Indy 500 Milk Tradition

“Winners Drink Milk” is considered one of the most beloved phrases and traditions in Indiana and all of sports.

The tradition started at the Indianapolis 500® by driver Louis Meyer simply requesting buttermilk to quench his thirst after the 1936 race. The Drink of Milk has since evolved from a thirst satisfying beverage to a ceremonial hand-off with an Indiana dairy farmer giving the iconic, glass bottle of milk to the winner with over 250,000 people watching in-person and more worldwide.

Each year, two Indiana dairy farmers carry out the “Winners Drink Milk” tradition in the Victory Circle of the Indianapolis 500®. The dairy farmers represent their colleagues’ hard and dedicated work to bring the nutritious drink to so many. A ‘Rookie’ is selected each year, who spends the first year “training,” and delivers bottles of milk to the winning Chief Mechanic and the winning Team Owner. The following year the Rookie becomes the official Milk Person and is given the honor of handing the ice-cold bottle of milk to the winning driver of the Indy 500®.

The drivers are asked for their milk preferences before the race: fat-free, 2% or whole milk. Whole milk is the most popular choice by the drivers.

Meet The 2025 Indy 500 Milk Presenters

In 2025, Abbie Herr will serve as the Veteran Milk Presenter. Abbie will deliver ice cold milk to this year’s winning driver. Ashley Stockwell will serve as the Rookie Milk Presenter, delivering milk to this year’s winning team owner and chief mechanic.

Watch for Abbie and Ashley on race day on Victory Podium.

Abbie Herr, 2025 Veteran Milk Presenter

“I always say that I have milk running through my blood because I just love dairy.” Abbie Herr grew up on a small dairy farm in South Whitley, Indiana and now works alongside her husband, Steve, at Herr Dairy near Kendallville in Noble County.

Abbie is passionate about the cows they raise and enjoys sharing their daily routines on social medias and on virtual and on-farm tours. Abbie is honored to represent female dairy farmers, including two aspiring dairy farmers, her daughters.

Ashley Stockwell, 2025 Rookie Milk Presenter

Ashley grew up in a farming family but married into the dairy farming community. Ashley and her husband, Kyle, run Stockwell Farms in Hudson, Indiana, along with their family. They work hard every day to make delicious milk for healthy, protein-packed breakfast foods to start your day off strong. Ashley and Kyle have four kids that keep them busy on and off the farm.

More About Indy 500 Traditions

If you haven’t spent time in Indiana during Memorial Day weekend, you may not know that the Indianapolis 500® is celebrated far and wide throughout the Hoosier state and how important the tradition of the drink of milk by the winning driver at the end of the race is (also dubbed the “Sport World’s Coolest Prize” by Sports Illustrated).

The milk tradition began with a simple request. When Louis Meyer, the first three-time winner, won his second Indy 500® in 1933, he asked for a cold glass of buttermilk to quench his thirst. Yes, buttermilk. Three years later, Louis repeated the win and was photographed drinking his buttermilk. For the next two decades, the Milk Foundation presented milk to race winners off and on. But in 1956, Tony Hulman made the Bottle of Milk a permanent part of the Victory Lane (now Circle) celebration.

Today American Dairy Association Indiana has the honor in helping to provide the milk that gets handed to the winning driver. Each year, an Indiana dairy farmer is selected to be the person who gets to hand over the bottle of ice cold milk to the winning driver. This is a two year commitment with the first year being a “rookie” year, and the second year being a “veteran” year. The rookie hands a bottle of

milk to the winning driver’s chief mechanic and team owner; the veteran hands a bottle of milk to the winning driver.

The drivers are polled before to the race for their milk preference in the event they are the winner. The choices are between skim, 2% or whole. While buttermilk isn’t an option today, it’s still talked about with the drivers! Proving how strong and meaningful the traditions are at the Indy 500®!