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Trump administration officials have pulled back the curtain on what the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will look like when the green flag flies for the IndyCar race on August 23.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Ambassador Monica Crowley and Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser unveiled the Freedom 250 car, which bore the logos of America’s celebration.
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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum pose with racing helmets bearing their names, during the unveiling of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix racetrack in front of the U.S. Capitol, March 9, 2026. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
Officials noted that the event is free for fans to come watch.
Duffy said he and Roger Penske strategized to each call President Donald Trump and pitch the idea of a road race in Washington. He said it didn’t take much convincing to bring an All-American race to the nation’s capital to celebrate America 250.
“It was a team effort,” Duffy said. “It’s Penske, it’s FOX, it’s the mayor, it’s Interior, it’s everyone coming together not to make a profit, not to get your name out there but to say, let’s celebrate America. Let’s celebrate America’s birthday.”
Officials also showed what the course would look like.
Secretary Sean Duffy speaks at the racetrack unveiling of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, DC, March 9, 2026. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
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“A project of this magnitude must have a vision from the top. We are here today because of President Trump’s executive order, which literally paved the way for this race to become the cornerstone of our national celebration,” said Eric Shanks, CEO of FOX Sports. “We want to thank the administration for recognizing that there is no better way to celebrate America 250 than by showcasing American speed and ingenuity on the streets of our capital.
“For everyone who will be here, however you look at it, this will be the most uniquely American sporting event we have ever hosted.”
IndyCar drivers will lap the National Mall with the United States Capitol as the backdrop for the event. The races will go down 3rd Street and turn onto Pennsylvania Avenue to begin.
Drivers will pass the National Archives, the National Gallery of Art, the Hirshhorn Museum and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum before returning to 3rd Street.
IndyCar drivers will lap the National Mall with the United States Capitol as the backdrop for the event. (Reuters/Evelyn Hockstein)
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The IndyCar race is one of the major sporting events that will take place in Washington to mark America’s birthday. The UFC announced the card for its White House event, scheduled for June.
