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New Indianapolis 500 partnership expands iconic milk tradition

Changes at this year’s Indianapolis 500 will give attendees an opportunity to take part in a long-standing tradition. 

Jenni Browning, CEO of the American Dairy Association Indiana, says through a partnership with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Prairie Farms Dairy, and ADAI milk will be offered to race fans for the first time. She says it will help strengthen the consumer connection.

“Fans can now toast with the winning driver,” she says. “Whether it’s through retail or also at the track, we want to make sure that we’re talking about the dairy farmer, the nutritional value of milk, and really talking about that tradition.”

The tradition began in Victory Circle in 1936 by Louis Meyer, when he asked for a glass of buttermilk after his victory. Since 2004, the Bottle of Milk has evolved to a ceremonial race day tradition to an Indiana dairy farmer handing it off to the Indy 500 champion.

Ashley Stockwell, a third-generation farmer from Hudson, Indiana, says the presentation of a bottle of milk to the winning driver in Victory Circle puts the dairy industry in the spotlight.

“You’re carrying the cooler around the track and people will stop you,” she says. “It really is an opportunity for them to ask questions and for us to then tell them our story about the milk, why we do what we do, and about dairy farming.”

The 110^th running of the Indianapolis 500 will be held on Sunday, May 24th.