Bevin called ‘coolest governor in the world’ after helicopter stunt at NASCAR race

NBC auto racing analyst Rutledge Wood declared Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin “the coolest governor in the world” Saturday after Bevin delivered the green flag for the Quaker State 400 dangling from a Black Hawk helicopter flying high over Kentucky Speedway.

The governor, who served in the Army from 1989 to 1993, strapped in atop a formation of three members of the Special Tactics Squadron of the 123^rd Airlift Wing of the Kentucky Air National Guard out of Louisville. They hung on a line from a helicopter provided by the 63^rd Theater Aviation Brigade of the Kentucky Army National Guard in Frankfort.

Afterward, Bevin posted on Twitter: “It’s not every day you get to fly over @KySpeedway under a Blackhawk. Special thanks to Kentucky’s @USNationalGuard! #qs400.”

He also posted a selfie of himself while driving the official pace car. Many people on social media echoed Wood’s sentiment about Bevin’s performance, though others chastised him for setting a bad example by using his phone while driving.

Saturday wasn’t Bevin’s first high-flying performance since taking office in December 2015. In June 2016, he went skydiving with the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team over Fort Knox.

This story was originally published July 10, 2017 at 12:19 PM with the headline "Bevin called ‘coolest governor in the world’ after helicopter stunt at NASCAR race."