 as a simple gesture has evolved into one of the most recognizable celebrations in motorsports, connecting generations of racing fans with the dairy farmers who help make the tradition possible.

Today, the tradition is about far more than handing a bottle to the winning driver. It has become a celebration of agriculture, family farming, and the people behind America’s dairy industry.

Brooke Williams, director of communications for the American Dairy Association Indiana, explains how it all started

“There was a driver back in 1936 by the name of Louis Meyer, who won his third race, the first three-peater at the Indy 500,” she explained. “When he won, he requested buttermilk to drink. Buttermilk was always what he used to quench his thirst … and that tradition has taken off since then.”

Now, Indiana dairy farmers play a starring role in the biggest in-person sporting events in the world, with milk continuing to be part of the win for 90 years. 

Each year since the early 2000s, two Indiana dairy farmers are selected to serve as milk presenters at the Indy 500, explained Jenni Browning, CEO of the ADA Indiana. The program includes both a rookie and veteran presenter, chosen through an application and peer-selection process, with over 8.5 million people and a sellout live crowd of over 300,000 tuning in to see who’s winning … and who will get to drink the milk at the finish line.

“It is an application process, but you do have to be an Indiana dairy farmer,” said Ashley Stockwell, a veteran milk presenter from Stockwell Farms in Hudson. “There’s a group of other dairy farmers who select who that rookie-elect is going to be for the next three years.”

For Stockwell, being selected carried deep personal meaning. A third-generation dairy farmer, and fifth-generation crop row farmer, she described the opportunity as both humbling and emotional.

“To be able to be the farmer representing nearly the 700 Indiana dairy farm families is really humbling,” she said.

She said she had previously considered applying but never followed through until this year.

“My husband’s definitely the one who encouraged me to apply because he thought it would be a great fit,” Stockwell said. “When I got the phone call, I was like, ‘You really picked me?’ ”

This year’s race will help to highlight the growing visibility of women in farming. Stockwell said the moment represents more than just herself.

“This year being the year of the female farmer,” one organizer said, “I’m very happy to have her represent all Indiana dairy farmers very well. … I think we just have more women that are telling their story — more … that have always been a part of the farm that are now recognized as a farmer and not just the farm wife.”

She hopes the visibility inspires future generations.

For fans, the tradition may last only a few seconds on television. Behind the scenes, however, months of preparation go into ensuring the right milk is ready for Victory Lane.

Drivers participate in a “milk poll” before the race, selecting whether they prefer skim, 2 percent, whole, or lactose-free milk if they win.

“We have fat-free, 2 percent, and whole milk all selected,” Stockwell explained.

Then comes the security.

“It’s stored lock and key with us, ice cold over there in a nice cooler,” she said. “We keep good, tight security on it until the final laps of the race.”

The emotion of the moment can be overwhelming for the presenters.

Connecting fans to dairy farming

The Indy 500 gives dairy farmers an enormous platform to share their story with hundreds of thousands of fans.

“There’s a lot of similarities,” Stockwell said, comparing dairy farming to racing. “The Indy 500 drivers have a pit crew for their team just as we do here on our farm.”

She said race fans are often eager to learn more about dairy farming and animal care.

“We want to make sure that our cows are in the best care that they can possibly be in,” she said. “Our cows get pedicures on a regular basis … we feed them a specific diet.”

The interaction between fans and farmers can be surprisingly personal.

“People go crazy about the milk,” Stockwell said. “I didn’t expect to feel like a famous person walking around, people asking for your autograph or your picture. … They’re just so happy to have met a dairy farmer.”

The race-day experience itself is packed with media appearances, interviews, and fan engagement opportunities before the final dramatic moment in Victory Lane.

“We really are going from the racetrack to an interview … to Fox News … to NewsNation,” said Williams with ADA Indiana. “There is a lot of exposure and a lot of opportunity not only for media exposure but just to have those interactions with the public.”

And when the winning driver finally takes that celebratory drink, it symbolizes far more than victory.

“It’s not about me,” Stockwell said. “I just happen to be one of the dairy farm families … across the U.S.”

At the Indianapolis 500, the milk tradition remains a uniquely American celebration honoring speed, agriculture, and the families behind every bottle.

More than 25,000 retailers across 20 states are also now carrying special Indianapolis 500-themed milk bottles featuring legendary winners of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”

“Much like racing, dairy farming is built on early mornings, precision and resilience — values rooted in a shared pursuit of excellence that make the Indianapolis 500 and its iconic milk celebration a natural fit,” said Browning.

Each milk variety features a different Indy 500 champion, allowing fans to collect commemorative bottles featuring stars like Josef Newgarden, Alex Palou, Alexander Rossi, Scott Dixon, and Helio Castroneves.

In addition to the collectible bottles sold in stores, approximately 200 million half-pint milk cartons celebrating the “Winners Drink Milk” tradition are distributed to schools throughout participating states.

“Fans loved the commemorative milk bottles last year, and many attempted to collect all five,” said INDYCAR and IMS President J. Douglas Boles. “These milk bottles and cartons allow our fans to be a part of the Race Day excitement and celebrate like an Indy 500 winner — with a cold drink of milk.”

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