Politics

Kyle Kirkwood wins Freedom 250 IndyCar race on Washington street circuit

The race around the National Mall marked the capital's first IndyCar event and part of the U.S. semiquincentennial celebrations.

Updated Aug 24, 2026 · 02:15 UTC12 reports

The short version

American driver Kyle Kirkwood led 128 of 147 laps to win the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on a temporary street circuit in downtown Washington, D.C.
President Donald Trump took a ceremonial lap in the presidential limousine and waved the green flag to start the 250-mile race, held to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary.
Championship leader Alex Palou finished 20th after encountering penalties, pit issues, and a crash, reducing his points lead over Kirkwood to 91 with three races remaining.
Organizers and political leaders discussed potentially making the race an annual fixture, though IndyCar's future plans for Washington remain uncertain.

Kyle Kirkwood won the Freedom 250 Grand Prix by 3.09 seconds over Christian Lundgaard, earning his second victory of the season and seventh career IndyCar win.[Associated Press · Fox News · The Guardian]
The 147-lap race took place on a 1.7-mile circuit along Pennsylvania Avenue and the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol.[Fox News · Associated Press · NBC News · The Guardian]
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump participated in a prerace lap in the presidential limousine, with the president waving the starting green flag and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy waving the checkered flag.[NBC News · Fox News · Associated Press]
Series points leader Alex Palou faced a drive-through pit penalty, a loose tire, and an on-track crash, which dropped his championship lead over Kirkwood from 133 to 91 points.[Associated Press · Fox News · The Guardian]
Event preparations included welding over 200 manhole covers, track repaving, and a three-hour air traffic closure at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport for military flyovers.[ABC News · BBC News · The Guardian]
Penske Corporation funded the majority of the race costs, including track setup and related road improvements.[ABC News · Associated Press]

Whether the Freedom 250 will become an annual event or remain a one-time celebration is disputed, with House Speaker Mike Johnson and President Trump expressing desire for repeated races while NBC News reported IndyCar has no current plans to return.[Associated Press · NBC News · Fox News · Associated Press]
Official attendance figures varied across reports, with weekend crowd estimates ranging from upward of 150,000 spectators to over 215,000 across two days.[Associated Press · NBC News · The Washington Post · BBC News]