Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Speedway, Ind.) â Prestige, entertainment and life-changing opportunities are synonymous with the iconic 2.5-mile track and one of the biggest motorsports events in the world. Well, the hot dog-based motorsports world anyway.
We are, of course, talking about the second edition of the Wienie 500 on Friday afternoon, and while the sun was far from out, the buns definitely were.
“We’re OK with soggy buns,” Corn Dog driver, Trey O’Shea, a.k.a. Tailgate Trey, told us. But luckily, the only thing raining was mustard when New York Dog took the checkered flag.
Six Oscar Mayer Wienermobiles hit the iconic 2.5-mile track Friday afternoon, delivering a fun and exciting second edition of the Wienie 500 in front of many fans who were dressed as hot dogs for the occasion.
The Wienermobiles represent different regions around the U.S.: Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Chili Dog (South), Seattle Dog (Northwest) and Slaw Dog (Southeast) were joined by a fan-picked Corn Dog, representing the country as a whole.Â
The six vehicles are rarely in the same place, as they travel around the country throughout the rest of the year. The Wienie 500 brought them all together again as the appetizer for Sunday’s 110th Running of the Indianapolis 500.Â
And, to be frank, the “hotdoggers” â the Wienermobile drivers and spotters in the passenger seat â knew it would be tough to catch up to and dethrone the reigning champ Slaw Dog.
But they managed to pull it off as the New York Dog held onto its lead, emerging as the top dog, getting all the glory in the “Wiener’s Circle” with the “Borg-Wiener Trophy.”Â
“It was fun,” Andy Richter, the “Commander in Beef,” told us in Wiener’s Circle. “I [picked] Corn Dog, and they were last. But they’re the new ones, so I like the underdog, no pun â this is the punniest place I’ve ever been. If you talk to any of those drivers, it’s nonstop puns.”
Here are our takeaways from the 2026 Wienie 500:
The two-lap race may seem like a sprint compared with the 200-lap Indy 500, but there was still plenty of action â starting with the Chi Dog practically running Seattle Dog off the track.Â
Slaw Dog took an early lead, followed by Chi Dog, Chili Dog, Corn Dog, New York Dog and Seattle Dog. But the defending champ’s advantage didn’t last.Â
Racing three-wide on the second 2.5-mile lap, Chili Dog, Chi Dog and New York Dog were almost trading bun shades in a heated battle for the lead. Ultimately, New York Dog pulled out front and held on for a mustard-filled celebration in the Wiener’s Circle.Â
“There’s no way to describe it,” New York Dog driver Camila Fowler, a.k.a. Cook ‘Em Cam, told us afterward. “No words. At the end of the day, we were a team, we were ready for anything and just happy to be here and happy to do it for New York.”
The Wienermobiles kept it exciting, proving three-wide racing is captivating in any form.Â
Perhaps the New York Dog crew of hotdoggers picked up some tips and tricks from the pros. For the second edition of the Wienie 500, INDYCAR drivers Scott McLaughlin, Nolan Siegel and Sting Ray Robb worked with the hotdoggers, offering a little bit of coaching on how to handle the IMS oval. They were also in a coaching booth during the race.Â
“Tastes like victory,” New York Dog spotter Jack Cupit, a.k.a. Jack and Cheese, shouted while downing a dog in the Wiener’s Circle. He didn’t know the team’s top speed, just that it was “faster than second.”
Here are the complete results from the 2026 Wienie 500:
As the winner of the inaugural Wienie 500 last year, Slaw Dog has had bragging rights while living that glizzy glam life. And it had a chance to defend its title late in the race but was maybe relishing last year’s “W” a little too much.Â
Ultimately finishing third, maybe Slaw Dog’s aero-dognamics just weren’t the best. After the three-wide moment that sent New York Dog up front, S
