Washington DC hosted the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Sunday, as professional racing cars weaved through the heart of the US capital at speeds approaching 200mph (320kmh), passing iconic landmarks including the Washington Monument and the US Capitol in a spectacle marking America's 250th anniversary of independence. Driver Kyle Kirkwood won the 250-mile race, his seventh career IndyCar victory, after 147 laps of a 1.7-mile street circuit — a distance and design chosen as a deliberate nod to the nation's semiquincentennial.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump kicked off the festivities by completing a ceremonial lap of the circuit in the presidential limousine, known as "The Beast," while a Marine Corps band played "Stars and Stripes Forever" and crowds cheered from the roadside. Trump then waved the green flag to start the race. Overhead, a formation of military aircraft including a B-2 stealth bomber flew over the city, and Air Force One — the Qatar-gifted aircraft Trump has been using — passed above escorted by four fighter jets. Before the race, tenor Christopher Macchio performed the national anthem and a trained bald eagle was released near the start line.
The event is the first time professional road racing has taken place in the capital, a city that normally enforces the lowest speed limit in the United States at 55mph (89kmh). Around 140,000 spectators were expected, with many attending on free tickets distributed through a public lottery, though premium packages sold for up to $5,000. Extensive preparations were required across the city, including welding shut more than 200 manhole covers to prevent the powerful cars from dislodging them, widespread road resurfacing, and vibration tests at the National Gallery of Art to protect its collections. Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport operated under a three-hour airspace closure.
The race was championed by IndyCar series owner Roger Penske, a longtime Trump ally who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019. Trump said Penske had been trying to bring the event to Washington for 20 years. The project required a presidential executive order after Congress initially declined to approve it. Penske's organisation is bearing the "vast majority" of costs, including building the track. House Speaker Mike Johnson has already called for the event to become annual.
The grand prix is the latest in a series of high-profile celebrations Trump has organised around America's 250th birthday, which have included a UFC fight on the White House lawn, a large July Fourth fireworks display on the National Mall, military flyovers, and a Great American State Fair. The events have drawn enthusiastic crowds and sharp criticism in roughly equal measure. Supporters described Sunday's race as a once-in-a-lifetime experience; critics, including many Washington DC residents who have endured weeks of traffic disruptions, dismissed it as another exercise in presidential spectacle. American driver Josef Newgarden, who competed in the race, captured the mood of many in attendance: "It's super unique. You might never see this again, and as an American driver, it's very special celebrating the 250th anniversary of the country."