WASHINGTON, D.C. – Charting a course for open-wheel racing history, officials today unveiled the racetrack design and layout for this summer’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., featuring the cars-and-stars of the NTT IndyCar Series.

Scheduled for Aug. 22-23, 2026, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will mark the first auto race held on the National Mall and the historic city streets of Washington D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The landmark weekend will be free and open to the public, offering unprecedented access to North America’s premier open-wheel series framed by America’s most iconic symbols of democracy, freedom and unity.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature a 1.7‑mile/seven‑turn layout, blending the high‑speed demands of INDYCAR racing with the historic character and stunning visuals of the nation’s capital. The racing circuit will wind around the National Mall, incorporating some of America’s most historic landmarks.

Designed with fan accessibility, breathtaking views and safety at its core, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature the high-powered cars of the NTT IndyCar Series competing on a sweeping, 0.4-mile frontstretch along Pennsylvania Avenue, framed by the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. The pit lane area will be adjacent to the track, on Pennsylvania Avenue, between Turns 1 and 2 on the circuit. The INDYCAR field also will race past the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives.

“This circuit is unlike any other street race we’ve seen,” Team Penske’s Josef Newgarden, a two‑time series champion and back‑to‑back Indianapolis 500 winner, said after touring the circuit Monday morning. “You’ve got a high‑speed section down Pennsylvania Avenue that will reward commitment and precision, mixed with technical corners around 9th Street that will demand respect.

“Racing through the heart of American history, with those amazing landmarks lining the course, is going to be incredibly powerful.”

The NTT IndyCar Series features an international field of some of the world’s most versatile drivers,  including Nashville’s Newgarden, four-time/reigning series champion Alex Palou of Spain and Chip Ganassi Racing and Arrow McLaren’s Pato O’Ward, a native of Mexico with family ties to San Antonio, Texas. Series drivers compete on superspeedways, short ovals, street circuits and permanent road-courses. The 2026 season consists of an expended 18 races in the United States and Canada, featuring the 110th Indianapolis 500 presented by Gainbridge in May at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

The NTT IndyCar Series, its developmental INDY NXT by Firestone series, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and IMS Productions are owned by Penske Corporation, a global transportation, automotive and motorsports leader founded by Roger S. Penske.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix was formalized through an Executive Order signed earlier this year by President Donald J. Trump entitled “Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing.” The first street race around the National Mall enjoys key support from Chief of Protocol of the United States, Ambassador Monica Crowley, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.

“The story of America is one of vision, courage, perseverance _ and speed,” said Ambassador Crowley, President Trump’s representative for America’s 250th. “What better way to showcase our exceptional American spirit than by hosting the Grand Prix in our Nation’s Capital during our 250th birthday year. Presidents Washington and Jefferson marked notable celebrations with spirited horse races; the Freedom 250 race will bring that historic tradition into the 21st century and renew a tremendous sense of patriotic pride.”

Link to Freedom 250 Grand Prix track map, course renders and official event logo approved for media usage

Newgarden, Ambassador Crowley, Transportation Secretary Duffy and Interior Secretary Burgum were joined by D.C. Mayor Bowser along with Freedom 250 CEO Keith Krach; Founder/Chairman/Managing Partner & CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment Ted Leonsis; FOX Sports CEO and Executive Producer Eric Shanks and Freedom 250 Grand Prix Chairman Bud Denker to unveil the course design.

“Freedom doesn’t ring, it revs!” Secretary Duffy said. “The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will showcase American ingenuity in engineering and technology along the backdrop of our historic capital in a spectacle that will leave the world in awe. President Trump and our partners at INDYCAR are preparing a historic celebration worthy of America’s 250th anniversary. The design of this unique and competitive track will deliver an exhilarating and safe experience for millions of Americans to enjoy and celebrate.”

Secretary Burgum said this summer’s event will be unlike any previous celebration marking the nation’s birth. “INDYCAR racing has always captured the American spirit _ bold innovation, relentless drive and the determination to lead,” Burgum said. “The Department of the Interior is proud to help bring the historic, all-American race to the very streets in Washington, D.C., that shaped our great nation.

“The Freedom 250 Grand Prix will mark a milestone lap in American history and stand as a defining moment of the semi-quincentennial celebration.”

Buildout of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix circuit will begin later this summer, with the roads near the U.S. Capitol and around the National Mall expected to remain open and accessible throughout the majority of course-creation.

“We are very excited about hosting the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in the Sports Capital,” Mayor Bowser said. “We want people to plan their trips to D.C. now. Come for the Freedom 250 and then stay to enjoy our monuments and museums, our beautiful parks, world-class restaurants and hotels and all the culture and entertainment that make us the best city in the world.”

During Monday’s gathering at the foot of the National Mall, officials also revealed the official Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., event logo. The design features an NTT IndyCar Series race car positioned in front of the U.S. Capitol Dome rendered in a patriotic red, white and blue color palette.

The official Freedom 250 Grand Prix INDYCAR also made its debut on Monday, featuring a custom red, white and blue livery created specifically to honor 250 years of American Independence. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix INDYCAR is an open‑wheel, single‑seat Dallara chassis identical to those competing in the series with Chevrolet and Honda twin-turbocharged V-6 engines.

The car will be displayed at prominent locations throughout the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) region over the next several months, serving as a rolling ambassador for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

Like all NTT IndyCar Series events, the D.C. race will be broadcast live on FOX Sports to a national television audience. FOX will feature enhanced coverage of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix as one of its marquee events.

“This is so much more than another sporting event on the calendar,” said FOX’s Shanks said. “It’s a unique opportunity to celebrate the creativity, ingenuity and competitive spirit that helped build America. The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, racing through a monument-filled course in the heart of Washington, D.C., will be a centerpiece of the celebrations honoring our nation’s 250th birthday. FOX Sports is incredibly proud to help bring this historic moment to fans across the country.”

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix is bolstered by support from Monumental Sports & Entertainment (MSE), which will serve as the event’s Official Marketing, Sponsorships and Corporate Hospitality Sales Partner. MSE will leverage its integrated sports, media and venue platform to connect INDYCAR with fans, partners and the local community. MSE owns the Washington Capitals (NHL), Washington Wizards (NBA) and Washington Mystics (WNBA). The company also hosts hundreds of high-profile events across the region each year.

For more information and to sign up for updates on the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., visit www.Freedom250GP.com.