WASHINGTON—Drivers raced around the nation’s capital as fans cheered the kickoff to the Freedom 250 Grand Prix on Aug. 22, while International Race of Champions (IROC) legends competed, and reigning IndyCar champion Alex Palou earned pole position during the qualifying trials.
Drivers started the morning with practice sessions. Videos showed the impact of rain showers and bumpy roads on the performance vehicles, with tight, technical turns requiring lightning-quick precision and a stretch on Pennsylvania Avenue that allowed for high-speed displays. Several vehicles touched the walls during the day as some drivers struggled to navigate the new track.
Palou dominated the qualifying round, finishing the lap in 56.899 seconds, besting second-place Kyle Kirkwood by more than half a second, and capturing his seventh pole position of the season and the 19th of his career. He leads the season championship standings by 133 points over Kirkwood headed into Sunday’s race.
The newly relaunched IROC featured two races on the card Saturday, with NASCAR Cup greats Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott, Bobby Labonte, Kurt Busch, and Rusty Wallace racing alongside IndyCar legends Helio Castroneves and Tony Kanaan. Drivers faced off in 1990s- and 2000s-era Pontiac Firebirds.
Gordon came from behind to win the first race before repeating the feat on the second race with the track reversed. The victories secured the 2026 IROC series title for the long-retired, four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion.
“To win on a street circuit against this caliber of drivers is incredible, but coming from the back after the invert makes this weekend unforgettable,” Gordon said in a statement.
“IROC has always brought out the absolute best in motorsports, and adding a D.C. sweep to a history that started for me back at Daytona in 1998 brings everything full circle.”
More than 140,000 spectators are expected each day to witness history during the two-day NTT IndyCar Series event, a celebration of the nation’s 250th anniversary, marking the first motorsports race in Washington.
“It is going to be a truly historic race weekend in the heart of Washington, D.C. as the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will provide fans the opportunity to see world-class INDYCAR competition and IROC racing with some of motorsports’ true legends, in one unforgettable setting,” Bud Denker, Freedom 250 Grand Prix chairman, said in a statement.
Attendees packed the area for the festivities on Saturday, as fans watched the morning practices, engaged with racing stars who participated in autograph sessions, and enjoyed the patriotic, Stars and Stripes-themed racetrack.
Security was tight, with entrance limited to a few locations, and tall metal fences situated around the city to block streets for the race.
Fans watch the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington on Aug. 22, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times
President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January setting the framework for the race, ordering federal agencies to establish a temporary, 1.7-mile track weaving through capital streets and National Monuments.
Drivers are set for a 1 p.m. ET start for the 147-lap, 250 mile race on Aug. 23.
Tickets were free to the public, distributed through a lottery system. The race will stream worldwide on Fox Sports.
Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington on Aug. 22, 2026. Madalina Kilroy/The Epoch Times
