[jogiba]

It will be Michelle Obama and Jill Biden instructing NASCAR's best to start their engines as the racing season comes to a close in Florida.

The first lady and the vice president's wife will visit Homestead-Miami Speedway on Nov. 20 as it hosts the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup finale, the Ford 400.

The two women will serve as grand marshals for the event, leading the pre-race ceremony and offering the famous instructions: "Gentlemen, start your engines."

The event is part of the first lady's Joining Forces program to encourage Americans to support military families.

The crowd will include 5,000 active duty and retired military personnel and families, and a military family will join the grand marshals as they carry out their duties.

Michelle Obama, Jill Biden to be grand marshals at Homestead - ESPN

They just showed Michelle with Carl Edwards checking out his race car before the race on ESPN.

[shooz]

An attempt to get out the left turn vote?

[jogiba]

HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- It was a scene common to anywhere in NASCAR, with stacks of tires and cars arrayed in a garage bay. That is, until the first lady of the United States took a peek under the hood.

Michelle Obama visited Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday as part of an effort to recognize the sacrifice of military families. Along with Jill Biden, wife of the vice president, Obama addressed the drivers' meeting, was shown around by championship leader Carl Edwards, met military families at a pre-race lunch in the Nationwide Series garage, and delivered the command to start engines prior to the season-ending Sprint Cup event.
Visits to a NASCAR event by members of the presidential family are not uncommon -- Ronald Reagan famously was on hand for Richard Petty's 200th career victory at Daytona International Speedway in 1984, and both George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush have attended the Daytona 500. NASCAR has also been honored at the White House several times in recent years. But the combination of the first lady and the sport's season-ending finale created a unique chapter in the sport.

Obama and Biden also visited the drivers' meeting, where the first lady told the competitors to be safe, and also sounded the drumbeat of her Joining Forces mission. "We just wanted to stop by, because NASCAR has been so supportive, not just today but everyday, of our military families," she said. "... Just as you all know, you couldn't be doing what you're doing without your families, these military families are stepping up in ways that are amazing. Days like this remind them that they do have a country that cares and appreciates what they do."

Security for the first lady's visit was very tight, complete with sniffer dogs and Secret Service agents around almost every corner, and metal detectors at the entrance to the track's media center, which contains the auditorium where the drivers' meeting was held. Even drivers were checked out with metal-detecting wands, although they were able to enter through a side entrance. Track president Matthew Becherer thanked all the competitors for tolerating the increased security.

"It's an honor and a privilege," he said, "for us as a facility and an industry to host the first lady."

http://www.nascar.com/news/111120/michelle-obama-homestead-visit-military-chase/index.html


First lady Michelle Obama spent some time with military families at Homestead to thank them for their sacrifices

[Nesster]

The two did get some boos... but it was a good thing overall.

I'd have liked to see an Edwards win something but Stewart drove like a maniac and had the stronger-passing car.

[jogiba]

You Tube

You Tube

Just look at the retarded conservative remarks under the many "NASCAR Crowd Boos Michelle Obama" videos like this one:

Breitbart.tv NASCAR Crowd Boos Michelle Obama

[Nesster]

A lot of 'comment deleted by adminstrator' - I guess the latest talking point strategy is to withhold comments from liberal eyes

We have to realize that the booing of the GWB crew by various groups has left a very bitter taste and an exuse to demonstrate at all opportunities. Or that is what we're told.

[Ratmagiclady]

A lot of 'comment deleted by adminstrator' - I guess the latest talking point strategy is to withhold comments from liberal eyes

We have to realize that the booing of the GWB crew by various groups has left a very bitter taste and an exuse to demonstrate at all opportunities. Or that is what we're told.

Booing first ladies is something that 'liberals' haven't actually *done,* though, with the possible exception of the music-censorship crusade Tipper Gore led, etc. Certainly not for just appearing.

Michelle Obama deserves no booing. (Though that black-and-red horror she wore to that historic acceptance speech might have rated it. Or was it the inaugural ball or something? I'm no fashion plate, myself, but, way to completely spoil a historic image with " *what* are you wearing, Madam First Lady?" and remind me why I shoot monochrome so much. With some irony, That thing *looked* like it was stolen from something in a NASCAR parking lot. )



GWB of course deserved a lot of booing, if he hadn't been driven around the 'Free Speech Zone' corrals... Even the thrown shoes that seemed to so delight both sides of the aisle.

[Nesster]

LOL, RML: This -


or this -

[Ratmagiclady]

LOL, RML: This -


or this -

Yeah. I suppose Nancy Reagan red just isn't her color, ...not that the gown's that bad, but what is *with* that outfit with the..... eh.... Doesn't even look good on the runway model, for that matter. (I dunno, that model looks like she should be dressed more for, 'We lesbian Elves of Lothlorien are a proud and reclusive people, but hospitable.' )

[jogiba]

The two did get some boos... but it was a good thing overall.

I'd have liked to see an Edwards win something but Stewart drove like a maniac and had the stronger-passing car.

Tony also had some luck on his side since the piece from Kurt Busch's trans that just went through the grill and luckily did not get the radiator and the rain held off until the end of the race and not when he was running behind Carl.

[Nesster]

True, and that last rain caused yellow changed everything. In the end, I'm not sure if it was his driving or better car, I noted Tony would pass relatively in a short time, while Carl sometimes took several laps to get the right combination of conditions to be able to make a pass. That I think accounted for the final 1+ second gap. But to be tied in points at the end, can't get closer. And to win 5 out of 10 chase races, Stewart deserves the win.

Are we the typical NASCAR demographic by the way? I've never owned a Chevy, the Ford I have I hate, and I haven't voted for a Republican except once for Christine Whitman (as encouragement for the Republicans to be saner)... I do like my beer and I do like country music, or at least the country music from the 70s or earlier. And Elvis. I like Elvis Presley.

[jogiba]

I like gear head Republicans like Richard Petty more than most on the far left or right and most of my cars were Chevy or Pontiac but my last two (Scion, Honda) were made in Japan along with every motorcycle I have had. I prefer to listen to Jim Morrison ( who was an Elvis fan) and the Doors than to Elvis. I like to listen to soundtracks by Hans Zimmer ( Inception) and certain hits from the 60's when I was in the Army. I was in High School during JFK's 1000 days and was a Democrat ever since.

[Ratmagiclady]

True, and that last rain caused yellow changed everything. In the end, I'm not sure if it was his driving or better car, I noted Tony would pass relatively in a short time, while Carl sometimes took several laps to get the right combination of conditions to be able to make a pass. That I think accounted for the final 1+ second gap. But to be tied in points at the end, can't get closer. And to win 5 out of 10 chase races, Stewart deserves the win.

Are we the typical NASCAR demographic by the way? I've never owned a Chevy, the Ford I have I hate, and I haven't voted for a Republican except once for Christine Whitman (as encouragement for the Republicans to be saner)... I do like my beer and I do like country music, or at least the country music from the 70s or earlier. And Elvis. I like Elvis Presley.

I dunno: NASCAR and indy car stuff seems like a big hockey game to me, kind of repetitive unless a fight or massive crash occurs. I've always been fonder of the idea of European type mixed-class or sports car racing/rally racing stuff. Even if I don't necessarily glaze over when watching oval-track racing and hearing the commentaries about the engines and stuff. (Actually, if you turn the sound off, you're like ..Driving, driving, driving, I'm sure that's very fast and difficult, and fills that chariot-racing gap, but...) Maybe it comes down to taste, but I think a lot of that's gotten pretty removed from what it was supposed to be about in some romantic past. Maybe even too much 'down to a science,' ...kind of like pro baseball's no fun but even an old punk like me can have a good time at a Northwoods League game. (Go, Mallards! )

I like country music too, in general, a lot of it, ..it's actually very Celtic and has some things about it that rock has lost... It's also damn near impossible to tune in without hearing something either annoying, offensive, or ...just plain way too pounding-on-sappy-and/or-aggressive Christianity these days. Too much identity politics to really just enjoy a lot of it. Which may lead back to the problem of people at the races making big patriotic displays and booing the First Lady.

[Nesster]

Actually, if you turn the sound off, you're like

Ah but a part of the point is... the sounds are so soothing - Golf and Baseball can come close - for a nice afternoon nap

[Ratmagiclady]

Ah but a part of the point is... the sounds are so soothing - Golf and Baseball can come close - for a nice afternoon nap

I don't think they're 'soothing' in person, actually. Possibly *stimulating* in that way standing on an airport tarmac does.