President Donald Trump took a truck tour in the famous “Beast” President limousine and led a ceremonial pace lap to launch the Daytona 500 with crowds cheering.
That wasn't the first way Trump surprised the crowd in the stands on Sunday. He also instructed Air Force 1 to fly over the truck before landing nearby, offloading a heavy armored limousine for the pace lap.
The beast then tumbled onto the truck.
The president delivered a radio message to the racers as the limousines motored around the truck.
“This is your favorite president. I'm a huge fan, I'm a really big fan of your people,” he told the driver. “I don't know how you will do this, but I want you to be safe. You are talented people, you are great people and you are great America He's a person. Have a good day, have lots of fun and meet up later.”
Trump also gave him a start order to kick off the first leg of the race.
This is not the first time he has ever raced. Trump attended 500 people during his first term in office in 2020. But he was not the first president to attend.
The first president to attend the Daytona 500 was George W. Bush in 2004. Bush's father, George H.W. Bush, was present just before he took office as president in 1978. So far, the Democrats have not participated in the race.
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