Chef Boyardee Returns to Nascar at the Daytona 500 with Record Fan Giveaway and New NASCAR Cup Series Motorsports Partnership

CHICAGO, Jan. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Hometown Food Company acquired the Chef Boyardee business from Conagra in June 2025 and is now significantly increasing the marketing investment behind the famous Chef Boyardee brand. Chef Boyardee is heading to the Daytona 500 in a big way—fueling race fans with food, fun, and nostalgia through a new NASCAR Cup Series motorsports partnership with KHI Management and Hyak Motorsports.

Through this partnership, Chef Boyardee will activate alongside Hyak Motorsports' No. 47 Chevrolet, driven by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., delivering the brand's largest-ever race-week fan experience and celebrating the next chapter of growth following the brand's recent acquisition by Hometown Food Company, a portfolio company of Brynwood Partners.

Ricky has been an incredible ambassador for our brands in the 12 years that we have been sponsoring his car in the Cup Series," said Henk Hartong, Chairman and CEO of Brynwood Partners. "We are excited to bring Chef Boyardee back to the track at Daytona and Talladega this season, both places where Ricky has taken the checkered flag previously. We look forward to bringing the Chef Boyardee 47 to Victory Lane at Daytona in February."

Fueling Fans with a Record-Setting Giveaway

Throughout race week, Chef Boyardee will seek to distribute more than 100,000 meals directly to fans, marking one of the largest single-event food giveaways in the brand's history. The effort comes at a time when grocery prices remain top of mind for households nationwide, reinforcing the brand's role as a familiar, affordable staple for generations of families.

Meet the Ravioli Roamer

At the center of the activation is the Ravioli Roamer, a custom Chef Boyardee vehicle that will travel across the infield, midway, and campgrounds delivering surprise-and-delight meal giveaways during peak moments—from campground check-ins to post-race snack runs and late-night munchies.

Additional fan experiences include:

• A Chef Boyardee Fan Hub with interactive games and photo moments
• Surprise appearances by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., joining fans in select zones for meet-and-greets and giveaways
• High-energy sampling moments designed to keep fans fueled all weekend long

A Look Ahead Under New Ownership

The Daytona 500 activation offers a preview of what's next for Chef Boyardee under Brynwood's ownership, with plans for brand refreshes, product innovation, and new product launches beginning in 2026, while staying true to the flavors and formats that have made the brand a household name.

By pairing one of motorsports' most iconic races with one of America's most iconic food brands, Chef Boyardee's Daytona 500 presence celebrates comfort, culture, and connection—one plate at a time.

A Motorsports Partnership Built for Fans

The Daytona 500 activation brings together legacy brands and high-performance racing at one of the most culturally significant sporting events in the country. KHI Management, a full-service sports and entertainment marketing agency founded by NASCAR Cup Series champion Kevin Harvick, played a critical role in connecting Chef Boyardee and Hyak.

Chef Boyardee will activate through Hyak Motorsports, the NASCAR Cup Series team formerly known as JTG Daugherty Racing. Rebranded in late 2024, Hyak Motorsports is led by principal owner Gordon Smith alongside co-owners Brad Daugherty, Mark Hughes, and Ernie Cope, and fields the No. 47 Chevrolet for Stenhouse Jr. The team maintains a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. The name "Hyak," meaning "fast," reflects the organization's renewed focus on performance on and off the track.

About Chef Boyardee
Chef Boyardee® is a classic American food brand rooted in Italian culinary tradition. Founded in 1928 by Chef Hector Boiardi, the brand has become a household staple, bringing convenient, comforting pasta meals to families for nearly a century. The Chef Boyardee® plant in Milton, PA, remains the heart of its production and heritage.

About Hometown Food Company
Hometown Food Company, based in Chicago, IL, was formed by Brynwood Partners in August 2018. The portfolio includes the exclusive U.S. rights to the iconic Pillsbury™ brand's shelf-stable baking products, including Funfetti®, along with Hungry Jack®, Birch Benders®, Arrowhead Mills®, White Lily®, Jim Dandy®, De Wafelbakkers®, Martha White® and Chef Boyardee brands.

About Brynwood Partners
Based in Greenwich, CT, Brynwood Partners, is an operationally-focused private equity firm that has been making control investments in North American-based lower middle market companies since 1984. The firm targets non-core brands and companies operating in the consumer sector. Brynwood Partners currently manages more than $2.3 billion in assets for its limited partners, which include U.S. and international pension funds, fund-of-funds, endowments, foundations, high net worth family investment offices and financial institutions. For more information, please visit www.brynwoodpartners.com.

SOURCE Hometown Food Company