It was loud. Honestly, that’s the first thing anyone remembers about the 2020 Daytona 500, even before the engines started. Usually, the "Great American Race" is all about the sleek, high-tech stock cars and the roar of the crowd, but that year, a literal tank stole the show. Well, okay, it wasn't a tank, but it looked like one. I’m talking about The Beast at the Daytona 500, the heavily armored Cadillac One that carries the President of the United States.
People were losing their minds.
Usually, the presidential motorcade is a somber, high-security affair seen on the streets of D.C. or during international summits. Seeing it on the high banks of Daytona International Speedway felt wrong and right at the same time. It was a 22,000-pound monster doing a ceremonial lap on 31-degree banking. If you think about the physics for more than two seconds, it’s actually terrifying. Those tires aren't meant for that. But there it was, the gleaming black silhouette of "The Beast" leading a pack of 40 of the world’s fastest racing machines. It was a moment that redefined what a "pace car" could be, even if it didn't officially take the green flag.
Why The Beast at the Daytona 500 wasn't just a publicity stunt
A lot of folks think this was just about the spectacle. It wasn't. To understand why The Beast at the Daytona 500 mattered, you have to look at the logistics of moving a mobile fortress around a 2.5-mile superspeedway.
The Secret Service doesn't do "fun" without a plan.
The Beast is essentially a Chevrolet Kodiak medium-duty truck chassis wrapped in eight inches of armor plating. The glass is five inches thick. It has its own oxygen supply, a blood bank for the President, and run-flat tires reinforced with Kevlar. Now, imagine taking that top-heavy vault and driving it onto the apron of a track designed for speeds over 200 mph. The suspension was screaming.
Breaking down the specs of the world's heaviest "pace car"
Most people see a Cadillac. The reality is much weirder.
👉 See also: LeBron James Without Beard: Why the King Rarely Goes Clean Shaven Anymore
Beneath that polished exterior sits a Duramax diesel engine. It’s not built for speed; it’s built for torque. It has to be. Moving 10 tons of steel and ceramic armor requires massive low-end power just to get the wheels turning. When it took that lap around Daytona, it wasn't hitting 190 mph like Denny Hamlin or Joey Logano. It was likely doing a steady 50 or 60 mph, but the sheer mass made it look faster.
Wait.
There’s a common misconception that there is only one Beast. Actually, the Secret Service maintains a fleet of them. They travel in pairs so you never know which one the "package" is actually in. During the 2020 race, two identical limos were visible, but only one took the legendary lap.
The logistics of the most high-security lap in NASCAR history
You don't just drive onto a NASCAR track.
The coordination between the Secret Service and NASCAR officials was a nightmare of paperwork and security clearances. Every single person on pit road had to be vetted. The infield was scanned for days leading up to the event. When the motorcade entered through the tunnel, the atmosphere shifted. It wasn't just a race anymore; it was a secure zone.
NASCAR fans are used to seeing celebrities. They’ve seen Tom Cruise, 50 Cent, and every country star under the sun. But the sight of the presidential motorcade, complete with the "Control" and "Support" vehicles and the blacked-out SUVs carrying the Counter-Assault Team (CAT), was something else entirely. It was a display of raw American power at the epicenter of American speed.
✨ Don't miss: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
How the drivers felt about the armored guest
Imagine you're Kevin Harvick or Kyle Busch. You’ve spent your whole life trying to win this one race. You’re strapped into a seat that barely fits you, surrounded by a roll cage, heart rate already at 120 bpm. Then, you look out your windshield and see a Cadillac the size of a school bus leading you to the start line.
"It was legendary," many drivers later remarked. But they also had to be careful. If The Beast had a mechanical failure on the track, you can't just tow it off with a standard wrecker. You need heavy-duty recovery equipment. Fortunately, the Cadillac One performed flawlessly, navigating the transition from the flat pit road to the banked turns without bottoming out its heavy chassis.
The technical reality of driving armor on a racetrack
Let's get into the weeds for a second because the engineering here is fascinating. The Beast at the Daytona 500 faced a specific challenge: the tires.
Standard Goodyear Eagle racing slicks are designed to "give" and grip the asphalt. The Goodyear Regional RHS tires on The Beast are designed to not explode when shot at. They have a solid steel or composite ring inside. If the air is lost, the car can still drive at 50 mph on the rims. Driving these on a banked track creates massive lateral load on the sidewalls.
- The weight of the car wants to pull it down the banking.
- The momentum wants to push it into the wall.
- The driver has to find a "sweet spot" where the car doesn't tip or slide.
It was a slow-motion dance of physics. If the driver had gone too high on the track, the center of gravity might have become an issue. That’s why you noticed the limo stayed mostly on the lower apron and the lower part of the banking. It was a calculated risk that looked effortless but required a professional at the wheel who understood load distribution.
What people get wrong about that day
Social media was full of rumors. No, the limo didn't have a nitrous system. No, it wasn't a "fake" fiberglass shell over a race car chassis. It was the real deal. People also claimed it did a full-speed lap. It definitely didn't. It was a parade lap, meant for the cameras and the crowd, not a qualifying run.
🔗 Read more: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
But the impact was real.
For the first time in years, the Daytona 500 was the lead story on every news network, not just the sports channels. It bridged a gap between political theater and sporting excellence. Whether you liked the politics or not, the image of that armored beast silhouetted against the Daytona grandstands became an instant part of racing lore.
Practical takeaways for the next time you watch Daytona
If you’re heading to the track or watching from home, the presence of The Beast at the Daytona 500 changed the expectations for "VIP" appearances. Now, every year, fans wonder if they’ll see something similar.
Here is what you should look for if a high-profile motorcade ever returns:
- Watch the SUVs. The black Suburbans following the limo are often more interesting than the limo itself. They carry the electronic warfare suites and the heavy weaponry.
- Check the "sweep." Before the limo moves, you'll see security personnel doing a final sweep of the track surface. Even a small piece of debris can be a problem for a 10-ton vehicle.
- Listen to the engine. If it sounds like a heavy-duty truck, it’s because it basically is one.
The Beast at the Daytona 500 wasn't just a car on a track. It was a collision of two very different worlds of engineering. One is built for the ultimate speed, the other for the ultimate survival. Seeing them together reminded everyone that at Daytona, anything can happen—and usually does.
Next steps for racing fans
To really appreciate the scale of what happened, go back and watch the 4K footage of the 2020 pre-race ceremonies. Pay close attention to the ground clearance of the Cadillac One as it moves from the flat infield onto the track surface. You can see the suspension compress under the sheer weight of the armor. For a deeper understanding of the vehicle itself, research the transition from the "DTS" style Beast to the current "XT6/CT6" styling, which debuted shortly before that Daytona appearance. Understanding the evolution of the Presidential State Car gives you a whole new perspective on why that lap was such a feat of logistics and bravado.