At Daytona, Rudy pleads to ride
Posted: Monday, January 21, 2008 1:21 PM by Domenico Montanaro
From NBC/NJ's Matthew Berger
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Giuliani made an unscheduled stop at the Daytona International Speedway Monday, riding in his bus along the racetrack and begging the NASCAR staff to let him ride in the pace car.
The former New York City mayor sat in the front passenger seat of his “Florida is Rudy Country” bus as it took a lap around the empty track at high speed, as the theme song from the movie “Rudy” played from the speaker system.
Then, while chatting with drivers and pit crews, Giuliani repeatedly pleaded to drive around the track in a pace car, growing increasingly disappointed as aides said he could not.
“Can I drive a car?” he asked. When told he did not have the proper NASCAR license, he asked to drive a pace car. NASCAR aides told him that he was going to be late for a town hall meeting.
“All right, well let’s come back, one more time,” Giuliani said. “During the campaign. I want to ride a pace car. Will you let me ride a pace car? Do I need a license for that?”
And then, he pleaded, “One time. Boys, one time. We’re all little boys, don’t you know that.”
He was told no.
