President Donald Trump kicked off the Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race in downtown Washington, D.C., on August 23, 2026, waving the green flag after leading a slow ceremonial lap in the presidential limousine alongside first lady Melania Trump.
For once, things moved remarkably fast in the nation’s capital. The open-wheel racing event brought high-speed motorsport directly to the city’s streets, with cars whizzing past Washington monuments at speeds approaching 200 mph. The competition served as the latest centerpiece in the administration’s ongoing celebrations to mark America’s 250th birthday. Trump’s other events to mark the semiquincentennial of the Declaration of Independence’s signing have included a UFC fight on the White House lawn, military aircraft flyovers, a massive July Fourth fireworks show on the National Mall and a Great American State Fair that the president headlined after scores of ’90s-era musical acts dropped out. The events have all had a Trumpian flair, featuring appearances from his friends and the aim of showcasing spectacle, Americana and power. Sunday included some of Trump’s favorite flourishes, such as a performance by one of his favorite singers, tenor Christopher Macchio, who performed The Star-Spangled Banner.
A trained bald eagle was dramatically released near the start line, and it swooped and flew overhead before returning to its handler. There were flyovers of military aircraft, which have boomed over the city during the July Fourth celebrations, among other events. One flyover Sunday involved a formation featuring a B-2 stealth bomber, which Trump frequently boasts about for its role in dropping massive bunker-buster bombs on Iranian nuclear facilities last year.
Trump waves the green flag to start the IndyCar
I’m going to make a little circle in a nice, secure car, slightly slower than the ones we’re going to witness, but we’re going to have fun,
Trump said in an interview on Fox shortly before the ride.
Washington Street Course Layout and Landmark Views
Kyle Kirkwood wins Freedom 250 Grand Prix IndyCar race
The temporary 1.7-mile street circuit ran around and through the National Mall, flanked by the U.S. Capitol on one side and the Washington Monument on the other. The temporary track also snaked around National Archives, the National Gallery of Art and the Air and Space Museum, among many other museums and government buildings, providing both INDYCAR teams and fans with unparalleled optics. INDYCAR drivers — including Alex Palou, Pato O’Ward, Scott McLaughlin, Scott Dixon and Graham Rahal — soaked in all the history and what was for some their first trip to the U.S. capital, and the Freedom 250 itself delivered stunning race images against the backdrop of some of the nation’s most recognizable landmarks.
On-Track Action and Championship Standings Shift
INDYCAR Freedom 250's Most Stunning Photos From Unique Streets
Kyle Kirkwood gave the Freedom 250 an American winner, racing to his second victory of the IndyCar season on the streets of downtown Washington, D.C., in a dominant performance Sunday. Will Power and Marcus Ericsson, Kirkwood’s teammates with Andretti Global, finished third and fourth. Pole winner Alex Palou, who had a chance to clinch the series title, finished 20th in his second-worst showing of the year.
After Trump’s green flag, the field quickly went under caution because of debris in Turn 4. The first big wreck came when David Malukas went into the wall and Sting Ray Robb could do little to avoid crashing into him coming around a turn. Just like that, two of the race’s eight American drivers were out.
Several cars went onto pit road, and that’s when the day started to fall apart for Palou. He appeared to hit a tire in someone else’s area while exiting, and he was assessed a drive-through penalty. Later, on another pit stop, one of Palou’s tires was loose when he started driving. That caused another delay, and he ended up off the lead lap. Palou later spun coming through a turn. His lead in the standings dropped from 133 points over second-place Kirkwood to 91 with three races to go. Kirkwood had a commanding lead before Palou’s spin caused a caution. On a restart with 19 laps remaining, Scott McLaughlin tried to pass Kirkwood and went into a tire barrier. Then Kirkwood pulled off a strong restart with 13 laps to go.
