INDIANAPOLIS — My favorite time of the year is here, It's May! The Indy 500 is unlike any other sport! From the pageantry to the thrill of 33 drivers going 225 miles an hour. But, the personalities truly make the Indy 500 special.
One of the best parts of my job is getting to know the drivers away from the limelight. These drivers have some funny personalities. We were looking for a way to let you meet the REAL people behind the helmets!
So each year, we bring you "Milk & Cookies!" Every driver loves milk in Victory Lane and cookies in the offseason, so this is a chance to get to know these unique athletes in a fun way. We ask all the drivers a series of off-the-wall questions and we get their natural reactions.
I hope you will watch this month's edition of…Milk & Cookies!
Burning calories
DAVE: How many calories do you think you burn during the 500?
RYAN HUNTER-REAY: Oof. Calories?
DAVE: Is it a lot?
HUNTER-REAY: Yeah. Calories during the 500? Races tend to be around 2,000 calories.
DAVE: And then what about workout routines?
HUNTER-REAY: Workout routine. Swimming. And I’ve been really into the Peloton lately. Ummm, not sponsored, so I probably shouldn’t have said that by name.
DAVE: How many calories do you think you burn during the Indy 500?
HELIO CASTRONEVES: Indy 500...about 3500 to 4000 calorie that day.
DAVE: I’m the same way, man. You wouldn’t believe how many calories I burn.
CASTRONEVES: I believe you. (silently mouths, “No.”)
DAVE: What’s your workout routine like?
CASTRONEVES: Tony Kanaan put me into this program with a bicycle, and let me tell you, man…ugh. I want to kill him. No. Figure of speech. (laughter) I want to hurt him. Let’s put it this way, because it is brutal.
Impressions
DAVE: Helio Catroneves. Can you do an impersonation of him?
TAKUMA SATO: Oh, like this? (snapping fingers on both hands.)
DAVE: (laughing)
JOSEF NEWGARDEN: As Castroneves: Hey, guys! It’s Helio Catroneves. We’re here at the Speedway. Team Penske. Our car is super fast. I can’t wait. I hope to see you there!
DAVE: (laughing)
NEWGARDEN: That’s how he is.
DAVE: That was a 10.
NEWGARDEN: People think it’s fake. It’s not. That’s Helio.
Who do you want to beat?
DAVE: It’s the last lap of the Indy 500. Which driver would you like to beat to the finish line?
GRAHAM RAHAL: I mean, I’d like to beat Scotty [Dixon.]
DAVE: Dixon?
WILL POWER: Dixon. Dixon. That’s….
DAVE: That’d be a tough one.
POWER: To beat him to the line, that would be really good.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN: Scott Dixon. He’s a hero of mine, and I’ve watched him race and watched him win.
DALTON KELLETT: Dixon. It’s a tall order, I mean.
DAVE: Yeah.
KELLETT: It’s Scotty. He’s the best, right?
DAVE: Who would you like to beat to the finish line?
TONY KANAAN: Dixon.
DAVE: Wouldn’t that be nice?
KANAAN: Oh, I’d make fun of him for the rest of his life.
DAVE to Scott Dixon: Now, a lot of guys said you.
SCOTT DIXON: Yeah?
DAVE: Which is… that’s a pretty neat compliment.
DIXON: Well, it’s happened quite a bit. I don’t know. For me, I’d say Sato. You know, if Dario [Franchitti] were still racing, I’d say Dario.
DAVE: But you’d like another shot at Sato wouldn’t you?
DIXON: Absolutely.
DAVE: Give you five laps. Or one lap.
DIXON: Absolutely.