(Indianapolis) – The Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 is officially back at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, returning for a second year on Friday, May 22, as a lighthearted kickoff to Indianapolis 500 race week.
The novelty race, featuring Oscar Mayer’s fleet of Wienermobiles, will again take place on the IMS oval ahead of the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500. Organizers say the event is designed to blend motorsports tradition with playful fan engagement during one of the busiest weekends of the racing calendar.
Oscar Mayer officials said last year’s inaugural Wienie 500 drew an estimated 85,000 fans to the speedway and reached millions more through online streaming, making it one of the most widely viewed novelty events of Indy 500 week. The company also reported a noticeable spike in product sales around the event, reinforcing its decision to bring the race back in 2026.
This year’s race will feature a new nationwide live broadcast and a fresh interactive element: fans will help determine which Wienermobile earns the sixth and final starting position. Five returning regional competitors are already locked in, including defending champion Slaw Dog, along with Chi Dog, New York Dog, Chili Dog and Seattle Dog.
The sixth entry will be chosen through a fan vote conducted on social media, where supporters can select from a slate of new regional hot dog concepts or opt to give the Sonoran Dog another chance to qualify after missing last year’s race.
Oscar Mayer says many fan-favorite elements from the first Wienie 500 will return, including custom Wienermobile designs, Hotdogger racing suits, the familiar “Wiener Song,” and a post-race celebration featuring a mustard-spray finish and a novelty Borg-Wiener trophy.
The Wienie 500 has quickly become part of the broader spectacle surrounding Indy 500 week, which traditionally includes concerts, parades, community events and multiple on-track sessions leading up to the Memorial Day weekend classic.
More details on the fan vote, broadcast plans and race-day festivities are expected to be announced in the coming months.