• by Sarah Mahoney , May 19, 2026

It seemed pretty zany last year when Kraft Heinz announced that it would head to Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a race of its own, sending its famous Wienermobiles around the famous Brickyard. But the event turned into such a runaway hit -- with 85,000 fans and 8 million streaming views -- that it’s back for another year. And this time, it’s moving to the big time: The event will air live on Fox, with play-by-play announcer Will Buxton calling the race, and Fox IndyCar analysts Townsend Bell and James Hinchcliffe weighing in.

The brand hopes the event will rev up sales, too, and says that last year, it sold almost 500,000 more wieners than in the prior year, marking the most successful Memorial Day window in four years.

This year, there will be six Wienermobiles and racing suits with new colors, decals and designs, not to mention the return of Wiener Whistles for the first time in almost a decade. And to make the dog-eat-dog race more competitive, Oscar Mayer is bringing in Nolan Siegel, Sting Ray Rob, Scott McLaughlin and other drivers to coach the Hotdoggers.

Fans at home can buy exclusive merchandise online and cast their vote for their favorites on Instacart. If they predict right, they’ll win free Oscar Mayer wieners.

“Last year’s inaugural race proved the Wienie 500 is more than just a one-time spectacle, it’s a real race cemented in culture,” said Kelsey Rice, brand communications director, in the announcement. “This year, we are turbo-charging all race elements to give fans a fresh take... From ushering in Team Corn Dog to bringing in the pros, we are going all-in to encourage fans everywhere to pick up Oscar Mayer wieners, kick off summer and enjoy the ride with us.”

Earlier this year, the company opened a “Pick Your Dog” bracket, letting America decide who would claim the coveted sixth spot. The results? Corn Dog is officially in, and -- along with Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Chili Dog (South), and Seattle Dog -- will try to dethrone reigning champion Slaw Dog (Southeast.)

There’s even an all-new prize: The Borg-Wiener Trophy, designed with transportation company Borg-Warner to create one just like the iconic Indy 500 award. BorgWarner’s CEO Joe Fadool will head to the Wiener’s Circle to make the race-day presentation.

Johannes Leonardo created the Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 campaign.

This year marks a substantial change in Oscar Mayer’s fortunes. Last year, Kraft Heinz was actively considering splitting the company in two, shunting Oscar Mayer and other low-growth brands into one company, while moving those with growth potential to another. Since then, the company has shelved those plans, with an ambitious commitment to renewed brand marketing.

In results released earlier this month, the CPG giant says those efforts are already paying off, with more than half of the brands in its U.S. retail portfolio holding or gaining market share, compared to just 29% in the previous quarter.

Alas, Oscar Mayer needs extra attention. “We still have much work to do, particularly in categories like meats and meals, where we are taking targeted actions including price investment across Oscar Mayer,” said Steven Cahillane, CEO, on the earnings call. “We believe the investments we're making this year will translate into stronger performance in U.S. retail.”