Alex Palou's milk pick for Indy 500 entails an adorable special request

The 2025 NTT IndyCar Series Championship leader, Alex Palou, set the pace on the first day of Indianapolis Motor Speedway testing on April 23. Two days later, he had an adorable request for the Indianapolis 500's 89-year-old tradition.

'Winners Drink Milk' is a beloved and most unusual tradition in motorsports, as the victors of its greatest spectacle are offered milk instead of champagne, unlike the other Grand Prixs. This is due to an innocent request made by the first 3 time winner of the Indy 500, Louis Meyer, in 1936.

While the first time any kind of milk made its debut on the podium was buttermilk, asked for by Meyer to quench his thirst after the grueling race, it has now become an iconic aspect of the spectacle. Now, every driver is asked by the American Dairy Association, Indiana, beforehand which kind of milk they wish to drink should they take the checkered flag.

Alex Palou, who is one of the favorites going into the high-octane battle of the Indy 500, posted a picture of himself holding a milk preference checklist on Instagram. He asked his 107k fans which one they would prefer and even asked them to explain their choice.

Alright, it’s your turn: which milk are you picking and why? 🥛

Alex Palou picked whole milk and also made a special request, asking for an extra bottle for his 1-year-old daughter, Lucía.

Alex Palou highlights the challenges of 2025's Indy 500 qualifying

INDYCAR Open Testing - Indianapolis - Source: Getty

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway testing scheduled for April 23-24 concluded yesterday. Championship leader Alex Palou set the pace on the first day. After the two-day high-octane practice, Palou highlighted the challenges the drivers may face.

Palou topped the speed charts during the afternoon session on Thursday, which featured boost levels reduced to what will be used on race day for the 109th Indianapolis 500. His top lap in the afternoon was 223.993 mph in the No. 10 DHL Chip Ganassi Racing Honda.

However, the Spaniard spoke of how stability can be a challenge for the drivers at the Indy 500 qualifying. The 28-year-old mentioned how getting consistent in four laps is an uphill task.

"I just think that it's tougher now to make a good, clean four laps, while in the past we've seen that it's been pretty easy to just be consistent. Now, at least today, there was many more people struggling to make a good, consistent four-lap run," said Palou.

The three-time and reigning IndyCar champion, Alex Palou, is in stellar form this season. He is 34 points clear of Andretti's Kyle Kirkwood, who is second in the championship.