It’s May, which means one thing, Winners Drink Milk!
The 107th running of the Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge is 27 days away and the question is who will win the Greatest Spectacle In Racing?
Defending Indianapolis 500 winner Marcus Ericsson had a great start to the 2023 NTT INDYCAR SERIES, winning the opening race of the season in St Pete.
Following Sunday’s race in Barber Motorsports Park, Ericsson heads into May with his lead in the championship intact by just three points.
Six-time series champion Scott Dixon, who won the Greatest Spectacle In Racing in 2008 is hoping to bounce back from a tricky few races in Long Beach and Barber.
The Iceman has always gone well here in Indy and started on pole in 2022.
Team Penske are always strong St the Brickyard and it will be interesting to see what they can do this month.
So, how did the Indianapolis 500, Winners Drink Milk celebration begin?
Well, in 1936, after pulling into Victory Lane having just won his third Indianapolis 500, Louis Meyer asked for a glass of buttermilk and on that date, a tradition was born.
Each year, in the build-up to The Greatest Spectacle In Racing, the American Dairy Association of Indiana selects a Indiana Dairy farmer to provide the milk to the race winner.
In 2023, Kerry Estes will serve as the veteran milker. He and his wife Christiana began farming in 2005 after deciding they wanted to work more closely with their four children, and dairy farming provided the perfect opportunity to do just that. Their cows graze in the surrounding pastures during part of the year, and have waterbeds to lounge in when they feel like it. Each family member has a different specialty on the farm, making it a true family business. Kerry also coaches football in the local school system, bringing his sense of teamwork from the farm to the field.
Kerry is joined by rookie Alex Neuenschwander. Alex is a fourth generation dairy farmer and is the on site farm manager at Neu-Hope Dairy in Bluffton, Indiana. He has a passion for improving herd genetics to meet market demands. He resides near the farm with his wife, Shauna, and three boys. In his [limited] spare time, Alex is an avid IU Hoosiers fan and enjoys following the team!
As part of the Indianapolis 500 celebrations, the American Dairy Association of Indiana hosts its annual rookie luncheon.
To find out more about the milk tradition at the Indianapolis 500 click here.