What occurs when a long-standing custom collides with a contentious character and a split fan base? The ceremonial handshake between NASCAR and the presidents has long been a part of history and aesthetics. However, not all handshakes are acceptable. The first sitting president to attend a NASCAR race was President Ronald Reagan in 1984. He watched Richard Petty win his 200th race and gave the order to start the engines from Air Force One. It wasn’t an ordinary appearance as President Reagan even ate Kentucky Fried Chicken with Petty, Bobby Allison, and other drivers.
The occasion was a demonstration of solidarity between the core values of American patriotism and stock car racing. This became a tradition where future U.S. presidents would embrace and celebrate NASCAR icons. Presidents Bush, Obama, and Trump hosted NASCAR champions on the White House grounds. Seldom did the appearances garner much attention. They weren’t declarations; they were festivities.
Presidents Obama and Trump have recognized NASCAR champions at the White House during the last ten years, combining motorsport with national recognition in a unique way. President Obama praised Tony Stewart’s stunning 2011 title when he visited in 2012. Additionally, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were also hosted by President Obama in 2015 and 2016. This tradition of honoring and celebrating NASCAR drivers continued when Donald Trump took office for the first time. He invited Martin Truex Jr after his championship triumph in 2017, and this was followed by Joey Logano’s visit after his maiden title win in 2019.
Every visit demonstrated NASCAR’s cultural reach and the respect that its hardest-charging drivers receive. Very few drivers have the honor of being invited to the White House on multiple occasions, and Penske driver Logano is one of them. Well, this time, he was part of the Penske Racing contingent, but again, he was representing NASCAR in front of the whole world. He might not be NASCAR’s most popular driver like Chase Elliott, but he certainly finds himself in elite company time and again.
