President Donald Trump took center stage Sunday at the historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix, leading a ceremonial lap of honor in his armored limousine. The event, part of the United States' 250th anniversary commemoration, saw the NTT IndyCar Series race through the streets of Washington, D.C.

The 1.7-mile track was designed to loop past iconic landmarks including the National Mall, the Washington Monument, and the U.S. Capitol Building. President Trump, who created the event by executive order, greeted drivers and officials at the start line before embarking on his lap. Air Force One and military aircraft provided an overhead escort during his procession around the circuit.

"The track is wonderful," Trump told Fox Sports in a pre-race interview. "We're going around the Capitol. This turned out to be a better track, and so now we see the Capitol. I want everyone to be safe, and I want the people to have a good time."

Following Trump's ceremonial lap, he waved the green flag to signal the start of the 147-lap race. Pre-race festivities included a flyover by U.S. Army helicopters and a performance by the U.S. Army's "Pershing Own" Band.

The pre-race celebrations were opened with a flyover by the US Army Chinooks, Black Hawks and Apache helicopters

Mohammed Ben Sulayem, President of the FIA, commented on the event, stating, "The Freedom 250 INDYCAR race pairs 250 years of American achievement with a sport that embodies speed, ingenuity and the freedom of the open road."

President Trump had previously held a showcase event in July outside the White House to promote the race. In January, he signed an executive order to establish the event after a meeting with Roger Penske, chairman of the Penske Corporation, which owns the IndyCar series. Trump noted that Penske had been attempting to organize a Washington, D.C. race for 20 years before his intervention. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy described the event as "historic and cool."

Trump was granted the honor of performing a ceremonial lap in his armored limousine

Spanish driver Alex Palou, who led the IndyCar series standings, was on the pole for the race. Palou had attended the track course unveiling earlier in the year, describing the experience of meeting the president and visiting the Oval Office as "incredible."

This event marked another instance of President Trump's engagement with sporting events to celebrate the nation's semiquincentennial. Earlier in the year, he attended a UFC event and the Patriot Games, a high school athletic competition he created for the anniversary celebrations.