On January 30, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to officially launch the “Freedom250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C.”, celebrating the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States. This marks the first time in history that an IndyCar race will be held on the streets of the nation’s capital.
The signing ceremony took place in the Oval Office of the White House, where President Trump was joined by Roger Penske, owner and chairman of IndyCar, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
The President announced that the event will take place from August 21 to 23.
“I am very excited about this. I love this race. Although I don’t have much time to watch, I enjoy racing,” he said.
President Trump also mentioned that the potential audience numbers could “set records for race events”.
Roger Penske, the owner of IndyCar, said, “For our company, this is a great opportunity to support the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States.” He added that the event, scheduled for August, is significant, “We are very excited about this. Most venues will be open for free, which will bring economic benefits to the local and the city (Washington, D.C.).”
According to the statement released by the White House, President Trump aims to bring world-class American racing to the heart of the U.S. capital to celebrate American history, inspire future generations, and showcase the eternal spirit of American innovation and achievement.
“For over a century, American IndyCar racing has excited the American people, producing legendary drivers like A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti, attracting global attention to the Indianapolis 500 every Memorial Day weekend,” the White House stated.
The Freedom250 Grand Prix will be the first race held near the National Mall in the nation’s capital, where Americans will come together to celebrate the 250th anniversary of American independence. This race will showcase the beauty and grandeur of Washington, D.C., while highlighting America’s creativity in engineering, technology, and high-performance racing.
Within 14 days of the President’s executive order, the Interior Secretary and the Transportation Secretary are required to designate a route through Washington, D.C. suitable for hosting an IndyCar street race that showcases the magnificence of the nation’s capital.