24 replies to this topic

[Nanni Dietrich]

Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
Not champagne but milk. Why?

[Vitesse2]

Because the Indiana Dairy Board pay for it ...;)

Basically, it's a long-established sponsorship deal, which goes back to the 1930s I believe.

You can find a bit more on this thread at TrackForum:

http://www.trackforu...ead.php?t=85374

[Catalina Park]

The question should be "Why do they drink Champagne at any motor race" (Apart from the French Grand Prix at Reims )

[D-Type]

Or perhaps "Why don't they drink the champagne at any motor race?"


To get back on topic, the 'Official' Indianapolis 500 website says:

Quote

Winner’s Drink of Milk

Three-time “500” winner Louis Meyer regularly drank buttermilk on a hot day, as his mother had told him it would refresh him, and he consumed some in Victory Lane as a matter of course after earning his third “500” victory in 1936. A dairy industry executive happened to see a photograph of this in the following day’s newspaper and, believing it to be regular milk, vowed to make sure this would be repeated in the coming years. Milk was part of the Victory Lane ceremony between 1937 and 1941 and then again in 1946, the first year after World War II, but disappeared between 1947 and 1955. The tradition was revived in 1956 and continues to this day.

[Ross Stonefeld]

I read recently milk is a good post-workout drink as you get some nice bio-protein, some calories, and some sodium and potassium.

Id go with chocolate milk for my 500 win, just to be different and for the little bit of extra sugar.

[bill moffat]

....and wasn't it Graham Hill who replied "I must have won, I got to drink the milk" when the validity of his 1966 Indy win was questioned by a journalist ?

[Tmeranda]

Emmo refushed the milk in the year he won and drank orange jucie instead.

[F1Fanatic.co.uk]

Quote

Originally posted by Tmeranda
Emmo refushed the milk in the year he won and drank orange jucie instead.

Actually, that was the second time he won it, in 1993. When he won in 1989 he drank some but didn't enjoy it.

[Gene]

If I remember correctly the story was Emo drank orange juice rather than milk was because he owns (owned?) an orange grove and wanted to promote his product. The Dairy Organization was really upset and I think now as part of your entry you must agree to drink the milk if you win.

Gene

[Nanni Dietrich]

Also Regga and Alan Jones drunk some kind of fruit juice on F1 podium at the time of Saudi Arabian sponsorship for team Williams.

[Jim Thurman]

I remember seeing an interview with Louie Meyer and he said he asked for some buttermilk because the pounding of the brick surface had upset his stomach and he wanted something to settle it.

A television ad for Firestone tires currently airing, stressing their Indianapolis history, features a clip of Meyer drinking the buttermilk in victory lane while flashing three fingers to the camera.

[Frank S]

Quote

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
Why does the Indy 500 winner drink milk?
Not champagne but milk. Why?

Cos he can't drink Mom and Apple Pie?

[canon1753]

I remember reading that they have several kinds of milk on hand to cater to the desires of the drivers. (Skim, Soy, Whole, I think there is a Chocolate milk for Ross and so on).

[saudoso]

Quote

Originally posted by F1Fanatic.co.uk

Actually, that was the second time he won it, in 1993. When he won in 1989 he drank some but didn't enjoy it.

He is a heavy weight orange juice producer, by the way...

[stevewf1]

http://www.indymotor...500faq.htm#milk

BTW, when Fittipaldi drank Orange Juice after his '93 win, he was roundly blasted by the media in these parts for "going against tradition"...

[Buford]

Reminds me one of the all time classics on Speednet during the CART-IRL discussion "wars" of the 1990s when one of the Tony George Lemmings flatly stated, and he was serious, that he would never support CART "Ever since that greasy foreigner won and insulted Indiana cows."

[RA Historian]

Yes, there was quite a hoo-hah raised when Emmo pushed the milk aside. As Stevewf-1 mentions, the locals were aghast. I remember reading some of the letters to the editor in 'Speed Sport News' where some of the local intellectuals were actually calling for the race win to be taken away from Fittipaldi simply because he did not drink milk.

Made me wonder about the mental capacity of some of these fans and where their priorities lay. I thought the whole episode was very humorous.

[Vicuna]

Quote

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld
I read recently milk is a good post-workout drink as you get some nice bio-protein, some calories, and some sodium and potassium.

Id go with chocolate milk for my 500 win, just to be different and for the little bit of extra sugar.

Piers Courage thought so

[Flynnie]

Quote

Originally posted by RA Historian
Yes, there was quite a hoo-hah raised when Emmo pushed the milk aside. As Stevewf-1 mentions, the locals were aghast. I remember reading some of the letters to the editor in 'Speed Sport News' where some of the local intellectuals were actually calling for the race win to be taken away from Fittipaldi simply because he did not drink milk.

Made me wonder about the mental capacity of some of these fans and where their priorities lay. I thought the whole episode was very humorous.

There was quite a loud cheer in 94 when Emmo (in 2nd place behind Little Al in a Penske 1-2) hit the wall with a few laps left. Wouldn't go that far (make sure he's out of the car and OK at least), but I thought it was a dick move, particularly since it was just a marketing move rather than a genuine distaste for the stuff.

[Pils1989]

Traditions, traditions... Some have some meanings, some are fluff!

[canon1753]

Quote

Originally posted by Pils1989
Traditions, traditions... Some have some meanings, some are fluff!

Yet even the fluffy ones sometimes have more symbolic value to spectators than the really "important" ones. Plus, racing tends to be one of the least sentimental sports with not a lot of caring for history by management or even, sad to say, the participants. Obviously, if we are here we do care about our sport and its history and its preservation.

[COUGAR508]

Quote

Originally posted by Nanni Dietrich
Also Regga and Alan Jones drunk some kind of fruit juice on F1 podium at the time of Saudi Arabian sponsorship for team Williams.

Although in the early 80s, when Williams still had the Arab backing, Keke usually contented himself with mineral water. At some races won by Williams during that period, the second and third-placed drivers were left to spray the champers.

[lustigson]

Quote

Originally posted by stevewf1
BTW, when Fittipaldi drank Orange Juice after his '93 win, he was roundly blasted by the media in these parts for "going against tradition"...

I think it's rather fun for someone to now and then break with any tradition. Makes for a good laugh and makes you appreciate the tradition a bit more, too.

[indy500autographs]

AJ Foyt also refused to drink the milk after one of his wins.

Of course, that is never remembered.

[lanciaman]

I used to sweat out several pounds during a race. The idea of drinking milk to get hydrated is not appealing.

A large pink gin is more to my liking.