President Trump is attending Sunday’s Daytona 500, a race that he said is a unifying event with a spirit that will “fuel America’s Golden Age.”
In a presidential message released as he flew to Daytona Beach, Florida, Mr. 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,” Mr. Trump said. “That spirit is what will fuel America’s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours.”
The president said in his Jan. 20 inaugural address that “the golden age of America begins right now.”
He thrilled thousands of NASCAR fans in the stands with an Air Force One flyover before landing next to Daytona International Speedway. Mr. Trump’s presidential motorcade, with him riding in the limousine known as “The Beast,” did a lap around the racetrack when he arrived, and then led the drivers in ceremonial pace laps before the start of the race.
“This is your favorite president. I’m a big fan, I’m a really big fan of you people,” he told the drivers over the radio. “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 good day, have a lot of fun and I’ll see you later.”
Air Force One took off from Palm Beach International Airport shortly after noon and the president was traveling with several guests, including his son Eric, grandson Luke, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and his wife, Kathryn, the White House said. Several members of Congress also traveled with Mr. Trump.
The president was at the race in 2020 while running for a second term and was given the honor of being grand marshal of NASCAR’s biggest and most prestigious event of the year and delivered the command for drivers to start their engines.
Last weekend, the Republican made history as the first sitting president to attend the Super Bowl. Mr. Trump also attends college football games and UFC fights and is an avid golfer.
Asked what he enjoyed most about NASCAR, Mr. Trump said during a 2020 interview with Fox News that it was the bravery and courage of the drivers pursuing “pure American glory.”
He described the Daytona 500 as a “legendary display of roaring engines, soaring spirits and the American skill, speed and power that we’ve been hearing about for so many years. The tens of thousands of patriots here today have come for the fast cars and the world-class motorsports. But NASCAR fans never forget that no matter who wins the race, what matters most is God, family and country.”
The sport’s fans are seen as leaning conservative.
At the White House in 2018, Mr. Trump honored NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. and Furniture Row Racing.
Last May, as a former president and candidate for reelection, Mr. Trump attended the Coca-Cola 600 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in the swing state of North Carolina.
One NASCAR driver said having a president on hand Sunday for “one of our biggest days of the year is special.”
“It certainly brings a lot of eyes and a different perspective to what we do down here for this race,” said Chase Elliott.