Trump Signs Executive Order for Free Admission to DC IndyCar Street Race in August – Jalopnik

The 250th anniversary of American independence should be a momentous occasion. Unfortunately, President Donald Trump is planning a summer of gaudy spectacle that will turn the nation’s capital into a mash-up of 1980s Atlantic City and present-day Abu Dhabi. He signed an executive order on Friday host an IndyCar street race in Washington, DC. It is important to remember that the executive order is just that: an order. IndyCar will still have to work with the city to host this once-in-a-lifetime event in just under eight months.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, DC is scheduled for August 23. Rumors of this event started last week after Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy posted an AI slop video on social media showing Trump arriving at a DC IndyCar race on Marine One. The prospect of Duffy’s post being a serious hint seemed strange considering the 2026 IndyCar schedule had already been announced months ago. From then on, however, things progressed rapidly. The president’s friendship with Roger Penske, owner of the IndyCar Series and much more successful businessman, played an important role. In 2019, Trump awarded Penske the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In a statementRoger Penske said:

“President Trump has given our sport an incredible accolade and we are grateful for his trust and support as INDYCAR prepares to honor our country with an incredible racing spectacle. This will be a truly memorable event that celebrates our country’s independence and the legacy of patriotism, innovation and excellence that drives motorsports across America.”

IndyCar will have to work with the District’s municipal government to design a public road circuit around the National Mall. Entry to the race will also be free, so the government will also have to prepare for huge crowds gathering around the circuit. Congress will also have to pass a law temporarily lifting the ban on advertising on the Mall. Trump ordered the Departments of Transportation and the Interior to release the money to pay IndyCar to host the event. It is unclear how much money the racing series will receive for the exhibition.