“The Daytona 500 is a legendary display of roaring engines, soaring spirits, and the American skill, speed, and power.” These were Donald Trump’s words in 2020 when he attended NASCAR’s biggest race as a sitting president. His grand entrance at the event, featuring a lap around the track in his armored limousine, remains one of the most talked-about moments in the history of Daytona. Fast forward to 2025, and rumors are swirling about his potential return to the Great American Race.

A Federal Aviation Administration notice hinted at Trump’s attendance for this year’s race. However, NASCAR has yet to confirm The President’s visit. While many NASCAR fans would welcome his presence, not everyone is bothered about it. NASCAR’s only African-American full-time driver in the Cup Series, Bubba Wallace, has made his stand clear on Trump’s possible presence. Five years after a heated exchange with Trump over the infamous noose controversy, Wallace has responded to the rumors.

Bubba Wallace avoids political comments!

The 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace had a fiery exchange with President Donald Trump in 2020 after a noose was found in his garage stall. As speculation swirls around Trump’s possible return to the Daytona 500, Bubba Wallace made it clear that he is uninterested in the political spectacle. Speaking at media day, the 23XI Racing driver brushed off the news.

When asked about Trump’s presence at the race, Wallace said, “Couldn’t care less.” He further highlighted that his focus remains on racing. “We’re here to race, not for the show,” Wallace added as reported by AP. This reaction stands in contrast to the firestorm that erupted in 2020 when Trump publicly criticized Wallace.

The controversy began in June 2020 when a member of Bubba Wallace’s team found a noose hanging in his garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway. This was in the midst of the Black Lives Matter campaign roaring in America. NASCAR and the entire racing community rallied behind Wallace after the noose incident. However, after an FBI investigation, officials found that the noose had been in place since October 2019 and was not a targeted hate crime.

Despite this, Trump lashed out at Wallace on social media. In July 2020, he accused the driver of orchestrating a ‘hoax’ and demanded an apology. Trump wrote, “Has @BubbaWallace apologized to all of those great NASCAR drivers & officials who came to his aid, stood by his side, & were willing to sacrifice everything for him, only to find out that the whole thing was just another HOAX?”

Wallace responded with dignity, refusing to engage in negativity. Instead, he posted a message about love and resilience. “Always deal with the hate being thrown at you with LOVE!… Love should come naturally as people are TAUGHT to hate. Even when it’s HATE from the POTUS.”

Notably, Wallace had been vocal about making NASCAR more inclusive, even running a Black Lives Matter paint scheme on his car. His stance drew both support and backlash from different sections of the fanbase. However, Wallace’s recent statement also highlights that he is not interested in political discourse anymore.

A few months ago, in an interview with Fox Sports, Wallace claimed that because of negativity he has stopped sharing his political views. “Investing my time into that seems like a waste of time… It’s just too much negativity that it’s going to take years and years and years to get rid of, and we don’t have time for that,” Wallace said.

While Bubba Wallace is least interested in Donald Trump’s presence at the Daytona 500, some fans would expect the US President to join the event. If Trump does return, it will probably bring back memories of his dramatic Daytona 500 appearance in 2020.

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What happened when Trump kicked off the Daytona 500 in 2020?

Donald Trump’s appearance at the 2020 Daytona 500 was a spectacle. He made history by becoming the first sitting president to serve as the grand marshal of the Daytona 500. His presence turned the race into a political spectacle, with thousands of NASCAR fans cheering as Air Force One flew over the speedway. However, the event was not without complications. Security measures led to massive delays at the entrance gates, causing frustration among attendees.

Before the race, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stepped onto the track to address the huge gathering. In his speech, he praised NASCAR’s deep ties to American culture and patriotism. After the political speech, Trump gave the famous command: “Gentlemen, start your engines.” The sight of the president’s Limousine leading the 40-car field before the green flag was a surreal moment. Fans roared in approval as patriotic music played in the background.

To get proceedings underway two-time Daytona 500 winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. waved the green flag to start the race. How was the race itself? Well, the big surprise was JTG Daugherty Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr. grabbing the pole for the race. As the laps dwindled down, Denny Hamlin, Ryan Newman and Ryn Blaney were in a tough battle.

Approaching the final turn, chaos ensued, as Blaney and Newman made contact and Newman slammed into the inside wall and caught a trailing Corey Lajoie who hit him side-on and got launched into the air. Amid all this, Denny Hamlin won the Daytona 500, beating Blaney by a mere 0.014 seconds, the second closest finish to a Daytona 500 after Hamlin’s 0.010-second victory over Martin Truex Jr. in 2016.

With Trump’s presence likely to grace the event once again, we hope it spurs a close finish like it did in 2020. His recent presence at the Super Bowl only fuels the speculation. Do you think President Donald Trump will attend the Daytona 500 in 2025?