President Donald Trump on Monday previewed the first-of-its-kind America 250 Grand Prix, an INDYCAR race scheduled to take place in Washington, D.C., on August 22nd and 23rd. Standing outside the White House on Executive Avenue, where an INDYCAR pit stop was demonstrated for the president, Trump described the event as an "awesome display of American patriotism and raw horsepower ingenuity."
Trump was joined by INDYCAR racers, including 2026 Indianapolis 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist, and Penske Corporation founder Roger Penske and president Bud Denker, as well as Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. The president noted the unique setting for the race, joking that the course along the National Mall and city streets was "not exactly designed for that."
Roger Penske stated that more than 250,000 members of the public have signed up to attend the free event, which was established by executive order on January 30th. "When you think about 250 years of this country, it's an amazing time," Penske remarked. "It's a great place to live. It's a great place to work, and I think we're fortunate to have the most important office in the world give us the green light and then the checkered flag to have this event in August."
Following the remarks, an INDYCAR driver performed a pit stop demonstration, accelerating down Executive Avenue before quickly changing all four tires in six seconds. The race vehicles are capable of speeds exceeding 190 mph, with speeds potentially reaching over 200 mph on certain stretches.
The America 250 Grand Prix course is described as a 1.7-mile, seven-turn circuit. It includes a .4-mile front stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House. The pit lane will be situated adjacent to Pennsylvania Avenue, between turns one and two. The route will pass by landmarks such as the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art, and the National Archives. General admission is free to the public, with a limited number of free tickets available for access inside the track area.