Witness high-speed racing on National Mall with Freedom 250 Grand Prix

Washington, D.C. will host a high-speed IndyCar-style race on public roads this month with the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, timed to the U.S. 250th anniversary. The Aug. 23 event features a field of 25 IndyCar drivers making contested passes on Constitution Avenue, hitting up to 180 mph on the Pennsylvania Avenue straightaway and finishing on 3rd Street in view of the U.S. Capitol. Organizers say the 1.7-mile course along the National Mall required federal approvals and extensive negotiation. CEO Bud Denker, president of Penske Corp., described working through constraints around federal property and securing support over months before an executive order cleared the final plan.