Heading into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup cut-off race at Richmond International Raceway, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson will be honored by President Barack Obama at The White House on Wednesday, Sept. 7. The event will also include NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France, plus several drivers from the 2010 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup field. Drivers who are scheduled to attend: Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart cannot attend due to schedule conflicts (NASCAR).
Stewart’s comment: THE WHITE HOUSE INVITED 12 DRIVERS TO VISIT PRESIDENT OBAMA AND YOU’RE ONE OF THE FIVE THAT SAID YOU HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO, WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON ALL OF THAT? “We had an obligation that we have to fulfill. I’ve enjoyed every trip that I’ve been invited and very honored to be invited every time we’ve had that opportunity and I’m very sorry I’m going to miss the chance to go again because there’s a lot of people in this nation that would love to have that opportunity to spend time with the President and just have a couple of minutes of his time. I’m very regretful that I’m not going to be able to make it but it’s a tough schedule that we have and if I could have rescheduled and got the scheduling to work out I would have been there in a heartbeat because I’ve not missed one yet.”(Team Chevy)(9-3-2011)
