President Trump Photo Credit: Fox Sports
By Arthur Weinstein on

President Donald Trump attended his second huge sporting event in as many weeks Sunday, appearing at NASCAR’s Daytona 500.

Unlike President Trump’s trip to the Super Bowl, where he appeared on-camera for just a few seconds during the national anthem, he had a commanding presence during Fox Sports’ Daytona 500 broadcast, from the very moment his motorcade arrived at the speedway.


The presidential limousine, “The Beast,” led the field on a pre-race lap around the 2.5-mile speedway, with Trump addressing the drivers.

“Mr. President, the radio is yours,” NASCAR race control announced.

“This is your favorite president,” Trump said. “I’m a big fan, I am a really big fan of you people. How you do this, I don’t know, but I just want you to be safe. You’re talented people and you’re great people and great Americans. Have a great day and a lot of fun and I’ll see you later.”

Fox Sports came ready with a graphic comparing the presidential limo to a NASCAR Cup Series car, although while it showed the top speed of a Cup car at 200+ mph, top speed for “The Beast” was labeled “Top Secret.”


Pit reporter Jamie Little caught up with President Trump for a quick interview.

“This is very exciting,” Trump said, mentioning the drivers “have a lot of courage doing this.”

The broadcast also showed other moments from Trump’s visit, including a brief appearance during the national anthem.


The president also met a number of drivers and other personalities, including this exchange with NASCAR legend Richard Petty.


Later, the broadcast showed Air Force One departing adjacent Daytona Beach International Airport.

In short, Fox Sports came ready to cover all the angles in Trump’s visit.

About Arthur Weinstein

Arthur spends his free time traveling around the U.S. to sporting events, state and national parks, and in search of great restaurants off the beaten path.

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