Dairy farmer Janet Dague of Kewanna, Indiana is the 2015 Rookie Milk Woman. Janet will deliver two ice-cold bottles of milk to the winning team owner and winning chief mechanic. (After her rookie year of intense training, she’ll be ready to hand the winning driver a Bottle of Milk in 2016.) Janet and her family take care of 180 cows in north-central Indiana. Here’s Janet’s take on the 500.
What are you most looking forward to?
Of course I’m looking forward to Victory Lane and watching Alan Wright, this year’s Milk Man, hand a bottle of milk to the winning driver. I’m also really looking forward to the 500 Festival Parade. I’ve heard that the size and the energy of the crowd really get you excited. Plus, I’m hoping to meet Nastia Liukin, who is the Grand Marshal of the parade (and on my favorite TV show, Dancing with the Stars). All I’ve ever done with the 500 has been on race day, so I’m looking forward to the other Month of May activities.
Are you nervous about anything?
I’m such a girl! I’m nervous about what I’ll wear and how I’ll look on TV. I bought new shoes to wear so I don’t look so short next to Alan when we’re on TV together.
What does being the Rookie Milk Woman mean to you?
My husband and I have been going to the race for 20 years, so we are huge race fans. I’m so proud to represent dairy farmers in Victory Lane and to be a part of the Indianapolis 500’s storied traditions.
What’s your race day tradition?
We always get up at about 3:30 in the morning to drive down the Speedway. We always park in the North 40 lot and tailgate before it’s time to go into the track. We throw footballs around and people watch. Once inside the track, we sit in our usual seats, surrounded by about 50 people we see pretty much every year. If you sit in the same seats for 20 years, you really get to know the folks around you.
