President Donald Trump signed an executive order Friday directing federal agencies to organize an IndyCar race on the streets of Washington, D.C., as part of the America250 celebrations marking the nation’s 250th anniversary. Trump made the announcement in the Oval Office alongside IndyCar owner and chairperson Roger Penske, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
Officials said the race is expected to take place later this summer and would mark one of several major sporting events tied to the anniversary, Fox News reported.
“We’re celebrating ‘Greatness With American Motor Racing,’ that’s going to be the name of the event,” Trump said. He added that the race is scheduled to run from Aug. 21 to Aug. 23.
“It’s going to be so exciting,” Trump said. “And I love the race. I don’t have a lot of time to watch it, but I love the racing.”
The president said attendance could “set a record for racing,” adding that the event would highlight American innovation, engineering and competition as part of the yearlong America250 celebrations.
Penske said the race would be a historic opportunity to bring one of the nation’s premier motorsports series into the heart of the capital.
“This is a really amazing time for us, as a company, to support the 250th anniversary for the country,” Penske said. “And there’s no better way for us to bring automotive and speed into the D.C. area and to have the opportunity to be able to compete here.”
Penske also pointed to the long legacy of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, which his organization owns.
“As you know, we own the Indianapolis Motor Speedway,” Penske said. “We’re taking that history of more than 100 years, the speed, and what’s taking place there with the different manufacturers and bringing it here.”
Penske said much of the event would be accessible to the public.
“Most of the grounds will be free for people to attend,” he said. “It’s going to be an economic benefit to the area and to the city.”
FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks also spoke during the White House event, linking the IndyCar race to other global sporting events being hosted in the United States this year.
“It’s a real honor to be a partner with Roger and IndyCar,” Shanks said. “At FOX Sports, we’re doing the biggest events in sports this year. We have the FIFA World Cup taking place here as well.”
“To dovetail right after that and be able to celebrate America’s birthday on FOX is an absolutely incredible honor,” he added.
According to NBC News, the Interior and Transportation departments will coordinate with local officials to plan a race route near the National Mall that highlights Washington’s monuments and landmarks. A White House fact sheet said the route would be designed to “showcase the majesty of Washington, D.C.”
FOX Business previously reported that the Department of Transportation had been pushing to hold a race near the National Mall as part of the America250 celebrations.
In conjunction with the announcement, Trump promoted the event on Truth Social, posting an AI generated video depicting fans gathering near the National Mall and IndyCars racing past the Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
“The Grand Prix is an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate our nation’s proud racing pedigree, showcase the beauty of the National Mall and generate millions in critical tourism revenue for the capital,” a Transportation Department spokesperson said. “The Trump Administration is determined to make D.C. great again.”
The proposal does face logistical hurdles. Federal rules generally prohibit advertising on Capitol grounds, a potential challenge given that racing vehicles typically feature prominent corporate sponsorships.
Officials have not finalized the course layout, though landmarks featured in Trump’s promotional video included the Capitol, Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial.
