Chili's® Grill and Bar and Spire Motorsports Ride the 'Dente into 2026 with Multi-Year Partnership Renewal

Chili's (NYSE:EAT) and Spire Motorsports announced a multi-year renewal extending Chili's primary sponsorship of the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 driven by Carson Hocevar through 2026 and beyond.

Rhea-AI Summary

Chili's (NYSE:EAT) and Spire Motorsports announced a multi-year renewal extending Chili's primary sponsorship of the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 driven by Carson Hocevar through 2026 and beyond. Chili's returns to the track March 1 at Circuit of the Americas in Texas as the first of multiple 2026 race dates.

The expanded partnership includes primary placement on Hocevar's dirt late model and a High Limit Racing sprint car driven by Gio Scelzi, sponsorship at the Chili Bowl Nationals, and FloRacing pre- and post-race show title sponsorship.

Argus Jan 13 session

-0.85% close to close Open Argus

Details

News Market Reaction – EAT

On Jan 13, the day this news came out, EAT closed 0.85% below the previous close.

Data tracked by StockTitan Argus for the Jan 13 session.

Market Context

This announcement extends Chili’s multi-year partnership with Spire Motorsports, reinforcing brand v...

Analysis

This announcement extends Chili’s multi-year partnership with Spire Motorsports, reinforcing brand visibility around the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 and related dirt and sprint car programs. It builds on prior “Ride the ’Dente” campaigns that highlighted Chili’s signature Presidente Margarita®. In the past six months, Brinker combined strong financial results—like Q1 2026 revenues of $1.349B—with promotional and charitable initiatives. Investors monitoring this news may focus on how such partnerships support traffic, brand relevance, and consistency with reiterated fiscal 2026 guidance.

Key Figures

Debut race date: March 1, 2026 Runner-up finishes: 2 finishes Cup Series season: Third season +1 more

Debut race date

March 1, 2026

Chili’s 2026 debut at Circuit of the Americas

Runner-up finishes

2 finishes

Hocevar’s 2025 results at Atlanta and Nashville

Cup Series season

Third season

Hocevar entering third NASCAR Cup Series season

Rookie season year

2024

Hocevar’s NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year season

Historical Context

5 past events · Latest: Oct 29

5 events

1. Oct 29

   Earnings results

   24h Move

   -7.5%

   Strong Q1 2026 sales, comps, EPS and reiterated full-year guidance.

2. Oct 15

   Earnings call notice

   24h Move

   -1.9%

   Announcement of timing for Q1 2026 earnings release and webcast.

3. Oct 02

   Product launch

   24h Move

   +2.1%

   Nationwide launch of Southwestern Queso after favorable taste tests.

4. Sep 23

   Marketing campaign

   24h Move

   -0.0%

   Return of MozzMates costume tied to strong appetizer and drink sales.

5. Sep 02

   Charity initiative

   24h Move

   -0.1%

   Create-A-Pepper program raising funds for St. Jude nationwide.

24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.

Key Terms

nascar cup series, dirt late model, sprint car

3 terms

nascar cup series technical

"rising NASCAR Cup Series star Carson Hocevar."

The NASCAR Cup Series is the top level of professional stock car racing in the United States, composed of a season-long schedule of races where drivers and teams compete for race wins and an overall championship. It matters to investors because the series generates revenue and brand exposure through ticket sales, broadcast and streaming rights, sponsorships, and merchandise — functioning like a national advertising stage that can materially affect the sales, marketing value, and public profile of companies tied to it.

dirt late model technical

"primary placement on Hocevar's dirt late model and the High Limit Racing sprint car"

A dirt late model is a purpose-built, high-performance race car designed to compete on oval dirt tracks; think of it as a heavily modified, aerodynamic sports car tuned specifically for sliding around loose surfaces. Investors should care because these cars drive revenue and brand exposure in motorsports through race winnings, sponsorships, team ownership, and parts/manufacturing businesses, and they also signal capital intensity and regulatory or safety costs that can affect profitability.

sprint car technical

"the High Limit Racing sprint car driven by fellow Spire Ascent driver Gio Scelzi."

High-powered open-wheel race car built for short, high-speed oval tracks—often on dirt—featuring a compact chassis, large wing for downforce, and a powerful engine that delivers rapid acceleration and nimble handling. Investors care because sprint car events draw dedicated local and regional audiences and create opportunities for sponsorship, advertising, ticket and merchandise sales, and broadcast rights; think of it like a popular regional sports team that provides concentrated brand exposure and revenue streams.

AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

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The fan-favorite restaurant brand and ascending race team expand sponsorship of the No. 77 Chevy ZL1 driven by Carson Hocevar

DALLAS, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After a year of encouraging NASCAR fans to Ride the 'Dente with a country music video, mechanical margarita shaker ride and headline-grabbing firesuits celebrating the brand's world-famous Presidente Margarita®, Chili's® Grill & Bar and Spire Motorsports are shaking up a multi-year extension that keeps the iconic red pepper on the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 driven by rising NASCAR Cup Series star Carson Hocevar.

Chili's makes its 2026 debut in its home state of Texas at the March 1 NASCAR race weekend at Circuit of the Americas, the first of multiple dates on the No. 77.

"Our partnership with Spire Motorsports continues to grow as we see excitement build at the track and with race fans across the country," said Chili's Director of Media Tim Forman. "We both take our business seriously but are eager to embrace opportunities to have fun and show up in unexpected ways together. Last season, Carson took it to a new level, giving fans an authentic reason to connect with Ride the 'Dente, and we can't wait to continue that push this year."

"The team at Chili's has really become students of the game," said Hocevar. "I think the Ride the 'Dente look was one of the cleanest and most iconic schemes of the season, and it feels like we're becoming one of the most talked about team and partner relationships in the garage. I'm really excited to build on that in 2026. Every race we were in the Chili's colors, we were really fast, and our plan is to give back to their commitment by getting them a lot of TV time up front, and hopefully, in Victory Lane."

Chili's has expanded its racing footprint with Spire Motorsports with primary placement on Hocevar's dirt late model and the High Limit Racing sprint car driven by fellow Spire Ascent driver Gio Scelzi. At this week's Chili Bowl Nationals, Chili's sponsors Scelzi's midget and is the pre- and post-race show title sponsor for FloRacing's coverage throughout the event.

"I am infinitely thankful for the relationship Spire Motorsports has built with Chili's," said Spire Motorsports Co-Owner Jeff Dickerson. "From what started as a one- or two-race opportunity, to where we find ourselves in 2026 is a true testament to Chili's commitment to this platform. We've built a solid NASCAR Cup Series program with Carson (Hocevar) and our No. 77 team and expanded the relationship to connect with our High Limit sprint car team and dirt late model project. We've had a pit road seat to their story too, so we truly appreciate how Chili's has re-emerged as the go-to, casual dining destination across the country. We're more than proud Chili's has joined us on our mission to win races and compete for championships. We've enjoyed so much to this point and still have much to accomplish."

Following up his NASCAR Cup Series Rookie of the Year season in 2024 with a pair of runner-up finishes last year at Atlanta Motor Speedway and Nashville Superspeedway,  Hocevar is poised for a breakout third season in the Cup Series. His authentic, lighthearted personality off the track and throwback bravado on it have made him a fan favorite with a rapidly growing fanbase.

More information about Chili's primary race dates and design reveal for the March 1 weekend at Circuit of the Americas will be announced closer to the race, but for more information about Spire Motorsports, please visit spire-motorsports.com. 

About Chili's® Grill & Bar      

Hi, welcome to Chili's! A proud leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of Dallas-based Brinker International, Inc. (NYSE: EAT), Chili's was named Ad Age's 2025 Brand of the Year. Founded in 1975, Chili's is known for serving Big Mouth Burgers®, Crispy Chicken Crispers®, and sizzling fajitas, while hand-shaking more margaritas than any other restaurant brand in the United States. Chili's operates 1,600 restaurants in 29 countries and two territories with over 70,000 team members. With a purpose to make everyone feel special, Chiliheads take food, drink and service seriously – but not themselves. Chili's was a proud winner at the 2025 MenuMasters Awards for Best New Menu Item for Nashville Hot Mozz, the breakout addition to the social media-famous Triple Dipper. For more than 20 years, Chili's has been a proud supporter of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and has raised more than $120 million for the organization through generous guest and team member donations. Find more information at chilis.com, follow on X or Instagram, like on Facebook, or join Chili's on TikTok.    

About Spire Motorsports

Spire Motorsports fields full-time entries in the NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series and High Limit Racing.

The team, co-owned by longtime NASCAR industry executive Jeff Dickerson and TWG Motorsports CEO Dan Towriss, earned its inaugural NASCAR Cup Series victory in its first full season of competition when Justin Haley took the checkered flag in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway on July 7, 2019. Less than three years later, William Byron drove Spire Motorsports' No. 7 Chevrolet Silverado to its inaugural NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series win on April 7, 2022, at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway. The team's most recent win came on May 30, 2025, when Rajah Caruth took the checkered flag in the Rackley Roofing 200 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.

In 2026, Spire Motorsports will campaign the Nos. 7, 71 and 77 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Nos. 7 and 77 Chevrolet Silverado RSTs in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series. The Mooresville, N.C., organization will also field the No. 77 410 sprint car in High Limit Racing competition. 

 

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SOURCE Chili's Grill & Bar

FAQ

AI-generated questions and answers. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.

What did Chili's (EAT) announce about its NASCAR sponsorship on January 13, 2026?

Chili's announced a multi-year renewal to remain primary sponsor of the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 driven by Carson Hocevar, with multiple 2026 race dates.

When will Chili's (EAT) debut its 2026 NASCAR paint scheme at Circuit of the Americas?

Chili's makes its 2026 debut at the March 1 NASCAR race weekend at Circuit of the Americas in Texas.

How has Chili's (EAT) expanded its motorsports presence with Spire Motorsports for 2026?

Chili's expanded primary placement to Hocevar's dirt late model, a High Limit Racing sprint car driven by Gio Scelzi, and sponsorship at the Chili Bowl Nationals.

Which driver will carry Chili's (EAT) primary branding in the NASCAR Cup Series in 2026?

Rising Cup Series driver Carson Hocevar will carry Chili's primary branding on the No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1.

Will Chili's (EAT) appear in broadcast sponsorships during motorsports events in 2026?

Yes; Chili's is the pre- and post-race show title sponsor for FloRacing's coverage at the Chili Bowl Nationals.