Even people unfamiliar with NASCAR know his name, or at least his first one. Brandon Brown is the 28-year-old driver who inadvertently became a political meme in October when his name turned into a slogan for opponents of President Biden. He's the "Brandon" of "Let's Go Brandon." Now he's speaking out at length for the first time about his unwanted role in US politics. Coverage:
- Cars over politics: "The issue is, I don't know enough about politics to really form a true opinion, so I really focus on racing," he tells Ben Smith of the New York Times. Brown has largely avoided the subject in public until now, but the slogan doesn't appear to be going away.
- Origin story: This all began when Brown was being interviewed live on NBC after winning a race—his first major victory—and the crowd began chanting, "F--- Joe Biden." The NBC reporter incorrectly said they were chanting, "Let's Go Brandon," and a meme was born.