This year’s Daytona 500 race is set to kick off incredibly soon. Seeing as though it’s one of the biggest events in racing, President Donald Trump is set to attend. And according to journalist Jeff Gluck, Trump has already arrived near the Daytona International Speedway.
CNN reported that Trump and the First Lady, Melania Trump, are set to take a lap around the speedway in a vehicle called “The Beast” before the event begins. The president will also serve as the Grand Marshal, who commands the classic “Drivers, start your engines.” Trump will become the second president to serve as the Grand Marshal for the Daytona 500, with the first being George W. Bush in 2004. Trump will reportedly also meet with drivers, team owners, and race fans during his appearance.
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“We’re honored that the President of the United States has chosen to experience the pageantry and excitement of ‘The Great American Race’ by attending Sunday’s 62nd annual DAYTONA 500,” Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said about the president’s visit.
President Trump is on the property. Limo just pulled into the Xfinity Series garage. pic.twitter.com/9uHyMVP77g
— Jeff Gluck (@jeff_gluck) February 16, 2020
Trump has made appearances at numerous sporting events throughout his presidency. In late October, he attended World Series Game 5 that was being held in Washington D.C., where he famously didn’t receive a warm reception from the crowd. According to USA Today, Trump was met with a chorus of boos after he was introduced by the game’s announcer. The crowd later started up a “lock him up” chant, a nod to his supporters’ own phrase that was aimed towards his 2016 opponent for the presidency, Hillary Clinton.
Days after his appearance at the World Series, Trump attended UFC 244 in Madison Square Garden with his adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump and several Republican lawmakers, according to The Guardian. Trump received a better reception than he did at the World Series, but it was still largely mixed.
In November 2019, the president and the first lady attended the Alabama vs LSU football game, where he was met with an overwhelmingly positive reception by those in attendance, per USA Today. His appearance prompted cheers from the audience and even a “U-S-A” chant. While there were still those who booed him at the game, they were drowned out by the cheers.
