Watch out, NASCAR fans, you’re in for a surprise this year! According to CBS, President Donald Trump will appear at the Daytona 500 to kick off the 2025 NASCAR Cup Season. This marks the second time the president has been in attendance at the Great American Race. His last was in 2020. Ed O’Keefe, CBS News Senior White House and political correspondent, tweeted the announcement over X.
Included were CBS News colleagues Kristin Brown and Nicole Sganga in the tweet that read START YOUR ENGINES: “President Trump will attend the Daytona 500 next Sunday, Feb 16,” he said. Having the commander-in-chief present for the Great American Race will be interesting, but Trump is no stranger to the NASCAR community.
The President’s Plans for the Daytona 500
O’Keefe continued his charge on X, speaking about Donald Trump’s pre-race plans to circle the track at Daytona International Speedway. Yet, he won’t be behind the wheel of a Next Gen NASCAR. Instead, he’ll be accompanied by Secret Service agents in the U.S. Presidential Limousine “Cadillac One, ” nicknamed “The Beast.”Trump did the same 2020 before commanding drivers to start their engines as the race Grand Marshal.
However, there has been quite a bit of controversy surrounding his decision to attend the Daytona 500. Fans have incited rumors suggesting bad things happen wherever he goes. They feel his presence will likely curse the event based on past happenstances. These include a 2020 rain delay and Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s untimely death. The phenomenon is being referred to as the “Trump Curse.” Even so, this won’t prevent Trump from attending the event. Donald Trump touts NASCAR as one of the few sports that have true American values. Will his presence at Sunday’s race drive a wedge with fans?
The Donald Trump Curse
Fans and spectators agree with President Donald Trump’s attendance at the Daytona 500 but are skeptical of the rumored “Trump Curse.” Some even took to social media, noting the pattern of inarguable incidents that unfolded in his presence. For instance, in 2020, the race experienced a rain delay and was pushed to Monday, Feb. 17, upon his attendance. The most memorable is the untimely death of “The Intimidator,” Dale Earnhardt Sr., who was critically injured when he collided with a retaining wall.
Post-collision, he was pushed into Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin and later succumbed to his injuries ( a basilar skull fracture) at a local Daytona Beach hospital. When that transpired, Donald Trump was front and center on pit road. So, naturally, there was some speculation of a connection between the president’s attendance and the venue’s stroke of bad luck. Conspiracy theorists likely fueled these claims, and there’s no evidence to suggest their truth. Still, like it or not, No. 47 will support the great people of NASCAR and capitalize on ensuring the grandeur of the United States of America never dies.
Final Thoughts
President Donald Trump’s confirmed attendance at on Feb. 16 has caused a social media uproar, leaving mixed feelings all around. Nonetheless, the president is eager to be trackside, enjoying the sport he loves and among those who share similar values. The American dream is still alive, and NASCAR is helping spark further hope. Trump admires this about the franchise and the Daytona 500 and will continue to hold it in high esteem. After all, they don’t call it the Great American Race for no reason.
