IndyCar driver Alex Palou won the 2025 Indy 500 to claim his first oval victory Sunday afternoon when he held off Marcus Ericsson to capture the 109th Indianapolis 500.

As the celebration ensued, one momentous tradition was visibly absent from the post-race excitement.

No milk was poured.

Why didn’t 2025 Indy 500 winner Alex Palou pour milk on himself after winning the race?

Let’s call it … advice.

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Palou recalled die-hard fans telling him not to pour the milk all over himself, and even his crew chief, Ricky Davis, offered similar advice.

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“There’s been a lot of people that had told me not to do that, and then I was like, okay, maybe I get too excited and I do it,” Palou said. “I was close, but then I thought, ‘Oh, man, I’m going to be with the milk all over me for like the next five, six hours.'”

That being said, Palou didn’t ignore the milk completely. He did take a little swig.

“I have to tell you, it was the best milk I’ve ever had,” Palou explained. “It was super sweet. I don’t know if they put anything in it. But it tastes so well, and I didn’t pour it into my head. I hope it’s okay with you, as well.”

Chris Sims is a digital producer at IndyStar. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.