Trump received a standing ovation on his return to the Daytona 500 as president

Donald Trump returned to the Daytona 500 as president of the United States. The Republican, this time with one of his granddaughters by the hand, attended the inaugural NASCAR series event for the second time as president and received a standing ovation from those present. Before arriving, he assured that the event has "the unbreakable spirit that makes America great."

Trump had previously attended the Daytona 500 in 2020, when he became the first president to serve as "grand marshal of the race." He even indulged in giving the ceremonial order to the cry of "start your engines."

This time, the president took a lap around the 2.5-mile track aboard 'The Beast' and received a standing ovation from the crowd in attendance. He also went down to the pits to greet the race teams, where he was photographed with NASCAR legends such as Richard Petty.

Later on, he spoke live with Fox Sports and was asked by journalist Jamie Little about his return to the Daytona 500. "I think it's fantastic. It's great for the country. Our country is doing well again... and it's been less than four weeks. It's going to only get better. This is very exciting," he replied.

Trump also radioed the race drivers, "This is your favorite president. I’m a big fan. I am a really big fan of you people. How you do this I don’t know, but I just want you to be safe,” Trump said. “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."

The president had posted a message before arriving at the race in which he highlighted the spirit of the event and linked it to the "greatness" of the United States.

"From the roar of the engines on the track to the echo of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ soaring through the stands, the Daytona 500 is a timeless tribute to the speed, strength and unyielding spirit that make America great. That spirit is what will fuel America’s Golden Age, and if we harness it, the future is truly ours," Trump said.