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What We Know About the Trump-Backed IndyCar Race Taking over the Heart of DC

The 147-lap race on a 1.7-mile course is designed as a public celebration and could draw new fans, drivers said.

  • The Freedom 250 Grand Prix brings open-wheel racing to Washington, D.C. this weekend, featuring a 147-lap, 250-mile course around the National Mall to honor America's 250th anniversary.
  • President Donald Trump fast-tracked the event in January via executive order titled 'Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing,' while Penske Corporation President Bud Denker led route planning and permitting.
  • IndyCar is funding the project's more than $35 million price tag, which includes installing 1,800 walls weighing 10,000 pounds each and welding about 220 manhole covers for driver safety.
  • Organizers expect 130,000 spectators daily from nearly 300,000 ticket requests, with security including TSA-style screening and Secret Service oversight similar to July Fourth protocols.
  • While organizers bill the event as inaugural, there is no confirmation it will become an annual fixture; driver Graham Rahal called racing past the U.S. Capitol "iconic" for its symbolic significance.
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Reuters broke the news in London, United Kingdom on Thursday, August 20, 2026.
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