(SB Nation) — President Barack Obama will honor NASCAR champion Jimmie Johnson and the 11 other Chase drivers from last year in a White House ceremony on Wednesday – but nearly half of the 2010 playoff contenders won’t be there.
NASCAR said Thursday that five drivers – Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart – will not be attending the White House visit due to “schedule conflicts.”
They must be very busy people. Regardless of one’s political views, the president is still the president – and an opportunity to speak with the leader of the free world is a rare and special one.
You’d think whatever photo shoots or sponsor appearances these drivers have lined up on Wednesday afternoon – if that’s indeed the reason – could be rescheduled. After all, this is the President of the United States we’re talking about here.  For a sport that prides itself on patriotism, having so many drivers turn down the president’s invitation simply seems strange.
Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth will attend.  (article) (I see Karmic flat tires in these futures…. /SD)
Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart are Conservative Heros and IMHO awesome patriots for bucking the sponsorship pressure to attend the WH event.  
Johnson, Hamlin, Gordon, Kyle Bush, Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Matt Kenseth will hereby be inducted into the “please take a right turn” weekend prayers from Crackerville.
Greg Biffle is especially ‘good people’, and if you don’t have a favorite driver to cheer for I strongly recommend.   Since his time in Craftsman Truck Series (where he was champ) I’ve rooted for him all along.  That’s a picture of him and his wife Nicole above along with their kids.  🙂

Obvious Conservative Patriot(s)