The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C. will be the fifteenth round of the 2026 IndyCar Series. The race will be held on August 23, 2026, in Washington, D.C. on a temporary street circuit.
The original 2026 IndyCar Series schedule was released on September 16, 2025, without a race in Washington, D.C. Rumors began that President Donald Trump wanted to host a race to celebrate America's 250th Birthday. The race was officially announced on January 30, 2026, with President Trump signing an executive order authorizing the race. The order instructed the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Transportation to design the course layout within 14 days and to "ensure that all permits, approvals, and other authorizations ... are issued and granted as expeditiously as possible." The executive order also instructed the two Secretaries, in coordination with Washington, D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser, to "ensure that any roads, trails, or bridges to be used as part of the race course are properly maintained and capable of being used in such a manner." The race will be held around the National Mall.
In February 2026, IndyCar announced a partnership with Monumental Sports & Entertainment to support the promotion and commercial development of the race. Under the agreement, Monumental was appointed as the eventâÂÂs official agency for marketing, sponsorship sales, and corporate hospitality. Its role includes securing commercial partners and coordinating hospitality activities associated with the race weekend. IndyCar stated that the collaboration was intended to draw on MonumentalâÂÂs experience in hosting large-scale sporting and entertainment events in the Washington metropolitan area.
The first practice session will be held on TBD.
The second practice session will be held on TBD.
The qualifying session will be held on TBD.
The warmup session will be held on TBD.
The race will be held on Sunday, August 23, 2026, at TBD ET.