The Wienie 500 is a viral appetizer for Sunday's I...
Key takeaways
- The first event held at the 2.5-mile rectangular racetrack was a balloon race.
- Its signature event, of course, is the Indianapolis 500, which will take the green flag for its 110th edition on Sunday.
- When asked to reflect on his call of the inaugural event one year ago, Indianapolis Motor Speedway public address announcer Allen Bestwick takes pause.
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
The inaugural Wienie 500, held on the Friday before the Indy 500, in 2025 became an instant viral sensation. Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Ryan Mc Gee May 21, 2026, 09:51 AM ETClose Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com 2-time Sports Emmy winner 2010, 2014 NMPA Writer of the Year Follow on XMultiple Authors Email Print Open Extended Reactions"WIENIES! START YOUR ENGINES!"
In 1905, Indianapolis businessman Carl Fisher first conjured up the idea that would become Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a show palace of speed designed to test the boundaries of what is possible, both on the road and in our imaginations.
The first event held at the 2.5-mile rectangular racetrack was a balloon race. Since that day in 1909, the Racing Capital of the World has hosted nearly every racing machine imaginable, from Formula 1 and NASCAR to MotoGP, sprint cars and airplane races.