Graphic: Backfire Racing.
Beyond being one of the largest single-day sporting events in the world, the Indianapolis 500 carries a set of traditions found nowhere else in motorsport.
Milk in Victory Lane
The winning driver famously drinks a bottle of milk in victory lane, a tradition dating back decades that has become as recognizable as the race itself. Drivers even specify their preferred type of milk in advance, just in case.
Community Day and Front-Row Qualifying
Qualifying for the Indy 500 spans multiple days and culminates in a dedicated session to set the front row, treated almost like an event of its own, with drivers running their qualifying attempts alone on track for maximum speed. This is a very different format from the single combined session used in most other IndyCar rounds discussed in coverage like the tight IndyCar points battle.
The Yard of Bricks
A small strip of the original brick surface remains exposed at the start-finish line, a physical reminder of the track’s early 20th-century origins when the entire surface was paved in brick. Winning drivers and teams often kiss the bricks in celebration.
Gasoline Alley and Race Morning
The garage area, known as Gasoline Alley, and the elaborate pre-race morning ceremonies, including the singing of “Back Home Again in Indiana,” give the event a ceremonial weight that builds for hours before the green flag ever waves.
Why the Traditions Matter
These rituals aren’t just nostalgia. They reinforce the sense that winning the Indy 500 is fundamentally different from winning any other IndyCar race, which is part of why teams built around dynasties, like the one covered in Chip Ganassi Racing’s history, still treat this single race with a reverence separate from the championship points chase.
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