At first, it seemed like a joke or wishful thinking, but the concept of a 2026 IndyCar street race in Washington D.C. is now very real.
United States Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted an AI-generated video last week, depicting IndyCar racing around the National Mall. U.S. President Donald Trump shared the video and expressed support for the idea, wanting it as part of celebrations for the country’s 250th birthday.
On Friday, President Trump signed an executive order confirming plans for a race, calling it the ‘Freedom 250.’ He is instructing the city’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, to work with his administration on putting the race together. The Interior and Transportation departments will be tasked with designing the track layout alongside IndyCar, and finding the funding for the race.
The plan is to hold the race on the weekend of August 21-23, between previously scheduled races in Markham, Ontario and the Milwaukee Mile in Wisconsin. It will be a logistical challenge and a tight deadline to organize such an event in the heart of the nation, and there’s the obvious issue of advertisements being banned on Capitol grounds.
Trump awarded Roger Penske the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019, and he joined Trump in the Oval Office for the signing of this executive order. Trump believes the race could “set a record” in regards to attendance figures, as it will be open to the public. Eric Shanks, the CEO of FOX Sports, was also there alongside Penske and Trump.
“For us as a company, to support the 250th anniversary for the country, and there’s no better way for us to bring automotive and speed into the D.C. area, and to have the opportunity to be able to compete here with our IndyCars,” said Penske in the Oval Office. “We own the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and we’re taking that history of over 100 years and the speed and what’s taken place there with the different manufacturers, and bringing it here for this race. It will be amazing … We’re excited for people to see it. Most of the grounds will be free. It’s going to be an economic benefit to the area, to the city.”
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