Wienie 500 captivates IndyCar fans with hot dog puns and wild finish
Wienermobiles took to the track at the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the Wienie 500 as thousands of fans watched hot dog-themed vehicles compete.
On Indy 500 weekend, the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway hosted the inaugural "Wienie 500" race, with all six vehicles in the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile fleet competing for a hot dog-filled trophy. Fans were treated to an exciting race as Wienermobile Slaw Dog pipped Chi Dog in a photo finish.
It was a humorous start to the weekend on a track that will host another historic motorsports race on Sunday, with NASCAR superstar Kyle Larson driving for Arrow McLaren before racing to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. "You are standing in a moment in hot dog history right now," Sarah Oney, who was co-piloting the New York Wienermobile, told The Associated Press. "This is the first-ever time we have honestly had all six Wienermobiles together and especially at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway."
The Wienermobiles have been around since 1936 as a promotional vehicle for Oscar Mayer, and the cars were picking up speeds of 65mph with tens of thousands of fans watching on following Indy 500 practice. "The Indy 500 marks the unofficial kickoff of summer and the start of hot dog season," said Kelsey Rice, brand communications director at Chicago-based Oscar Mayer.
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"It's only fitting that we bring a race of epic proportions to the Speedway and celebrate a timeless tradition: delicious meats and a little friendly competition to kick off a summer of wieners."
Motorsport fans on social media also loved the Wienermobiles racing for glory. "The Wienie 500, the real pinnacle of motorsport," one quipped on X.
"We're not getting racing as good as the Wienie 500 in the next hundred years," another joked. "The ending of the Wienie 500 was electric," a third tweeted.
"I'm pretty focused on F1, but the Wienie 500 does get my attention. Definitely a life highlight was touring a Weinermobile and getting my own Weiner Whistle which has a place of honor among my car toys," a fourth reacted.
As for Sunday's Main Event, NASCAR's Larson will start from 21st after having last year's "double" attempt ruined by weather delays in Indiana and the race being shorted in Charlotte. It's a feat not achieved since 2001.
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"The main why is I love to race. I like to challenge myself, you kind of learn new cars and all that. And I like to compete in the biggest races in the world. So to do two of those in the same day, it’s pretty cool," Larson said to Fox News Digital.
"For me, I want to do it while I’m in my prime. I’m only 32, feel like I’m at the top of our sport, I felt like the timing is right for that. I don’t know how long my NASCAR career will last… I think it’ll be really fun to do a road course race, just to experience that sort of feel of cars that have a lot of power and sliding around, no power-steering, the physicality of it.
"And also, getting to race with guys in their territory and see what they grew up doing, and just seeing the caliber and level they race at, because it would be different than what us NASCAR guys see and feel on a road course."
