Charting the course of racing history, officials have unveiled the unique race track design and layout for this summer's Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., featuring the cars and stars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES.

Set for August 22-23, 2026, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will mark the first‑ever auto race held on the National Mall and the historic city streets of Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The landmark weekend will be free and open to the public.

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature a 1.7‑mile, seven‑turn layout, blending the high‑speed demands of INDYCAR racing with the historic character and stunning visuals of the nation's capital. The racing circuit will wind around the National Mall, incorporating some of America's most historic and iconic landmarks.

Designed with fan accessibility, breathtaking views and safety at its core, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix street circuit will feature the high-powered open-wheel cars of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES racing on a sweeping .4-mile frontstretch along Pennsylvania Avenue, framed by the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. The pit lane area of the track will be adjacent to the track, on Pennsylvania Avenue, between Turns 1 and 2, on the circuit design. The ultra-competitive INDYCAR field will also race by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives on the challenging and picturesque course layout.

"This circuit is unlike any other street race we've seen," said two‑time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion and back‑to‑back Indianapolis 500 winner Josef Newgarden, who had the opportunity to tour the circuit on Monday morning. "You've got a high‑speed section down Pennsylvania Avenue that will reward commitment and precision, mixed with technical corners around 9th Street that will demand respect. Racing through the heart of American history, with those amazing landmarks lining the course, is going to be incredibly powerful. I can't wait to be back here to race and celebrate America's birthday at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix."

The Freedom 250 Grand Prix was formalized through an Executive Order signed earlier this year by President Donald J. Trump entitled "Celebrating American Greatness with American Motor Racing." The first-ever street race around the National Mall enjoys key support from the Chief of Protocol of the United States, Ambassador Monica Crowley, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, and Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. 

Read more about this story and the event on the INDYCAR website here.

Image courtesy of INDYCAR