The most iconic part of winning the Indianapolis 500 is the milk you get to drink in Victory Lane. The tradition began in 1936 when Louis Meyer requested a bottle of buttermilk after winning the 24th running of the event. He was the first person to win three Indy 500s, and Meyer later claimed that he also drank milk after his second win in 1933.
However, it didn't become an official and permanent tradition until 1956 when dairy executives got involved, as they saw a great advertising opportunity. Race winner Pat Flaherty was paid $400 for drinking the milk.
