INDIANAPOLIS – One of the Indy 500’s unique traditions is for the winner to drink milk after taking the checkered flag.

With 33 drivers taking part, organizers need to know their milk preferences so they can be prepared no matter who wins.

The Indiana Dairy Association conducted its annual milk preference poll to ask drivers which type of milk they’d prefer. Drivers can choose from three milk options: whole milk, 2% milk or skim milk (there is a fourth option for “no preference”).

Marcus Ericsson celebrated last year with whole milk (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

According to this year’s results, 28 drivers want whole milk, three want 2% and two went for skim. The list included driver Stefan Wilson, who will not be able to participate in this year’s race after being injured in a crash during Monday’s practice.

No milk preference was available for Graham Rahal, the driver who will replace him. Last year, however, Rahal chose whole milk “since chocolate isn’t an option and tradition matters.”

Last year, drivers Ed Carpenter and Felix Rosenqvist said they’d prefer buttermilk. While not offered as an option, it’s the original drink of Indy 500 champions. According to racing lore, Louis Meyer enjoyed a glass of buttermilk after winning the 1936 race because his mother had told him it was the best thing to drink on a hot day.

A dairy industry executive saw this as an opportunity, and drinking milk in Victory Lane became an Indianapolis 500 tradition.

Louis Meyer is a three-time winner who started the tradition of drinking milk in the Victory Circle. (AP Photo/File)

Below is a list of the milk preference for each driver in this year’s race.

Whole Milk (28 drivers)

  • Marco Andretti
  • Agostin Canapino
  • Ed Carpenter
  • Conor Daly
  • Devlin DeFrancesco
  • Scott Dixon
  • R.C. Enerson
  • Marcus Ericsson
  • Santino Ferrucci
  • Jack Harvey
  • Colton Herta
  • Ryan Hunter-Reay
  • Callum Illott
  • Tony Kanaan
  • Kyle Kirkwood
  • Christian Lundgaard
  • David Malukas
  • Scott McLaughlin
  • Josef Newgarden
  • Pato O’Ward
  • Simon Pagenaud
  • Alex Palou
  • Will Power
  • Sting Ray Robb
  • Felix Rosenqvist
  • Alexander Rossi
  • Rinus VeeKay
  • Stefan Wilson*

2% milk (3 drivers)

  • Helio Castroneves
  • Benjamin Pedersen
  • Takuma Sato

Skim milk (2 drivers)

  • Romain Grosjean
  • Katherine Legge

*unable to race in 2023 Indianapolis 500