Published August 23, 2026
Race cars roared through the streets of Washington, D.C., behind landmarks as the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, created by President Donald Trump, opened.
Ahead of Sunday’s first-of-its-kind race, IndyCar drivers tested their open-wheel cars Saturday at speeds of up to 298 kilometers per hour (185 mph) over the bumps of a seven-turn, 2.7-kilometer (1.7-mile) course that winds around the Washington Monument along the National Mall, the U.S. Capitol, the National Museum of Art and the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum.
Spain’s Alex Palou, who is the championship leader with six wins this season, took his seventh pole position of the season with a qualifying lap of 56.899 seconds, after setting the fastest practice time of 56.614 seconds.
But the results took a backseat to the dramatic backdrop of Sunday’s campaign, which President Trump ordered by executive order as part of celebrations to mark America’s 250th anniversary.
Organizers had expected up to 100,000 people to attend, including President Trump.
On Sunday, 25 drivers competed for 147 laps over a total distance of 400 km (250 miles), making it the second longest street race in IndyCar history after the 500 km (310 mile) event held in Cleveland in 1982 and 1983.
