As engines prepare to roar to life at the Indianapolis 500 this Sunday, one of the race’s most enduring traditions — a bottle of cold milk in Victory Circle — remains as much a part of the spectacle as the checkered flag itself.
In the days leading up to the 110th running of “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” attention has turned to a newer, but firmly established ritual: the Fastest Rookie Luncheon, presented by American Dairy Association Indiana. The event celebrates the top-performing first-year driver while highlighting the agricultural roots behind the race’s signature post-victory moment.
This year’s fastest rookie is Mick Schumacher, who will start 27th in the No. 47 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Despite his position deep in the field, Schumacher said the prospect of drinking milk in Victory Lane carries outsized meaning.
“It’s a great tradition. It’s an amazing thing to do and if you’re lucky to do it, it means you did everything right that day. So, you know, hopefully that’ll be us on Sunday,” said Schumacher.
Fellow rookie Dennis Hauger, who will start 29th in the No. 19 car for Dale Coyne Racing, described milk as a staple of his upbringing.
“I don’t think I ever go a day without drinking milk, so it’s very common in Norway and that’s what I grew up with,” Hauger said.
For Jacob Abel, starting 30th in the No. 51 for Abel Motorsports, the preference is more specific.
“I’m a whole milk guy. I love whole milk. [It has] all that protein in it. I’m a big fan of coffee—a big latte guy, so I always want the whole milk in there. So, I’m always getting whole milk,” said Abel.
Drivers traditionally declare their milk of choice — whole, 2 percent or skim — in the days before the race, a nod to a ritual that has become synonymous with victory at the Brickyard.
The rookie class also includes Caio Collet, who will start 32nd for A.J. Foyt Racing after being moved to the back of the field following a post-qualifying inspection. At the luncheon, Collet and his fellow newcomers participated in another tradition: milking a dairy cow named Bertha, brought by the Purdue Dairy Club.
“It was my first time ever milking a cow and it was just super nice and really a fun experience for all the rookies to do that. It’s really cool,” said Collet.
Awaiting the race winner in Victory Circle will be Ashley Stockwell, a third-generation dairy farmer from Steuben County in northeastern Indiana who will serve as this year’s “Veteran Milk Person,” representing hundreds of dairy producers across the state.
“To be a third-generation dairy farmer and to be on a national stage and represent 700 Indiana dairy farmer families—and then be able to represent all the dairy farmers nationwide, especially the female farmers and be an example for my daughter—to be able to do that is really honoring and humbling,” said Stockwell.
“As dairy farmers, we are 24/7—and it does take a lot of effort and hard work, just like IndyCar drivers. So, to be the face of dairy for the Indy 500 where two worlds collide, I’m honored and excited to be able to do that,” she added.
The milk tradition dates back to 1936, when three-time winner Louis Meyer requested buttermilk after his victory — a spontaneous choice that evolved into one of the most recognizable customs in American sports.
Over the decades, the Fastest Rookie distinction has been awarded to drivers who would go on to shape the sport, including Alexander Rossi, Josef Newgarden, Danica Patrick, Scott Dixon and Juan Pablo Montoya — some of whom, like Rossi and Montoya, went on to win the race in their rookie seasons.
The 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, with a green flag set for 12:45 p.m. Eastern.
CLICK HERE as Donald Davidson, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Historian Emeritus, shares with Hoosier Ag Today the history and tradition behind the annual milk tradition at the Indianapolis 500!
For more information about American Dairy Association Indiana, visit WinnersDrinkMilk.com!
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