NewsNational Politics

Actions

Trump takes Daytona 500 warmup lap in presidential limousine

Donald Trump, Melania Trump
Donald Trump, Melania Trump
Posted at 11:01 PM, Feb 16, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-17 00:09:37-05

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- President Donald Trump is giving an election-year embrace to NASCAR and its fans.

He's the second president ever to attend the Daytona 500 and as grand marshal, he had the honor of commanding drivers to start their engines.

The presidential motorcade took to the track to join in a warm-up lap after he had told the crowd that the racers and their teams were competing “for pure American glory”

Trump made a grand entrance before the start of the race.

The president gave thousands of fans a flyover of Air Force One and then rode onto the track in the presidential motorcade as the audience roared with delight.