President Trump traveled Sunday to the Daytona 500, the most significant event on the NASCAR calendar, to celebrate the iconic race and the nation’s renewed “spirit.”
Mr. Trump would be hard pressed to find a friendlier crowd.
The NASCAR fans roared in approval when Air Force One did a flyby over Daytona International Speedway. Mr. Trump also opened the race by taking a pace lap around the iconic track in the Beast, the armored presidential Cadillac limo.
“This is your favorite president,” Mr. Trump told the drivers over their radio system. “I am a really big fan of you people.”
“I just want you to be safe,” he said. “You are talented people and you are great people and great Americans. Have a good day. Have a lot of fun and I will see you later.”
It marked Mr. Trump’s second trip to the “Great American Race” and came a week after he made history by becoming the first sitting president to attend the Superbowl.
“I think it is fantastic. It is great for the country,” Mr. Trump, standing next to one of his granddaughters, said on the live Fox broadcast. “Our country is doing well again and we have spirit all over the world. There is spirit again. We brought it back and it has been less than four weeks.”
After shaking hands with some NASCAR drivers, Mr. Trump said, “It is going to get better.”
Mr. Trump in 2020 served as grand marshal of the Daytona 500 race, instructing the drivers to start their engines.
On Sunday, Mr. Trump traveled with several guests, including his son Eric, grandson Luke, Transportation Secretary Sean Suffy and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, the White House said.
“This iconic race showcases the fastest, most fearless drivers in motorsports, who represent our Nation’s love of tradition, competition, and automotive innovation,” Mr. Trump said in a statement before the race. “The Daytona 500 brings together people from all walks of life — from lifelong racing fans to first-time spectators — they all join in celebrating a shared passion for speed, adrenaline, and the thrill of the race.”
“From the roar of the engines on the track to the echo of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ soaring through the stands, the Daytona 500 is a timeless tribute to the speed, strength, and unyielding spirit that make America great,” he said. “That spirit is what will fuel America’s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours.”
• This story includes wire reports.
• Seth McLaughlin can be reached at smclaughlin@washingtontimes.com.