It's extremely hard to get hired as a 'hotdogger' driving the Wienermobile for Oscar Mayer
More people have been in outer space than have driven the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile .
Jay Leno shared that fun fact on CNBC's "Jay Leno's Garage" as he took the famous hot dog vehicle out for a spin.
The first Wienermobile was created in 1936 as a marketing campaign to spread the word about the new company, and more than "80 years later, there have been 11 different versions," Leno says.
Getting hired as a driver to take one of six $400,000 meat-shaped cars around the country is extremely competitive, and people aiming to become what the company calls "hotdoggers" must go through a rigorous application and testing process.
Leno caught up a hotdogger named Isaac to see what it's like to have landed such a coveted role.
"I get to pilot this thing all over the country for a full year," Isaac explains.
Here's how someone gets chosen to be a "top dog," according to Isaac.
"It's a very competitive position, and it's an open application process," says Isaac. "More than 1200 people applied last year for 12 spots.
"In an effort to stick out, I went to the post office and I actually got a rectangular prism-shaped box and I decorated it like a giant hot dog," he says. "And in the letters of recommendation from my bosses, I asked them to fill them out with hot dog puns."
Some of those puns?
"Isaac works his buns off," he says, and "Isaac's a top dog.... And here I am today."
Once chosen, the hotdoggers take a two-week driving course at "Hot Dog High" before they can hit the road. Their main job is to travel the U.S. promoting the brand and its most recognizable marketing shtick.
Leno spent a little more time in the giant hot dog, and even gave parallel parking a whirl.
"How hard can it be to try to parallel park a 27-foot weiner?" Leno wonders. After some tight maneuvering and jokes from Isaac, he manages to park the car.
"How's that Mr. Hot Buns?" Leno ribs.
CNBC's "Jay Leno's Garage" airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET.