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WASHINGTON (CN) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday directing a White House task force to design a racing circuit in Washington, D.C., for a proposed IndyCar race scheduled to take place over the summer.
But while the first-of-its-kind motorsports event in the nation’s capital has the support of IndyCar’s ownership and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, it would likely need approval from lawmakers in Congress — including some Democrats who are sure to be skeptical of the project.
Speaking in the Oval Office Friday morning, Trump said that the planned IndyCar race was part of his administration’s sweeping schedule of events celebrating the country’s 250th birthday this year.
“We are celebrating greatness with American motor racing,” said the president. “This will be something, in terms of the roadways and the crowds, one of the best sites I’ve ever seen. It will be beautiful.”
The White House order directs Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to “designate a route” through Washington suitable for an IndyCar street race and that will “showcase the majesty of our capital city in celebration of the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.” The measure also directs administration officials to acquire the proper permits for the race, dubbed the “Freedom 250 Grand Prix,” and use available funds to bankroll the event.
The proposed racing event, planned for the weekend of Aug. 21, would be free to attend and has the support of IndyCar president Roger Penske. The race would also be televised on Fox Sports, which has broadcast rights for other regular season IndyCar events.
In a statement Friday, Penske said that the Trump administration had “bestowed an incredible distinction” on IndyCar. “This will be a truly memorable event that celebrates out country’s independence and the legacy of patriotism, innovation and excellence that powers motorsports across America.”
Burgum said in the Oval Office that the IndyCar organization held 81 meetings with the administration in preparation for Friday’s announcement.
“To any American who loves sports, you have to love this president, because he is bringing professional sports to our capital,” said the interior secretary. “By the time all the reporters get done telling this story, there will not be a hotel room available in the city on that weekend because everybody will want to be here.”
The White House has for weeks floated the idea of holding an IndyCar race in Washington as part of the country’s 250th birthday celebration. But even with an executive order from the president, such an event would likely need congressional approval. As of Friday afternoon, lawmakers had yet to introduce legislation to codify Trump’s action.
The administration has also expressed interest in staging the racing circuit in front of the Capitol, but federal law bars advertising on Capitol grounds — and IndyCar vehicles are adorned with many ads.
It’s still unclear exactly where the proposed circuit would run, but Trump’s order gives Duffy and Burgum roughly two weeks to come up with a plan. Either way, the project already has the support of D.C.’s local government.
“I am thrilled to welcome the Freedom 250 to the nation’s capital this August,” Bowser said in a statement. “The race weekend will rev up the economic engine of D.C. by filling our hotels and restaurants and by showing visitor, residents and the sports world that there’s no better city, people and backdrop for major sports events.”
The push for a White House-backed IndyCar event in D.C. comes just months after the racing series clashed with the administration over its use of IndyCar intellectual property to promote a new migrant detention center project in Indiana.
The IndyCar organization urged the Department of Homeland Security last August to stop using AI-generated images of one of its racing vehicles in social media posts about the proposed “Speedway Slammer” detention center in Indiana. But the agency said at the time that the suggestion its use of IndyCar vehicles violated intellectual property rights was “absurd.”
An IndyCar race in Washington would also not be the first time in recent years that race cars have torn up the capital city’s streets. Red Bull Racing in April 2024 brought a Formula One car and several other racing vehicles to D.C. for an exhibition event that drew massive crowds and celebrity appearances.
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