Freedom 250 Grand Prix Throttles D.C. This Weekend
By • August 20, 2026 0 659
“Freedom Doesn’t Ring It Revs,” reads a large banner hanging on the FAA headquarters building at 7th Street and Independence Avenue SW.
The first‑ever NTT IndyCar Series race on the National Mall — the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. — starts its engines this weekend to celebrate America’s 250th birthday.
Downtown D.C. will be loud, hard to navigate and locked down. If you’re not planning to attend the racing events, don’t come near the Mall.
Practice races begin on Saturday around 9 a.m. On Sunday, the title race, with 25 drivers, starts at 1:10 p.m.
While racing enthusiasts will be arriving, most of the uninitiated think little about the differences between IndyCar, Formula 1 and NASCAR. In a few days, more will know the difference.
Here are some fast facts from the INDYCAR organizers
WHAT:
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., will take place Aug. 22-23, marking the first‑ever NTT INDYCAR SERIES race around the National Mall. The event will be administered by INDYCAR in coordination with the task force, U.S. Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of the Interior and Washington, D.C.’s Executive Office of the Mayor. 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 unique street race will be broadcast live on Fox on Sunday, August 23.
WHEN:
Saturday-Sunday, August 22-23
WHERE:
Streets of Washington, D.C.
TRACK LENGTH AND DETAILS:
1.7 miles / 7 Turns (147 laps)
Designed with fan accessibility, breathtaking views and safety at its core, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature the cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing on a sweeping .4-mile front stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue, framed by the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. The pit lane area of the track will be adjacent to Pennsylvania Avenue, between Turns 1 and 2 on the circuit design. The INDYCAR field will also race by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives on the challenging and picturesque course layout.
ON-TRACK COMPETITION:
In addition to the high-powered cars and the world-class stars that compete in the NTT INDYCAR SERIES – including series champions Scott Dixon, Will Power, Josef Newgarden and Alex Palou along with Indy 500 winners Alexander Rossi, Marcus Ericsson and 2026 champ Felix Rosenqvist – IROC Presented by Chevrolet will also be part of the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix weekend.
The IROC Presented by Chevrolet lineup in D.C. will feature a star-studded collection of motorsports legends, including champions and some of the biggest stars in NASCAR and INDYCAR history. Former NASCAR Cup Series champions Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Bobby Labonte, Rusty Wallace and Bill Elliott will race on the 1.7-mile Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit around the National Mall, alongside INDYCAR greats and Indianapolis 500 champions Tony Kanaan, Helio Castroneves and Dario Franchitti. The drivers will compete in authentic IROC Pontiac Firebirds that raced in series competition from 1996 through 2006.
2026 INDYCAR BROADCAST COVERAGE:
Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. – Sunday, August 23 – 1 p.m. (NTT INDYCAR SERIES)
Live National television coverage: Fox
National Radio Broadcast: INDYCAR Radio Network/SiriusXM INDYCAR Nation Channel 218
Live Local Radio Coverage: WTEM The Team 980
2026 IROC BROADCAST COVERAGE:
IROC Race 1 – Saturday, August 22 – 3 p.m.
Television coverage: TBA
IROC Race 2 – Saturday, August 22 – 4 p.m.
Television coverage: TBA
RACE HISTORY:
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. was formally established by an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Jan. 30, directing the U.S. Department of Transportation and the U.S. Department of the Interior to designate a race route through the National Mall and surrounding city streets for an NTT INDYCAR SERIES event on Aug. 22-23, 2026. Created to mark the United States Semiquincentennial and honor more than a century of INDYCAR racing, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will become the first auto race ever held on the streets of the nation’s capital.
WHAT IS INDYCAR:
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES is the fastest racing on Earth. It is North America’s premier open-wheel racing series with drivers representing 14 nations, including eight drivers from the United States.
The NTT INDYCAR SERIES schedule includes races at superspeedways, short ovals, road courses and street circuits, making it the most technically diverse and challenging lineup in global motorsports.
Drivers compete in cars optimized to reach speeds up to 240 mph on superspeedways and from 180-200 mph on a circuit like the Streets of Washington D.C.
The season-long NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship also includes the famed Indianapolis 500 – a race that began in 1911. Felix Rosenqvist won this year’s “500,” which had:
- A record 70 lead changes
- 629 on-track passes
- A record purse of $30.9 million
FITNESS:
Drivers handle 1,700-pound cars 2 inches off the ground and often times 2 inches away from their closest competitor.
On average, a driver’s heart rate reaches 85-95 percent of its capacity during a race.
Drivers experience up to 5 Gs (five times their body weight) while in turns and up to 1.5 Gs while accelerating.
ON THE FREEDOM 250 GRAND PRIX OF WASHINGTON, D.C.:
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. is race number 15 in an 18-race NTT INDYCAR SERIES championship.
The event is the first motor race on the Streets of Washington, D.C. and around the National Mall. At 250 miles, it will be the second-longest street circuit race in INDYCAR history.
WHAT’S NEXT THIS SEASON:
From the Streets of Washington, D.C., the season continues with a doubleheader race weekend at the famed Milwaukee Mile next weekend before the finale in Monterey, California (Laguna Seca) on Labor Day weekend.
