Lest you thought the America 250 celebrations came to a close as the last few fireworks lit up the Washington Monument on July 4, along came President Trump on Monday to remind you that we're celebrating the country's big birthday all year long. The next spectacular planned by the president is a Grand Prix race set to take place along the National Mall, with IndyCar racers descending on the Nation's Capital August 22-23 for the competition.
The event is called The Freedom Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., and it's one in a series of high-profile extravaganzas to mark America's semiquincentennial. This will be a "street takeover" of a different kind.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., will take place Aug. 22-23, 2026, marking the first‑ever NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the National Mall. The free, two-day motorsports event will celebrate America’s 250th anniversary with world‑class racing set against the backdrop of some of America’s most historic landmarks, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol.
The race comes after the president, ever the showman, scored huge successes with the UFC event held in June on the White House lawn and the Great American State Fair, which closed last week after delighting crowds with a massive ferris wheel and pavilions celebrating each state and U.S. territory.
On Monday, the president treated Americans to a taste of what's to come next month when he hosted IndyCar drivers at the White House, and even turned West Executive Avenue – the closed-off street inside the White House complex that runs between the White House and the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, and is typically used as parking for senior staffers – into a miniature race course.
190+ MPH down Pennsylvania Avenue? IT’S HAPPENING
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) July 13, 2026
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is officially taking over the streets of Washington, D.C. in 41 DAYS
Thank you, @POTUS, for bringing this historic event to life 🏎️💨 pic.twitter.com/LA02zt9zsK
Called the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Showcase, the White House event featured a whos-who from the racing and political worlds, including race car drivers David Malukas, Alex Palou, and Felix Rosenqvist. Roger Penske, Penske Corporation President Bud Denker, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks, and President of General Motorsports Mark Royce were also on hand to hype the race.
SEE ALSO: The White House UFC Event Was Loud, Patriotic, and Everything the Left Despises
'Hottest Country': Trump in His Element As Great American State Fair Kicks Off in Washington, D.C.
President Trump told his guests, “Unprecedented events will take place next month right here in our nation's capital on August 22nd and 23rd. It will be an awesome display of American patriotism and raw horsepower and ingenuity. You're going to see cars at the level that they've never been at before with cars racing more than 190 miles (per hour) and even higher than that down Pennsylvania Avenue."
The highlight of Monday's event was when Malukas "hopped into an Indy car and briefly smoked the tires as he drove into a designated area for a live pit stop demonstration."
JUST IN: An IndyCar pit crew demonstrates a lightning-fast tire change after President Trump delivers remarks on the Freedom 250 Grand Prix Showcase. pic.twitter.com/KHMhwwzPwz
— Fox News (@FoxNews) July 13, 2026
Per the event website, "The Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature a 1.7-mile, seven-turn layout, blending the high-speed demands of INDYCAR racing with the historic character and stunning visuals of the nation’s capital. The racing circuit will wind around the National Mall, incorporating some of America’s most historic and iconic landmarks."
Two-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and back-to-back Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden previewed the course when the race was announced
“This circuit is unlike any other street race we’ve seen. You’ve got a high-speed section down Pennsylvania Avenue that will reward commitment and precision, mixed with technical corners around 9th Street that will demand respect. Racing through the heart of American history, with those amazing landmarks lining the course, is going to be incredibly powerful. I can’t wait to be back here to race and celebrate America’s birthday at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.”
According to the event website, the window for requesting general admission tickets to the DC Grand Prix has already closed.
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