{"id":5667,"date":"2016-09-28T23:22:27","date_gmt":"2016-09-29T04:22:27","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/?p=5667"},"modified":"2016-10-01T17:31:19","modified_gmt":"2016-10-01T22:31:19","slug":"remarks-by-president-obama-honoring-kyle-busch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/2016\/09\/28\/remarks-by-president-obama-honoring-kyle-busch\/","title":{"rendered":"Remarks by President Obama honoring Kyle Busch"},"content":{"rendered":"

East Room<\/p>\n

11:18 A.M. EDT<\/p>\n

THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 Please have a seat — it’s not that formal around here.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 How you doing?\u00a0 Well, welcome to the White House, everybody.\u00a0 And give it up for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Kyle Busch!\u00a0 (Applause.)<\/p>\n

We also are happy to welcome here Kyle\u2019s wonderful wife, Samantha, who I just learned is from the Chicago area so she and I, we’ve got a little bond going here.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 We’ve got some members of Congress here who are big NASCAR fans.\u00a0 We’ve got NASCAR CEO Brian France and his beautiful family, who — they keep on growing.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 And Dave Alpern, President of Joe Gibbs Racing; and Crew Chief, Adam Stevens.\u00a0 Give them all a big round of applause.\u00a0 (Applause.)<\/p>\n

Now, as you may be aware, I host a lot of teams from other sports — they all call themselves national champions or world champions.\u00a0 But I\u2019ve got to hand it to the Number 18 Team, who have given themselves the title of “Galaxy Champs.”\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 That\u2019s a first.\u00a0 And I\u2019ve put in a call to NASA to check to see whether this is, in fact, accurate.\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

Kyle, I hear your ride is outside.\u00a0 Most years when NASCAR comes to town, I make a joke about looking at the car full of longing and feeling kind of wistful, and trying to get Secret Service to let me take a spin.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 But this year\u2019s different.\u00a0 In a few months, I can actually do anything I want.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 So Kyle, we’re going to talk.\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

MR. BUSCH:\u00a0 You got it.<\/p>\n

THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 I’m not sure, though, Michelle is going to let me drive with a car with a whole bunch of M&M\u2019s on it.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 She may want carrots or something.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 Actually, we have White House M&M’s here, so those of you who have sampled them, they are good old-fashioned M&M’s.\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

Now, it\u2019s 2016.\u00a0 I think there were some people who thought we were going to see a Bush back here in the White House this year.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 But they didn’t know it was going to be Kyle.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 Especially after he broke his leg and his foot at Daytona, and missed the first three months of the season.<\/p>\n

But he hunkered down, displaying the same determination in rehab that he\u2019s known for on the track.\u00a0 He\u2019ll be the first to say he could not have done it alone.\u00a0 Obviously, from Samantha\u2019s support, to everyone on the Number 18 Team who held things down while he got better, the people in Kyle\u2019s life kept him driving forward.<\/p>\n

It helps, by the way, being young.\u00a0 I just want to point out.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 You heal a little faster.\u00a0 When you’re 55, things don’t happen that quick.\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

So he ended up being able to return a week early — just a few days before their beautiful, young son, Brexton, was born.\u00a0 But he still only had a fraction of the season to qualify for The Chase — and that’s something to do in the full season.<\/p>\n

Luckily, as most folks will attest, Kyle does not lack confidence, apparently.\u00a0 So while he has said that rehabbing was one of the hardest things he\u2019s ever done, winning on the racetrack wasn\u2019t.\u00a0 And together, he and the Number 18 Team won five times on their way to the Cup — including at the Homestead-Miami Speedway, where Kyle took the lead with just seven laps to go and brought home the championship.<\/p>\n

So it was another great season — Kyle\u2019s first career Sprint Cup title.\u00a0 But for Kyle, it\u2019s not just about what he does on the track — it\u2019s what he does off the track.\u00a0 Kyle and Samantha are working hard to make a difference for folks all across the country, from donating wedding gowns to military brides, to helping couples afford fertility treatment, to covering expenses for women who are battling breast cancer.<\/p>\n

And that goes with the kind of service that we’re seeing from the entire NASCAR family.\u00a0 Just a few weeks ago, NASCAR lost its matriarch, Betty Jane France.\u00a0 And she was the guiding light of the sport\u2019s community efforts, including creating the Speediatrics program, which has given more than half a million kids the opportunity to access state-of-the-art medical equipment.<\/p>\n

In all, over the past decade, NASCAR has given $25 million dollars to charitable causes that have helped more than a million kids.\u00a0 And last year, through a tremendous partnership with the VA, they helped more than 5,300 veterans, servicemembers, and their families access the benefits that they have earned.<\/p>\n

So altogether, it\u2019s a legacy of service that honors Betty Jane and stays true to the belief that in serving each other we make the country better, and we help every member of the American family.\u00a0 And I know that Kyle, Samantha, and others want to continue that legacy.<\/p>\n

So for one last time, let\u2019s give a big round of applause for Kyle, his family, Joe Gibbs Racing, and the entire Number 18 team.\u00a0 (Applause.)<\/p>\n

MR. BUSCH:\u00a0 I appreciate that.\u00a0 This here is a helmet, one of the few that I have during the season and I raced with in order to bring to you and give a gift on behalf of all of us at Joe Gibbs Racing.\u00a0 So that’s a real one there.<\/p>\n

THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 I really like that helmet.<\/p>\n

MR. BUSCH:\u00a0 Yeah?\u00a0 See, when you go on your adventure, you could use that one.<\/p>\n

THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 I’m going to use this one.\u00a0 Tell me the truth, what are you pumping in through here, though?\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

MR. BUSCH:\u00a0 Some really good stuff.\u00a0 (Laughter.)<\/p>\n

THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 Come on, let’s knock the podium and let’s take a good picture.\u00a0 Come on, everybody.<\/p>\n

MR. BUSCH:\u00a0 You got it.\u00a0 Thank you.<\/p>\n

Transcript and photos courtesy of NASCAR<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. President Barack Obama (R), is presented with helmet from Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch during an event in the East Room at the White House, September 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to honor Kyle Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car for their 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. (Photo by Mark Wilson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. President Barack Obama (R), is presented with helmet from Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch during an event in the East Room at the White House, September 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to honor Kyle Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car for their 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. (Photo by Mark Wilson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"Sprint
Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch, (R), and Crew Chief Adam Stevens (L), listent to President Barack Obama speak during an event in the East Room at the White House, September 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to honor Kyle Busch and the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car for their 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. (Photo by Mark Wilson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. President Barack Obama speaks about Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch, (3rdL), while flanked by members of his racing team, during an event in the East Room at the White House, September 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to honor Kyle Busch, and the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car for their 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. (Photo by Mark Wilson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"U.S.
U.S. President Barack Obama (R), shakes hands with Sprint Cup Champion Kyle Busch, (C), while flanked by members of his racing team, during an event in the East Room at the White House, September 28, 2016 in Washington, DC. President Obama hosted the event to honor Kyle Busch, and the Joe Gibbs Racing #18 car for their 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. (Photo by Mark Wilson\/Getty Images)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

East Room 11:18 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:\u00a0 Please have a seat — it’s not that formal around here.\u00a0 (Laughter.)\u00a0 How you doing?\u00a0 Well, welcome to the White House, everybody.\u00a0 And give it up for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Kyle Busch!\u00a0 (Applause.) We also are happy to welcome here Kyle\u2019s wonderful wife, Samantha, who I<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5673,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[11],"tags":[16],"class_list":["post-5667","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nascar","tag-nascar"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7hzTZ-1tp","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/racedaysa.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/09\/WhiteHouse_Obama_KyBusch_Helmet_092816-e1475360907627.jpg?fit=615%2C462","_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5667","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5667"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5667\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5675,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5667\/revisions\/5675"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5673"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5667"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5667"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/racedaysa.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5667"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}