This might be the only time you’ll see race cars speeding up Pennsylvania Avenue
As part of ongoing festivities for America’s 250th birthday on July 4, IndyCar is taking over the nation’s capital this Saturday and Sunday.
The Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., might be the only time fans get to see race cars speeding down Pennsylvania Avenue.
Here is everything you need to know about this inaugural event, including how to watch at home.
What’s the schedule for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix?
The Freedom Grand Prix takes place over two days.
On Saturday, August 22, drivers get the chance to practice on the course before participating in the qualifiers. This determines the race starting grid.
Additionally, an International Race of Champions event is taking place. This exhibition race will feature greats such as Helio Castroneves, Dario Franchitti, and Tony Kanaan.
The official Freedom Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, August 23, after a warmup opportunity.
What’s the course for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix?
The backdrop of this 1.7-mile course is the National Mall, which means the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument will be a blur.
It begins and ends on 3rd Street across from the Capitol building. There are seven turns as racers follow the course around Pennsylvania Avenue, 9th and 7th Streets, and Independence Avenue.
Racers will complete 147 laps to get the needed symbolic 250 miles to win it all. This means the race will likely last around 3 hours.
You can see the course map on the Freedom 250 website.
Who’s racing in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix?
The full 25-person roster is competing in the Freedom 250 Grand Prix because it is an official NTT IndyCar Series race.
This means the points are on the line to win the season-long championship title.
The current front\-runner is Álex Palou from Chip Ganassi Racing. Other fierce competitors include Josef Newgarden and Scott McLaughlin from Team Penske and Pato O’Ward from Arrow McLaren.
Newcomers Caio Collet and Dennis Hauger are also hungry to make their mark on the sport.
Is President Trump going to attend?
Yes, President Trump will attend the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. This makes sense because the whole event was put in motion by an executive order he signed in January of this year.
He will also travel the course in his motorcade ahead of the racers and wave the green flag to get things started.
How to watch the Freedom 250 Grand Prix
Saturday’s first practice begins at 9:05 a.m. ET and will air on Fox Sports 1.
The second round at 1:05 p.m. ET will air on Fox Sports 2 as will the NTT IndyCar Series Qualifier at 5:00 p.m. ET.
The pre-show for Sunday’s big race starts at 11:30 a.m. ET on Fox. (This means anyone with an over-the-air antenna and reception can tune in.) The green flag will wave at 1:10 p.m. ET to signal the beginning of the race.
Cord-cutters can turn to live-TV streaming services such as Fubo.