Indy 500, a tradition that has been taking place in the mid section of the country each Memorial Day weekend, will take place on Sunday, May 28th at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
This will be the 107th Indy 500, and since every sport has its tradition, the winning Indianapolis 500 driver celebrates with an ice-cold bottle of milk.
The cherished tradition about the Indy 500 dating back to 1936, is that the winner gets to be handed a milk bottle of which he takes a sip and pours the rest on himself.
Kerry Estes, will be this year’s Veteran Milk Man and takes the mantle to hand over the milk bottle to the eventual Indy 500 winner 2023.
He says it was his dream to be a dairy farmer since he was a boy. His dream was hampered by not growing up on a farm but God made his dream come true in an amazing and difficult way.
Estes says that to go on to represent Indiana dairy farmers at the famous race is a humbling and meaningful experience. It carries with it, the usual thrills but also an opportunity to carry the message about the great things that dairy farmers provide.
Estes acquired his farm from an old farmer and went on to build his dairy operation from there. The family milks on average 150 crossbreds in Indianapolis on what is described as hybrid grazing and confinement dairy.
Estes’s strong message is ‘Winners Drink Milk ‘ which is also the same slogan championed by the American Dairy Farmers of Indiana.
This he enhances by saying a light is being shone on the sustainable practices that the dairy farmers are doing like care given to the cows, how nutritious and safe the milk is which goes far to helping the consuming public, see the truth of how valuable dairy is in their lives. Estes’s family will all attend the race.
Alex Neuenschwander, a fourth generation dairy farmer from Bluffton will be the 2023 Rookie Milk Man and will also be at the race, learning the ropes from Estes on how it all works.
Neuenschwander says that when he would take his sons to the race a few years ago, his middle son would tell him that he should be the one to hand the milk in the winner’s circle.
Estes has already shared with Neuenschwander, that the winner circle is an electrifying moment with a great atmosphere. Neuenschwander says that he is proud to represent the Indiana dairy farmers to help highlight the hard work put in by the men and women in the dairy industry every single day.
Neuenschwander’s entire family will be at the 107th Indy 500 including his boys, Adler, 15, Case, 12 and Wyatt, 8. The oldest son, Adler, will sit with him directly in the box. Neuenschwander says that it will be pretty cool to be with his teenage sons at the race.
Indy 500 FAQs
Here are some of the most crucial details you may want to understand about the Indy 500.
When is the Indy 500?
The Indianapolis 500 is traditionally held annually on Memorial Day weekend in the United States. It is typically scheduled for the Sunday of that weekend. Memorial Day is observed on the last Monday of May, so the Indy 500 typically falls on the day before, which is Sunday.
How long is the Indy 500?
The race is 500 miles in length. This is completed over 200 laps of the 2.5-mile oval at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race’s duration in terms of time can vary considerably depending on factors such as weather conditions, number and length of caution periods, and the overall pace of the race. It normally takes about three to five hours to complete.
When is the 2023 Indy 500
The Indy 500 2023, which is the 107th running of the Indianapolis 500, is scheduled for Sunday, May 28, 2023