Chili's® Grill & Bar and Spire Motorsports Ride the 'Dente™ Again-te
Rhea-AI Summary
Chili's (NYSE:EAT) returns to the track March 1, 2026 at Circuit of the Americas in Austin with driver Carson Hocevar and the No. 77 Ride the 'Dente Chevrolet. The brand extended a multi-year sponsorship with Spire Motorsports and highlights its Presidente Margarita, selling nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025.
The campaign features a new black-and-white car and firesuit design, pepper-vine art, and the names of nearly 1,100 corporate general managers integrated into the pepper logos.
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News Market Reaction – EAT
On the day this news was published, EAT gained 0.27%, reflecting a mild positive market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
EAT is down 3.92% while key peers show mixed moves: WING -3.44%, SHAK -2.54%, CAVA -1.26%, but CAKE and TXRH are modestly positive. No peers appeared in the momentum scanner and there are no same-day peer headlines, pointing to a more company-specific move against a mixed restaurant tape.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 11 | Marketing promotion | Positive | +2.0% | Launch of free Margarita of the Month Club after strong 2025 margarita sales. |
| Jan 28 | Earnings and guidance | Positive | -0.4% | Q2 fiscal 2026 beat metrics and raised full-year revenue and EPS guidance. |
| Jan 14 | Earnings call notice | Neutral | +0.7% | Announcement of timing and access details for upcoming Q2 earnings call. |
| Jan 13 | Sponsorship renewal | Positive | -0.8% | Multi-year renewal of Chili’s primary sponsorship of No. 77 with Spire Motorsports. |
| Oct 29 | Earnings report | Positive | -7.5% | Strong Q1 fiscal 2026 comps, especially Chili’s +21.4% comp growth, with guidance reiterated. |
Recent earnings and partnership headlines with generally positive fundamentals have sometimes coincided with flat or negative next-day moves, while consumer-facing marketing promotions have seen more supportive reactions.
Over the last several months, Brinker International (EAT) combined strong fundamentals with active brand marketing. Q1 and Q2 fiscal 2026 results highlighted revenue above $1.3B per quarter, solid net income, and raised or reiterated full-year guidance, yet the stock moved -7.47% and -0.41% after those reports. At the same time, Chili’s deepened brand engagement with NASCAR and launched a Margarita of the Month Club after selling nearly 30 million margaritas in 2025, with that fan-focused promotion seeing a positive 2.02% reaction, underscoring investor interest in consumer demand signals.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement deepens Chili’s partnership with Spire Motorsports and showcases the Presidente Margarita, which saw nearly 30 million sold in 2025. It extends brand visibility at Circuit of the Americas and emphasizes Chili’s 50-year heritage and nearly 1,100 general managers. In context with recent strong earnings and guidance, investors may track how such marketing efforts tie into traffic, comparable sales, and future revenue updates rather than treating this as a standalone financial catalyst.
Key Terms
nascar technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
The restaurant brand continues to shine a spotlight on its iconic Presidente Margarita® through its standout NASCAR presence
Chili's sells more margaritas than any restaurant brand in the
And the 'Dente isn't just a delicious margarita; it's now become the rallying cry for Hocevar's fans.
Appearing on Hocevar's No. 77 Chevrolet ZL1 in 2025, "Ride the 'Dente" is how Chili's re-introduced the Presidente to the racing crowd, launching the brand's first country music video before bringing its mechanical marg shaker ride to the Boulevard in the infield at Talladega Superspeedway. The off-track pieces accompanied one of the season's fan-favorite car and firesuit designs. The car featured western flourishes and a custom Ride the 'Dente logo, while the firesuit turned heads with a personalized
"We love how fans have taken the campaign and made it a rallying cry for hard racing or a way to say they're headed to Chili's for margs and Triple Dippers," said Chili's Director of Media, Tim Forman. "This year, we're making a few updates, starting with an intimidating black-and-white design and black suit, to reflect the mentality Carson brings to the track and give fans another reason to yell or post 'Ride the Dente'."
This newest 'Dente car design is a classic black, white and red with the return of the recognizable Ride the 'Dente logo and the addition of pepper vines crawling across the top and sides, a homage to Chili's founder Larry Lavine and the fashion sense he displayed in the early days of the 50-year-old restaurant brand. The Chili's firesuit gets an outlaw edit to its western-theme with a black faux button-down, jeans, and boot design, pepper vine flourishes, a Spire bolo tie and an updated version of the
"Chili's set the bar last year with the Ride the 'Dente scheme and firesuit," said Hocevar. "This year they've outdone themselves with the full look. I don't think you'll find another car or campaign in the garage that is as detailed and unique as this one. Every little thing has been thought out and it's really cool to be able to represent a brand I love in the sport I love. I hope everyone enjoys seeing the black-and-white Chili's Ride the 'Dente Chevy on track, and when we take it to Victory Lane, they can join us at the nearest Chili's for some margs and Triple Dippers."
The race weekend at Circuit of the
Race fans in the
About Chili's® Grill & Bar
Hi, welcome to Chili's! A proud leader in the casual dining industry and the flagship brand of
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
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
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SOURCE Chili's Grill & Bar
FAQ
What is Chili's (EAT) announcing for the March 1, 2026 COTA race?
Does the Chili's partnership with Spire Motorsports continue beyond 2026 for EAT?
How prominent is the Presidente Margarita in Chili's (EAT) marketing for 2026?
When and where can fans see the No. 77 Ride the 'Dente Chevy on track in Austin?
What visual updates did Chili's (EAT) make to the Ride the 'Dente car and firesuit for 2026?
