New York Dog wins second annual Wienie 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
New York Dog outran five rival Wienermobiles on Carb Day, giving the second annual Wienie 500 a new winner and a fresh viral jolt before the Indianapolis 500.
New York Dog found the fastest line at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and won the second annual Oscar Mayer Wienie 500, a Carb Day spectacle that has quickly become a playful prelude to the 110th Indianapolis 500. The race, staged Friday, May 22, 2026, put six Wienermobiles on the track and turned Memorial Day Weekend into a marketing event as much as a motorsports one.
The victory added a new twist to a franchise Oscar Mayer and Indianapolis Motor Speedway are using to stretch Indy 500 weekend beyond the grandstands. The company said the inaugural 2025 Wienie 500 drew 85,000 fans in person and about 8 million viewers and streams online, and it said that debut helped sell nearly half a million more wieners. This year’s race was built to push that momentum further, with a nationwide live broadcast on FOX, new race-day livery, limited-edition Wiener Whistles and coaching help from INDYCAR drivers Nolan Siegel, Sting Ray Robb and Scott McLaughlin.
The field reflected both geography and brand theater. Slaw Dog returned as the reigning champion from 2025, when it won by about a half a bun after a dramatic finish over the Chicago Wienermobile. Chi Dog represented the Midwest, Chili Dog the South, Seattle Dog the Northwest and New York Dog the East. Corn Dog rounded out the lineup after winning the first-ever Pick Your Dog bracket, a fan vote that locked up the final spot after Sonoran Dog was left out following a last-place finish in 2025.
That earlier race showed just how much mileage Oscar Mayer can get from a novelty event when it is staged in the shadow of a major sporting institution. The company and track have framed the Wienie 500 as an unofficial kickoff to summer, and the numbers suggest the formula has found an audience well beyond racing diehards.
CBS News spoke with “Cook ’Em Cam” and “Jack and Cheese” after the finish as the New York dog celebrated its win. “It was incredible,” the pair said, capturing the tone of an event that is equal parts parody and promotion, but also a clear sign that the Indianapolis 500 is evolving into a broader entertainment franchise with sponsor-friendly viral reach.
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