An IndyCar Grand Prix race could be coming to the streets of D.C. in August, President Donald Trump announced in an executive order he signed Friday.
Trump’s “Freedom 250 Grand Prix” would coincide with the massive celebration his administration is planning for the nation’s 250th birthday. As part of the slate of events — which so far includes a fair, a competitive youth athletic event and a UFC fight on the grounds of the White House — cars would speed around areas near the District’s monuments in a yet-to-be-determined route, Trump’s order said.
“This race, the first motor race ever to be held in our Nation’s capital near the National Mall, will showcase the majesty of our great city as drivers navigate a track around our iconic national monuments in celebration of America’s 250th birthday,” the executive order reads.
The event will be held Aug. 21 to 23, according to a news release from the Department of Transportation — presenting Trump and local D.C. officials with about seven months to organize the event and navigate regulations related to advertising on federal lands.
Trump’s order said that within two weeks, Doug Burgum and Sean P. Duffy, the secretaries of the interior and transportation, respectively, should determine a suitable route through the nation’s capital. It also instructs the secretaries to ensure that necessary approvals are granted “as expeditiously as possible.” The executive order said the government may need to take steps to make sure that drones and other forms of aerial photography can be used around the events without compromising government facilities nearby; the District’s airspace is highly regulated.
Trump has also instructed his cabinet members to coordinate with D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D), who was enthusiastic about the prospect at an unrelated news conference Friday.
“We love it. We absolutely love it,” said Bowser, who said she was briefed on the event a few weeks ago.
Bowser has long emphasized sports as key to her economic strategy for the city — a reputation she cemented last year when she struck a $3.7 billion dealwith the Washington Commanders to redevelop the long-vacant RFK Stadium site with a new NFL stadium. Bowser said Friday that she had seen growing interest in auto racing in the city.
“I think it could attract a lot of visitors to the District,” Bowser said. But the mayor cautioned that organizers will need to focus on safety and potential impacts to city roads. “As long as it’s done right and with enough time, it can be done right,” she said, adding that if the race is going to happen, key approvals should happen quickly.
Organizers also will need to grapple with the rules that govern advertising around the National Mall and on U.S. Capitol Grounds. Advertisements are allowed at special events permitted through the National Park Service, but they must follow specific regulations, such as restricting the size of ads and making sure their form is “consistent with the special nature and sanctity of the National Mall” and other park areas. Advertisements are prohibited on the streets around the U.S. Capitol, according to the Capitol grounds traffic regulations,which could mean that the race route would require Congressional approval.
The event’s boosters are projecting confidence that it will move forward as planned. Asked Friday, a White House official said “there is no need for Congressional approval.”
IndyCar owner Roger Penske celebrated Trump in a news release from the company.
“Like the sport of racing itself, this administration, under President Donald J. Trump, is moving at record speed to make life better for all Americans and ensure that the United States marks its 250th birthday with the celebration that it deserves,” said Penske. “Start your engines, America!”
Meagan Flynn, Ellie Silverman and Rachel Weiner contributed to this report.
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