- Jimmy Carter won the presidency in 1976.
- To fulfill a campaign promise, in the summer of 1978, invitations went out to drivers and other NASCAR figures to visit the White House.
- As it turned out, Carter missed the big evening at the White House because he was at nearby Camp David working on a Mideast peace agreement.
When Jimmy Carter was governor of Georgia in the early 1970s, he attended NASCAR races at Atlanta Motor Speedway and became friends with several drivers.
At one point, Carter promised the NASCAR community that he would host drivers and other team members and officials for a White House dinner if he became president.
Carter was not considered a favorite in presidential speculation, and many in NASCAR assumed he wouldn’t remember the promise even if he happened to move into the White House.
Wrong. And wrong.
Carter won the presidency in 1976. In the summer of 1978, invitations went out to drivers and other NASCAR figures, inviting them to a White House dinner Sept. 13.
When guests arrived at the White House, after security checks, they were ushered to the South Lawn, where tables decorated in an auto racing motif were filled with ham, turkey, vegetables, cornbread and other fixings.
As a bright moon watched over the festivities on a nearly perfect September evening, NASCAR drivers and officials partied with White House officials and news media representatives.
Country-western singer Willie Nelson was the night’s special guest. He played a concert set and later talked to drivers and other guests. As Nelson sang, First Brother Billy Carter danced to the music.
On the driveway near the White House, four NASCAR show cars dressed in sponsor colors were parked in a row. Several drivers suggested racing the cars while everyone was in town.
Carter, who also had hosted NASCAR members while he lived in the Georgia governor’s mansion, missed the big evening at the White House because he was at nearby Camp David working on a Mideast peace agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin and Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.
First Lady Rosalyn Carter hosted the dinner in the president’s absence. She opened festivities by waving a green flag as the race show cars entered the White House driveway.
