Bubba Wallace enters the upcoming season with momentum from his playoff run last year. He also has an additional reason to keep his foot planted firmly on the throttle of his No. 23 Toyota Camry.
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Wallace had snapped a 100-race winless streak by winning the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis in 2025, which carried him into the Round of 12 and eventually to a P11 finish in the final standings. That was the second-best season result of his NASCAR Cup Series career.
With confidence restored, Wallace is keen to build on that progress this year. And he has a new ally in terms of a sponsor in his journey chasing the ultimate prize in the sport.
Hardee’s is making a comeback to the top tier of stock car racing in 2026, stepping in as NASCAR’s Official Quick Service Restaurant through a multiyear agreement. The brand will also serve as a primary sponsor for Wallace and the No. 23 Toyota at 23XI Racing, beginning in March at Martinsville Speedway.
The partnership places Hardee’s back on the Cup Series grid in a prominent role, aligning its re-entry with one of the sport’s most visible drivers. The timing of the partnership adds more significance for Wallace and his team.
“NASCAR is built on legacy, and Hardee’s has been part of some of the most iconic moments in our sport’s history,” Wallace said before describing what the partnership means for him and the team.
“To bring that history forward with 23XI is really special, and we’re looking forward to representing a brand that means so much to NASCAR’s story. Fans know the Hardee’s paint schemes of the past, and I’m excited to help create some new memories for longtime and newer fans,” added Wallace.
McDonald’s, a global fast-food powerhouse valued at roughly $220 billion, recently left the team. The brand had deep roots in NASCAR and stood among the original sponsors of 23XI Racing when the team launched in 2021. That chapter is closed now, with Hardee’s golden star stepping into the spotlight.
The agreement marks a big shift for NASCAR as well. This is the first time since 2008 that the sanctioning body has designated an official QSR partner, following the departure of Checkers/Rally’s from that role.
While NASCAR has collaborated with other restaurant brands over the years through trackside deals and promotional activations, none had assumed the official designation until now. And the move shows that NASCAR understands what Hardee’s can potentially bring into the sport.
“As more legacy brands look to NASCAR to connect with loyal, multigenerational fanbases, Hardee’s stands out as a partner that understands the passion, tradition, and energy that fuel our community. We’re thrilled to welcome them back in such a significant way,” said Craig Stimmel, NASCAR’s chief commercial officer.
Hardee’s plans to leverage the partnership aggressively. According to a press release from the brand, the brand will activate at marquee NASCAR events and connect with fans by celebrating the sport’s history.
Although financial terms were not disclosed, an industry executive indicated that Hardee’s engaged in discussions with multiple teams. It has proposed an annual commitment of around $1 million.
Hardee’s, with 3,800 outlets and a global footprint, has a history in NASCAR that stretches back to the 1980s, when its branding appeared alongside several of the sport’s most accomplished drivers. Those included Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Alan Kulwicki, and Dale Jarrett.
More recently, the company signed Richard Petty as an endorser in 2022. Across the Cup Series, entries backed by Hardee’s have visited Victory Lane 12 times.
The brand saw the Victory Lane for the first time during the 1981 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, when Bobby Allison’s No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Racing Buick, adorning Hardee’s scheme, won. That car led 140 laps and won by 8.2 seconds.
Allison competed with Hardee’s colors 19 times that season, securing three wins and finishing outside the top 10 only three times during that span. Cale Yarborough also delivered success for the brand, driving Hardee’s-sponsored machines from 1983 to 1988, collecting nine Cup Series wins.
The restaurant chain’s presence extended beyond the Cup Series as Hardee’s branding appeared in both the second tier and the truck series from the 1980s through the 2000s. In 2008, Denny Hamlin drove a No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in Hardee’s/Coca-Cola colors to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway.
