i did notice, however, that they said "gentlemen" to start saturdays nationwide race, which had 2 women running. there wasn't a woman in the race, so get your facts straight. Donald Trump will say 'start your engines!' “Gentlemen, start your engines.” After he made the command, Trump led the field in a pace lap in his limousine. Indianapolis Motor Speedway chairman Mari Hulman George was supposed to deliver the starting command before Sunday's Indy 500 -- but before she finished, the call was hijacked by … usually, when there are women in the field, the command is "drivers, start your engines" Trump is the second president to attend the Daytona 500. President @realDonaldTrump takes a few laps around Daytona International Speedway. “Gentleman, start your engines,” has been a staple of races around the world for decades. as he becomes first president ever to be grand marshal of the Daytona 500 (but he'll miss the Trump 2020 Camaro) President Trump revved up NASCAR’s Daytona 500 on Sunday, becoming the second-ever president to deliver the Great American Race's iconic command, "Gentlemen, start your engines!" George W. Bush attended the race in 2004.