Daytona Beach, Florida (CNN) - GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney made a pit stop Sunday at Daytona 500 – one of car racing’s most prestigious events.
“This combines my two favorite things – sports and cars,” Romney said to the rain-soaked crowd at the Daytona International Speedway.
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The race has since been postponed until noon Monday due to rain delays.
Earlier at the racetrack, the former Massachusetts governor met privately with supporters, followed by brief comments with drivers during a meeting.
“I wish you the best,” Romney said to the drivers in a room filled with their team members, corporate supporters, and celebrities including singer Lenny Kravitz and comedian Jane Lynch from “Glee.”
Walking through the crowd near “pit row,” the presidential hopeful shook hands and took pictures with well-wishers.
One father yelled to his son, “John, get your picture taken with the next president!”
One man shouted, “No way – Obama will be re-elected.”
Romney thanked former Marine Lewis Ray of Midland, Virginia, for his service to the country. While shaking the former governor’s hand, Ray responded with the Marine term, "Ooh-rah."
From a stage near the track before the drivers' introductions, Romney told the crowd, “This is quintessentially American.”
Presidential hopeful Rick Santorum did not attend the race, but his campaign sponsored car No. 26, to be driven by veteran driver Tony Raines.
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Rick meet Mitt. Is this a Prez. V.P. meet?
wonder how many times mitt has been to the 500 Just a regular guy in mom jeans driving a pick up truck all the way back to his yacht. Makes you want to puke doesn't it.
I wonder if the fans are smart enough to realize they would only be watching Ford and Toyota race cars today if Rmoney had his way and not bailed out GM and Chrysler.
Gov. Romney – you are THE MAN! We will be fighting hard for you in your match up with Obama – you WILL BE out next President.
Romney/Rubio 2012!
Are they racing any of sweetheart ann s cadillacs at daytona while she starts her desparte wives of politians debut by standing in for willard in the coming bebates
Newsflash: Romney appearance causes rain delay of Daytona 500. Millions of NASCAR fans vow to
vote for ... "some other guy"
“This combines my two favorite things – sports and cars,” Romney said to the rain-soaked crowd at the Daytona International Speedway.
I would be willing to bet $10.00 that Mitts has never been to the race track before in his life and this is the same old same old politicians pandering for votes by pretending to be someone they are not.
Romney, what a progressive..that's the same as a slow Obama..not what we need. Santorum is my Conservative that will regain my freedoms! God Bless Santorum 2012!
Favorite things? Not credible...Romney wanted to let American carmakers go bankrupt.
Romney is slick and phony. He wants to run America in a slick and phony way.
"Mitt" is a cutesy little boy's name. Romney is trying to be a cutesy.
Nice to know that Mitt's campaign has so much money that they can fly him cross-country to schmooz car fans while the elections are elsewhere. nice. When my many-years employer was "restructured" by Bain ( we employees called it "destroyed") Mitt and his senior staff were billing fees of over $2500/hour for their "wisdom" and REQUIRED us to provide limos anytime they came to the office for meetings. Our old bosses got golden parachutes and are lazing at the beach in Bali while we workers and the stockholders got the shaft. And Mitt and his partners got money money money - and lots of limo rides.
I've never fully understood NASCAR and the appeal of it. The idea of driving around a circle many times just sounds foolish to me now that we know the pollution from the cars help changes the climate.
As far as those who think Romney is going to be the next president, it isn't going to happen. Unless there is some huge changes in the politcal landscape changes, I believe that Obama is going to win this election. I don't see anyone who is better. Let me see a third party candidate who is has similar views to my own; might vote for him or her.
Mitt Romney and NASCAR!!! That's an odd couple if ever there was one. Whisky moonshine runners and a Morman who never touched the stuff...they must have a lot to talk about....probably better reception for him than Obama got. Looks more like the crowd I bet.
"All the cars here are just the right size. My wife owns a few race cars, I think. Y'all like drinking beer? That's great. I have friends who own breweries. I'm just like you. I'm severely normal."
Willard has the look of defeat on his face.It also seems that he does not have enough stamina for the task.He will be the perfect marionette for the neocons.They are salivating at the thought of Willard becoming president.He is weak.America we deserve better than this.
“This is quintessential American.”
Oh, really. And how many blacks, hispanics and asians were there?
I thought baseball was quintessential american.
Can you strap a dog to the top of one of those things Mitt?
►Romney makes rounds at Daytona 500◄ BUT
Not as a fan but as a "friend" of the team's owners.. and he bragged once again – what a nut!!!
Obama 2012
He doesn't watch racing, but some of his good friends are the owners.
He lkes the wealthy friends that get all the money from the drunken loud-mouth idiots that pay their money to watch cars crash.