Cars will race through the streets of Washington, DC at roughly 185 mph this summer as part of the IndyCar Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a first-of-its-kind race in the nation’s capital.
Officials unveiled the track layout for race on March 9, months after President Donald Trump announced the event as part of broader plans to celebrate the nation’s 250th anniversary.
During the Aug. 23 event, drivers will wind through a 1.7 mile, seven-turn course around National Mall, zooming past major landmarks along Pennsylvania avenue, including the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. The track layout features a 0.4-mile front stretch along Pennsylvania Avenue.
Cars will race by the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives. The lap count of the race has not been determined.
‘Racing through the heart of American history, with those amazing landmarks lining the course, is going to be incredibly powerful,’ said Team Penske driver Josef Newgarden.
Trump earlier this year signed an executive order alongside Roger Penske, owner of Indianapolis Motor Speedway, creating the event. It’s among several sporting events he’s planned in the nation’s capital for the 250th, including a UFC fight on the White House lawn and a competition for high school athletes in the fall.
IndyCar also revealed the logo for the grand prix: a red, white and blue car positioned in front of the U.S. Capitol.
The race, however, will not touch Capitol grounds, as to avoid rules requiring Congressional approval for the advertisement-covered cars on the federal lands.
It will be free to the public and will be broadcast nationally on Fox, organizers said March 9. The race’s start time is still to be determined.
‘We are very excited about hosting the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in the sports capital,’ Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser said in a statement. ‘We want people to plan their trips to D.C. now. Come for the Freedom 250, and then stay to enjoy our monuments and museums, our beautiful parks, world-class restaurants and hotels, and all the culture and entertainment that make us the best city in the world.’
The construction of the course is expected to begin this summer, though organizers said roads around the Capitol would remain open and accessible throughout the build out.
Karissa Waddick covers America’s 250th anniversary for USA TODAY. She can be reached at kwaddick@usatoday.com.
Zion Brown is IndyStar’s motorsports reporter.
