Pre-race balloon releaseįor years, thousands of red, while and blue balloons were released in the moments leading up to the race. According to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Tony Hulman’s mother, Grace Smith Hulman, first suggested the balloon release. The song has been part of the pre-race festivities since the 1940s, and many stars of their era have had the honor. See the Borg-Warner Trophy: Watch the unveiling with two time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato Singing '(Back Home Again) in Indiana' Team owners also received Baby Borgs starting in 1997. Starting in 1988, the Speedway started handing out "Baby Borgs," 18-inch versions of the trophy, to winning drivers. The trophy had room for 70 images, and since the race is more than a century old, a larger base allows for winners through 2033. It stands about 5-foot-4 and 153 pounds. The trophy, which debuted after the 1936 race, includes every the image of every race winner. The trophy cost $10,000 to produce but is insured for well over $1 million. View Gallery: Borg-Warner Trophy unveiling with two-time Indy 500 winner Takuma Sato Borg-Warner trophy features the faces of every Indy 500 winner As he had done at some other races, he rushed to the outside fence and climbed it to celebrate with fans. Helio Castroneves couldn't contain himself after winning the 2001 Indy 500 as a rookie. Sometimes, Indy 500 winners climb the fence Now, everyone who wins at the facility - car racers, air racers, golfers - make sure they kiss the bricks. Dale Jarrett kissed the bricks after his 1996 victory, and Gil de Ferran picked it up for the 2003 Indy 500. The Indy 500 borrowed this tradition from NASCAR's Brickyard 400. IMS map: Print your Indianapolis Motor Speedway map for the 2022 Indy 500, and get key venue info Indy 500 winners kiss the bricks Hence, the terms "Yard of Bricks" and "Brickyard." Since 1961, a 3-foot wide section at the start/finish line still has bricks. Paving bricks - 3.2 million of them - once covered the entire 2.5-mile oval, but over time different sections of the racing surface have been paved. Indianapolis Motor Speedway features a yard of bricks on the racing surface Jim Rathmann received a wreath after winning the 1960 Indy 500, and the winner has donned one every year since. The wreath is made of 33 ivory colored Cymbidium orchids with burgundy tips and 33 miniature flags. View Gallery: Indy 500 qualifying lineup car liveries Indy 500 winner is presented with a wreath He was promoting his orchard business in Brazil, but fans weren't pleased.) (Another note: Emerson Fittipaldi made what was considered a faux pas in 1993 when he sipped milk, then pulled out some orange juice to drink. And most of the milk is going to be poured on the winner's head anyway, so the flavor isn't that big of a deal.) (A note: Buttermilk and chocolate milk are not options.
Why do they drink milk at the Indy 500?: Here's the story behind the tradition
#Greatest spectacle in racing driver
The Indiana Dairy Association became an official sponsor in the 1950s, and these days every driver is asked what kind of milk they prefer - whole or skim - just in case they get the opportunity to celebrate with it. And his mother had told him years earlier that milk was good to drink on hot days, so that's what he requested.Ī dairy industry executive saw a photo of Meyer drinking the milk and decided to offer it to winners thereafter. He had just driven for 4 1/2 hours in the heat. Louis Meyer, parched after becoming the first three-time Indy 500 winner in 1936, asked for buttermilk in Victory Lane. On the air, legendary Indy 500 voice Sid Collins made it famous. 'Greatest Spectacle in Racing'Īlice Greene, a copywriter for WIBC radio, is credited with coining the phrase "The Greatest Spectacle in Racing" in 1954.
Here are some of the most-beloved Indy 500 traditions, some of what sets this apart from most sporting events.
#Greatest spectacle in racing drivers
The Indianapolis 500 has many long-standing traditions, though many were forced to take a break during the COVID-19 pandemic.ĭespite the interruptions, there's plenty that Indy 500 fans and drivers love about the month of May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Watch Video: Why winning the Indianapolis 500 matters
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