President Donald Trump to host Washington IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix

President Donald Trump is organizing the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, an IndyCar race on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., scheduled for Aug. 22‑23, 2026. The 250‑mile event will feature open‑wheel cars that can reach speeds near 200 mph on a street‑course where the normal speed limit is 25 mph, with enough torque to dislodge manhole covers.

The race is part of a series of celebrations marking the United States’ 250th anniversary. Series owner Roger Penske, who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump in 2019, helped arrange the event and presented Trump with a racing helmet. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser called the race the first of several planned festivities, while White House spokesman Davis Ingle said the president is focused on “saving our country” through such celebrations.