NASCAR is officially BACK today, with the green flag falling on the Great American Race, the Cup Series season-opening Daytona 500.
The race is always a spectacle, with special guests, concerts, and 100,000 fans packing the track to see the world's greatest drivers compete for the most coveted trophy in NASCAR. But this year, the event is even bigger with President Donald Trump in attendance.
It's Trump's second time at the 500 as president, with his first visit coming in 2020 as he was running for re-election.
As Air Force One made its way to the Daytona Beach International Airport, which sits right outside of the backstretch of Daytona International Speedway, fans erupted in cheers as the presidential plane did a flyover of the track as it came in for a landing.
And after departing Air Force One, the president and his party made their way to the presidential motorcade, which entered the track on the backstretch and took a lap around the track taking in the wild scene of the Daytona 500.
And after engines fired and the cars hit the track, they were led by a special pace car: The presidential limousine, "the Beast," hit the track to lead the pace laps as President Trump delivered a special message to the drivers:
"This is your favorite president. I am a big fan, I am really big fan of you people. 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."
It's actually the second time Trump has paced the field at the Daytona 500. The last time Trump was at the race, the president served as grand marshal and the presidential limousine also led the field around the track during the pace laps.
Trump spoke with Jamie Little on Fox ahead of the game, and there's no doubt he also had a chance to catch up with his friend and NASCAR team owner Richard Childress.
Childress endorsed Trump during the 2024 presidential campaign, and even introduced the president during a rally in his home state of North Carolina:
And the last time Trump attended a NASCAR race, the 2024 Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway, he watched the race with Childress on the pit box of the #3 car of Austin Dillon.
Ahead of today's race, the president was spotted chatting with drivers on pit road, as well as spending time talking to retired Cup Series driver Greg Biffle, who made headlines last fall for his heroic efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, flying helicopters to deliver aid to victims who had lost their homes.
And he also caught up with his friend Richard Petty, who also endorsed Trump during the 2024 election.
It's quite the scene for the Great American Race, the biggest race of the NASCAR season and the start of the 2025 chase for the Cup.