President Trump Signs Executive Order Confirming IndyCar Race (Photo by Jabin Botsford /The Washington Post via Getty Images) (Photo by Larry Placido/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Freedom 250 Grand Prix Of Washington, D.C. Coming August 2026
The IndyCar Series announced a major expansion to its 2026 calendar with the addition of a brand-new street race in Washington, D.C. The race is scheduled for August 21–23.
The event, called the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., marks the first time IndyCar will hold a motor race on the streets of the nation’s capital. The race marks one of the many nationwide celebrations honoring the United States’ 250th anniversary of independence.
INDYCAR is coming to the streets of Washington, D.C. 👀
Be the first to learn more about the Freedom 250 Grand Prix 👉 https://t.co/sTFYHqfFDJ pic.twitter.com/YGu5vj5ObJ
— Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. (@Freedom250GP) January 30, 2026
President Trump Signs The Race Into Order
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday (January 30) formalizing the event. The order states the Secretaries of the Interior and Transportation will designate a route within the next two weeks.
“IndyCar racing is a source of pride and entertainment for our Nation, which is why I am pleased to announce the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington. 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,” Trump said of the order.
Penske Entertainment, the IndyCar operator responsible for staging high-profile events including the Indianapolis 500, the Indianapolis Grand Prix, the Detroit Grand Prix, and the Long Beach Grand Prix, will manage the event.
Penske said there was “no better way for us to bring automotive and speed into the D.C. area, and to be able to have the opportunity to compete here with our IndyCars.”
Series owner Roger Penske, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Trump in 2019, said he was “grateful for his trust and support.”
“This will be a truly memorable event that celebrates our country’s independence and the legacy of patriotism, innovation, and excellence that powers motorsports across America,” Penske explained.
🏁START YOUR ENGINES!
Today, President Trump signed an executive order launching the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. – the first ever @INDYCAR street race in the Nation’s capital! pic.twitter.com/te1oUdehFD
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) January 30, 2026
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“America 250” Celebrations To Take Place Across The Nation
Dana White, president of the UFC and a known friend of Trump, also confirmed that the organization is planning a mixed martial arts event for the first time in history on the White House lawn for July 4, 2026.
Details have yet to be shared beyond the event’s connection with the America 250 celebration.
“Every one of our national park battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of America 250,” Trump said last summer.
The celebration is being coordinated nationally through the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, with plans for historical exhibits, educational programs, cultural events, and major public celebrations across the country.
Trump shared that there will be another televised sporting event in 2026.
“To bring back our people together, through the power of sports, America 250 will also host a brand new, first of its kind, youth athletes [event],” Trump said. “It’s a competition known as The Patriot Games, and it features top high school athletes from all 50 states.”
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