15 replies to this topic

[D82]

Can anybody tell me what is the meaning of milk in Indy 500?

Is it just a simple but old tradition, or is it far beyond this?

Thanks...

[Flying Panda]

from www.cnnsi.com
Another tradition that dates to Louis Meyer and the 1936 Indianapolis 500. "He drank buttermilk because his mother told him that it would refresh him," Davidson says. "He was going to drink that no matter what [after the race], and a [local] milk federation executive saw it and said, 'Hey, we can do something with this.' " The chilled milk, now anonymous Grade A whole, is presented in an old-fashioned glass quart bottle along with a greenery- and flower-studded victor's wreath. "Rick Mears, who won four Indianapolis 500s, has each one of his milk bottles mounted on plaques," Davidson says.

[biercemountain]

Said by Graham Hill to Jim Clark after winning the 500 (which Clark thought he had won), "Sorry bloke, I already drank the milk"

[D82]

Thank you Flying Panda....

Said by Graham Hill to Jim Clark after winning the 500 (which Clark thought he had won), "Sorry bloke, I already drank the milk"

[GBORSARI]

And Emmo is vilified by the INDY faithful for downing some orange juice instead of milk. It was his way of promoting his brand of O.J. back in Brazil.
I don't think I would ever want to drink milk right after any kind of athletic event !!!


Vals

[lynmeredith]

Is the milk fizzy? Do they spray it around? Yuk!

LM

[Buford]

Originally posted by GBORSARI
And Emmo is vilified by the INDY faithful for downing some orange juice instead of milk.

Vals

Yeah that is true. I remember when the dimwit IRL supporters on Speednet were arguing one important reason for the creation of the IRL was "that foreigner" refused to drink the milk and therefore had insulted Indiana cows.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I loved PETA begging IMS to save the cows and not have milk in victory lane

[Alien]

There was the rumour that what drivers drank was not milk, but buttermilk instead, "suero" called in spanish aaaaarrrrrgghhhh!!!!!!

Anyways i bet it is milk now but i can remember some commentator saying that he was thinking of asking Montoya if it was really milk what he drank when he won.....

[Buford]

If I remember right they get $10,000 for drinking the milk but that hasn't been raised in a couple decades.

[LuckyStrike1]

Originally posted by Buford
If I remember right they get $10,000 for drinking the milk but that hasn't been raised in a couple decades.

So that is why they race to finish first then - they just want the milk and the 10 grand that comes with it! I see.

[Flying Panda]

Originally posted by lynmeredith
Is the milk fizzy? Do they spray it around? Yuk!

LM

Not at all.
They drink it.

[Jim Thurman]

Louie Meyer drank the buttermilk because the pounding of the bricks had upset his stomach...at least that's what he said in an interview I saw in the 80's.

I especially liked the irony of people complaining about Emerson drinking the orange juice...promoting his orange growing business, forsaking a "great American tradition"...which was...a...promotion.

Back at the time I did a "Top 10 List of Reasons Emerson Didn't Drink The Milk" a la David Letterman. I posted it to a Usenet group and it was well received


Jim Thurman

[Flying Panda]

Originally posted by Jim Thurman
Back at the time I did a "Top 10 List of Reasons Emerson Didn't Drink The Milk" a la David Letterman. I posted it to a Usenet group and it was well received

Could you post it here also?

[anjakub]

from www.indyracing.com

Got milk? The Indianapolis 500 tradition of the race winner drinking a bottle of milk in Victory Lane started in 1933 when winner Louis Meyer asked for a bottle of buttermilk to quench his thirst after spending nearly five hours in his race car.

“500” winners now drink a quart bottle of milk, not buttermilk. But the driver actually can choose from whole, 2 percent, skim or lactose-free milk.

Myrna Metzger, “The Milk Lady” who delivers the bottle of milk to the Indy winner, brings a glass quart bottle of each kind of milk in her cooler to Victory Lane.

Drivers who make their milk preference known before Race Day can choose from any of the four kinds of milk.

Tony Kanaan, who will start fifth in the race as the top rookie qualifier, put in a request for 2 percent milk after receiving the American Dairy Association of Indiana Fastest Rookie of the Year award on May 21.

[Jim Thurman]

Originally posted by Flying Panda

Could you post it here also?

I would...but I'd have to find it first. I'm afraid a move since then has left some things in disarray...

One I do remember was:

The dude is just a rebel


Jim Thurman