Hardee’s in NASCAR through the years

NASCAR announced Jan. 21 that Hardee's, the iconic restaurant brand, will return as the Official Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) of NASCAR and additionally join 23XI Racing as a primary sponsor with Bubba Wallace and the No. 23 Toyota team. 

The move acts as a significant comeback in NASCAR for the homestyle restaurant, which has left an unforgettable mark in years previous; Hardee's-backed entries have won 12 times in the Cup Series. Look back at some of Hardee's top moments in NASCAR through the years. 

RELATED: Hardee's, NASCAR partner as company joins 23XI, Wallace as primary sponsor

The NASCAR debut for the brand was plenty memorable. Donned on Bobby Allison's No. 28 Ranier-Lundy Racing Buick in the 1981 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Hardee's scheme led 140 laps and won by a margin of 8.2 seconds. Allison, a NASCAR Hall of Famer, raced in the Hardee's scheme 19 times that season, winning three races and only finishing outside the top 10 on three occasions during that stretch. 

NASCAR Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough was the next pilot to utilize Hardee's on his racing machine, spanning 1983-1988. During that time, Yarborough secured nine Cup Series victories with Hardee's at the helm. 

Of course, two of Yarborough's wins with Hardee's came in back-to-back fashion, doing so in the 1983 and 1984 Daytona 500s, cementing the brand's place in NASCAR history. 

RELATED: Drivers to win back-to-back Daytona 500s | Watch 1983 Daytona 500 | Watch 1984 Daytona 500

Alan Kulwicki's Cup Series debut occurred during a five-race stint in 1985, with all five contests coming with Hardee's as the sponsor. 

Under the Cale Yarborough Motorsports banner in 1988, Dale Jarrett piloted the No. 29 Oldsmobile with Hardee's as the sponsor for 19 races. Across all 29 contests in 1989, Hardee's was the sponsor for Jarrett and the No. 29 machine (this time a Pontiac). 

Five-time Cup Series winner Ward Burton donned Hardee's on his No. 31 A.G. Dillard Motorsports Chevrolet during his 1994 rookie season. Hardee's remained a sponsor for the No. 31 during the 1995 campaign.

During the 1997 Cup Series campaign, Hardee's was featured on the No. 20 Ranier-Walsh Racing Ford. In this photo, Greg Sacks wheels the vehicle at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway).

The Cup Series isn't the only circuit Hardee's has frequented. In the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series and Craftsman Truck Series, starts with racing machines donning the iconic restaurant have occured, spanning from the 1980s to 2000s. One such O'Reilly start came in 2008; Denny Hamlin (now a Cup Series star and 23XI Racing co-owner) took a No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota -- in a Hardee's/Coca-Cola livery -- to Victory Lane at Daytona International Speedway. 

Cars haven't been the only aspect of racing Hardee's has sponsored. Several contests across all three national series have as well, including the Hardee's 500 in the 1991 Cup Series season finale at EchoPark Speedway (formerly Atlanta Motor Speedway). In this photo, Ward Burton -- who, as we've already learned, drove with Hardee's-sponsored Cup schemes -- poses for a photo next to his No. 27 Buick before the Hardee's 200 at Richmond Raceway during the 1992 O'Reilly Auto Parts season.

WATCH: 1991 Hardee's 500

There's also "Days of Thunder" to consider. The iconic racing movie featured the fictional No. 18 Hardee's machine, driven by Russ Wheeler. The Hardee's scheme has also found its way into several "Days of Thunder" video games since. 

And so, enter 2026, where Hardee's will next don the No. 23 23XI Toyota driven by Bubba Wallace. The scheme will be driven for several races, beginning in March at Martinsville Speedway. 

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