NASCAR fans go wild as Trump whips around Daytona 500 in the Beast but not everyone is delighted
Donald Trump told the drivers in NASCAR’s Daytona 500 that they are ‘great Americans’ while being taken around the 2.5mile circuit in the Beast during a stirring appearance at Sunday’s race in Florida.
The President sent NASCAR fans wild on Sunday afternoon as Air Force One flew over the track before his arrival. The thousands of fans cheered wildly as his plane roared over the racetrack, with Trump making it a second straight weekend of high-profile appearances at sporting events.
Last Sunday, he made history by becoming the first sitting President to attend a Super Bowl when he headed to New Orleans to watch the Philadelphia Eagles beat the Kansas City Chiefs.
This weekend, the President’s motorcade drove straight onto the track in Florida and traveled a short distance in front of the NASCAR fans packed into the stands before it entered a secure area. He later returned onto the track, with his motorcade doing two laps before the race started, where he spoke to the drivers over the radio.
As Trump’s limousine paced the track, he told the drivers: ‘This is your favorite President. I’m a big fan, a really big fan of you people. How you do this, I don’t know.
‘But I just want you to be safe. 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.’
Eric Trump joined his father for the visit and filmed from inside the Beast as Trump waved to people in the stands during the two laps. His granddaughter Carolina was in the car with them – the five year old was allowed to roam free without a seatbelt as she peered out from a window alongside her grandfather.
Earlier, as Trump stood for the national anthem, he made a brief appearance on the jumbotron that was met with a massive cheer by the thousands of fans in the stadium, ready for The Great American Race.
And as liberal NASCAR followers complained on social media that Trump was getting too much camera time, the President told Fox that the first few weeks of his second term are a sign of things to come.
‘I think it’s fantastic, it’s great for the country,’ Trump said about the race. ‘Our country is doing well again, we have spirit all over the world. We brought it back and it’s been less than four weeks, so you’ll see what we do in a little period of time. It’s only going to get better. This is very exciting.’
He continued: ‘I understand they’ll be going quite quickly (the drivers). They have a lot of courage, I see it and I’ve been here. They have a lot of guts.’
As well as shaking hands with multiple drivers, Trump also posed for a picture with NASCAR legend Richard Petty.
Trump’s plane touched down shortly after 1pm and he descended the front stairs of Air Force One carrying several red MAGA hats. He was followed by Eric and Lara Trump and two of their children.
On a windy day in Florida, Trump put on one of the MAGA hats, matching his red tie, and stopped for several minutes to speak to greeters, which appeared to include Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.
In a presidential message released as he flew to Daytona Beach, Florida, Trump said the opening event of the NASCAR series brings together people from all walks of life in 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,’ Trump said. ‘That spirit is what will fuel America´s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours.’
