Trump and first lady open historic IndyCar race in Washington
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump kicked off the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, the first IndyCar race in Washington, D.C., with a ceremonial lap in the presidential limousine, "The Beast," before Trump waved the green flag to start the race.
The slow lap around the 1.7-mile street circuit, which weaves past landmarks including the Washington Monument, the National Archives, and Smithsonian museums, was greeted with cheers from the crowd, as reported by multiple outlets. During the lap, Air Force One completed a flyover above the capital, and a stealth bomber also made a pass, according to the NZ Herald.
"They've been trying to do it for 20 years," Trump told Fox Sports before the lap, as quoted by the New York Post and other sources. "It turned out to be, I think, bigger and better. And the weather is beautiful."
Trump, who spoke to drivers and IndyCar officials before the ride, said he told them, "Good luck, do well, have fun," according to Fox News and TMZ. In an interview on Fox ahead of the lap, he joked about the pace: "I'm going to make a little circle in a nice, secure car, slightly slower than the ones we're going to witness, but we're going to have fun," as reported by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and USA Today.
A city transformed for 250-mile race
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix, part of a series of summer events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the United States, featured 25 drivers completing 147 laps over 250 miles. The course, with its finish line in front of the U.S. Capitol, saw cars reach speeds of up to 190 mph (306 km/h), according to the BBC. Unlike Formula 1, where teams build their own engines, IndyCar engines come exclusively from Chevrolet or Honda, the BBC noted.
Organisers expected about 140,000 attendees, many with free tickets distributed through a lottery, the BBC reported. Premium packages were selling for around $3,600 per pair, according to the BBC's US partner CBS.
The logistical effort was massive: widespread road closures, manholes bolted down, and road resurfacing, as described by the BBC. Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had a three-hour airspace closure for the event, according to the BBC and the NZ Herald, which also noted air traffic was paused there.
"The President wanted to do this. He's a big fan. We wanted to be part of the 250th anniversary," Roger Penske, the IndyCar owner, told the NZ Herald. "This is really a by-product of our team trying to take it to the next level. This is an iconic race."
Penske said IndyCar would consider returning to Washington in the future, the NZ Herald reported. The event cost $35 million, with IndyCar and Penske Racing paying much of the bill, according to the same source.
Drivers and fans weigh in
Spanish driver Álex Palou, on pole position and seeking his fourth consecutive championship, called the event "incredible" and said it "surpassed all my expectations," as reported by the NZ Herald. He also noted the pavement bumps were "big" and challenging for drivers, according to the same report.
Other drivers expressed similar enthusiasm. Scott McLaughlin, a New Zealand driver, told the NZ Herald, "This is an Indy 500 on the street track." Josef Newgarden said, "This feels like the Indy 500," according to the NZ Herald. Kyle Kirkwood told the publication he was "thrilled to be driving around these amazing streets."
Among the spectators, families had travelled from across the country, one woman dressed as the Statue of Liberty, and many wore Uncle Sam hats, the BBC reported. A driver quoted by the BBC described the experience as "super unique" and "surreal."
However, not all reactions were positive. USA Today reported spotting one woman giving a thumbs down as the president drove by.
Logistical challenges and water lines
Some attendees faced difficulties at the event. Raw Story, citing Washington, D.C.-based journalist Amanda Moore, reported that long lines formed for water, with some people waiting half an hour. Moore detailed how water was only available in the middle of the venue, requiring those on the sides to cross pedestrian bridges to get it, as she described in social media posts. Highs in D.C. had hit 84 degrees the day before, according to the National Weather Service, Raw Story noted.
Moore also highlighted the "notoriously bumpy" streets of the capital, a factor she said had already caused issues for drivers.
Trump's role in the anniversary events
The Grand Prix is one of several events Trump has been involved in to mark the 250th anniversary. USA Today noted that a bipartisan congressional commission, America 250, was set up in 2016 to plan the celebrations, but Trump also formed Freedom 250 as a private-public partnership that hosted the Grand Prix, the July 4th fireworks, the Great American State Fair, and a UFC fight on the White House lawn in June.
TMZ reported that Trump claimed 300,000 to 350,000 people wanted to attend the race and that bridges had to be closed due to turnout. Trump also credited himself for getting the race approved in about 15 minutes after 20 years of attempts, with Penske telling him about more than 200 trips to Washington. These claims were reported only by TMZ.
Melania Trump's Fostering the Future initiative, which supports foster children aging out of the system, partnered with Fox Sports and IndyCar for the event, TMZ reported. She called it "more than an educational initiative," describing it as "a generational investment in America's talent pipeline," according to the same outlet.