Officials behind the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix race to celebrate America 250 have shared details on the development in alignment with President Trump executive order on the subject.
The race, scheduled for August 22-23, 2026, marks the “first‑ever auto race held on the National Mall and the historic city streets of Washington D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence,” IndyCar said. The event will be free and open to the public.
The 1.7-mile track incorporates some of the nation’s iconic landmarks, such as the Washington Monument, the U.S. Capitol, the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Archives.
“This circuit is unlike any other street race we’ve seen,” said Josef Newgarden, a two‑time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and back‑to‑back Indianapolis 500 winner. “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.”
President Trump’s January executive order directs the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Transportation to “designate a route through Washington, D.C., that is suitable for conducting an INDYCAR street race and that will showcase the majesty of our capital city in celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.”
“This race, the first motor race ever to be held in our Nation’s capital near the National Mall, will showcase the majesty of our great city as drivers navigate a track around our iconic national monuments in celebration of America’s 250th birthday,” the order asserts.
