President Donald Trump took ceremonial laps Sunday in his presidential motorcade nicknamed “The Beast” at the Daytona 500, marking his first visit to the iconic speedway since 2020.
What Happened: “This is your favorite president,” Trump told drivers before the race. “I’m a big fan. I’m a really big fan of you people. How you do this, I don’t know. But I just want you to be safe,” reported The Hill.
Trump traveled to the Florida racetrack after spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, continuing his public appearances following last week’s attendance at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
“It’s fantastic. It’s great for the country. Our country is doing well again, and we have spirit all over the world,” Trump told Fox Sports. “We brought it back, and it’s been less than four weeks.”
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Why It Matters: Trump’s Daytona appearance comes amid a notable shift in motorsports’ traditional relationship with conservative politics. While NASCAR has historically provided Republican presidents a platform to connect with Southern white working-class voters, the sport and other racing series have recently distanced themselves from political alignments.
Last May, Miami Grand Prix organizers sent a cease-and-desist letter to a wealthy Trump supporter planning a $250,000-per-ticket fundraiser in a suite overlooking the race. Similarly, IndyCar rejected a team’s bid to display Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. promotions at the Indy 500.
These changes come as motorsports battle declining viewership. NASCAR’s average audience fell to a record low 2.86 million viewers in 2023, while Daytona’s viewership has plummeted from historical highs. Formula 1 and IndyCar have faced similar challenges.
During his presidency, Trump served as grand marshal of the 2020 Daytona 500 and later criticized NASCAR’s Confederate flag ban while falsely accusing driver Bubba Wallace of a “hoax” involving a noose found in his garage stall.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
