After years of serving up hot dogs and even letting folks crash in a wiener-shaped RV, Oscar Mayer’s fleet of Wienermobiles has finally answered a question no one thought to ask: What if hot dogs went full throttle? That’s right—on May 23, the iconic hot dog cars lined up at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway and raced. Yes, like, actually raced. In the inaugural Wienie 500, six Wienermobiles went bun-to-bun in the meatiest motorsport event since someone grilled sausages on a pit bike.
Dubbed “the meat-up of the decade,” it was the first time all six Wienermobiles reunited on track in over ten years. Each one repped a regional dog—from the Chi Dog to the Seattle Dog—and came dressed to impress in race-themed livery. The Hotdoggers, aka drivers, even rocked custom racing suits, making this as official as it was absurdly glorious.
The action was streamed live on FOX Sports and social media, with highlights squeezed into the Indy 500 pre-race show. But this wasn’t just for giggles (though there were plenty of those). Thanks to a tie-in with DraftKings, fans could predict the winning wiener and compete for a slice of a $10,000 prize pool. A literal race to relish.
And at the finishing line, a trophy ceremony in the “Wiener’s Circle,” complete with condiment spray showers and, of course, a hot dog for the victor. As Oscar Mayer put it, it’s all about kicking off summer with delicious meats and a little friendly competition.
In short, the Wienie 500 proved that even hot dogs deserve their day on the track—and now we’re wondering what’s next. Bratwurst drag racing? Corn dog rallycross? We’re ready.
Images: Heinz.
