“Keep Politics Out of NASCAR”- Amidst Kyle Larson’s Snub, Donald Trump’s $100 Million Charlotte Touchdown Leaves Fans in Disdain

Can politics and sports ever really part ways? Their harmonious existence together has been an open question for as long as those two worlds have existed. And recent events at the Charlotte Motor Speedway—indelibly linked with former President Donald Trump and his monumental entrance there—only stoked the controversy.

The Coca-Cola 600 was memorable for a lot of reasons! While it’s already highly valued, given its Crown Jewel status, this year was different. From Kyle Larson‘s Double Duty attempt to Donald Trump’s cameo, the Charlotte Motor Speedway was packed with action! Coming into the weekend, it was all about how Larson would make his racing debut at the Indy 500 and fly down to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600. But it felt like Donald Trump’s appearance at Charlotte overshadowed everything associated with the race. Thus, resulting in some reactions from the fans.

However, what mostly caught fans’ attention – apart from Larson’s heartbreak after ending the Indy 500 at P18 and the Coca-Cola 600 getting cut short – was when the former POTUS arrived on his plane, ‘Air Force Trump.’ Notably, in 2011, to replace an old Boeing 727, he bought a new one for $100 million and refitted it with a VIP configuration consisting of a dining room, master bedroom, and conference room. It became symbolic of his 2016 campaign for the presidency and remains so today as a monument to his larger-than-life persona. Let’s not forget Trump’s last visit to Daytona International Speedway in February 2020.

Trump’s presence at the race was not merely a matter of stepping out to enjoy the event but perhaps a strategic move to keep himself in the limelight. The commotion that ensued after he arrived at the race and the media coverage it attracted set the stage for an even greater evil at sports events: how politics overshadowed the very essence of sports. All this is certainly not welcome news for most sports fans who believe a game must be as politically neutral as possible.

Remember how, just a week before the Coca-Cola 600, Kyle Larson came flying into the North Wilkesboro Speedway after qualifying in P5 for the Indy 500? Reaching right on time for the driver introductions for the All-Star race, the crowd went wild as the #5 driver’s chopper prepared for landing. That’s the emotion NASCAR should evoke. That’s the emotion sport should evoke. However, Donald Trump’s appearance at the Charlotte Motor Speedway somewhat took the focus away from what it really should’ve been on: racing.

Because Kyle Larson decided to prioritize the Indy 500 and wait out the rain to make his debut, the NASCAR community couldn’t see a repeat entrance of the All-Star weekend. Instead, they got that entrance from Trump. And the former POTUS got all the attention. This shows how difficult it is to maintain the genuine spirit of sports when politics comes into the picture. Needless to say, many fans weren’t too happy with how that usually iconic Sunday in the NASCAR Cup Series calendar played out.

Per fans, Donald Trump chose Charlotte over Indiana because “he would get booed” there

A few weeks ago, Donald Trump headed to Miami for another motorsport event – the Formula 1 Miami GP. Considering he spent most of his time in the McLaren garage – whose team principal, Zak Brown, is American, and its driver, Lando Norris, won the race – the team and F1, in general, received quite some flak for letting Trump address the crowd. So, now, an appearance at Charlotte didn’t particularly please the NASCAR community.

Fans reacted quickly and most definitively to Trump’s presence at Charlotte Motor Speedway. One expressed concern: “Keep politics out of NASCAR. So much is already ruined.” This touches on a growing number of fans who believe their sport is being tainted by political association. NASCAR’s association with politics likely started when President Ronald Reagan attended his first race on July 4, 1984. Since then, many of his successors have made their way to the tracks. Although this crossover has been amiable, there have also been times when it has not. And that’s what fans don’t want to see again.

One follower went so far as to blast what had gone down as a publicity stunt: “Nothing but a free publicity stunt. This is how he feels about our military. It’s pathetic y’all fall for this bs.” The comment speaks of the perception that Trump’s incursion into the event was more self-serving than supportive. The skepticism continued with a fan commenting, “Don’t flatter yourself. He’s only at Charlotte because he knows he would get booed at the Indy 500.”

In both the 2016 and the 2020 Presidential Elections, Donald Trump won North Carolina. That may have been why the user indirectly suggested that the former POTUS wouldn’t be booed in Charlotte. Some reactions were even harsher, with one stating, “Too bad there wasn’t turbulence.”

The sense of dissatisfaction was further expressed in a fan’s comment, who remarked, “Nothing like a d**** d***** attending a race on Memorial Weekend and making it about himself.” While Donald Trump’s visit has already garnered a lot of reactions, it seems the day was already doomed before that. With mother nature playing spoilsport in Kyle Larson’s grand aspirations and the race getting cut short, there wasn’t much to look forward to, anyway.