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The Department of Transportation is making a push to hold an IndyCar race on the National Mall as part of the America250 celebration, FOX Business confirmed Friday.
In conjunction with the push, President Donald Trump posted to Truth Social an AI-generated video promoting the race. The video showed fans around the National Mall and drivers speeding through a racetrack in Washington, DC.
“The Grand Prix is an unprecedented opportunity to celebrate our nation’s proud racing lineage, showcase the beauty of the National Mall and generate millions in critical tourism revenue for the capital,” a Department of Transport spokesman said.
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A general view of the pit during INDYCAR Open Testing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on April 23, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
“The Trump administration is determined to make DC great again, and this race is another example of that commitment. We will continue to work with our partners in Congress to outline the positive impacts it will have on the District and correct the record.”
Organizers aim for the event to take place on August 21. IndyCar normally runs on Sundays, but there is no event scheduled for the Sunday after the Aug. 16 Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at Markham. The next scheduled race is Snap-On Milwaukee, a two-day event on August 29 and 30, a Saturday and Sunday. August 21 is a Friday.
Neither the White House nor IndyCar immediately responded to an email asking if the race has been confirmed to take place.
However, the event has a roadblock ahead of it, as advertising on the Capitol grounds is prohibited. It’s not clear exactly where the track would be, but the video Trump posted featured the Capitol, the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial.
Indycar driver Pato O’Ward (5) drives across the finish line during the Ontario Honda Dealers Indy at the Streets of Toronto. (Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images)
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Speaker Mike Johnson, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer have been briefed on the plans, Punchbowl News reported.
If all goes well, it would be the second major sporting event to be held in the nation’s capital as part of the America250, along with a UFC event scheduled for June 14, Trump’s 80th birthday, at the White House.
UFC CEO and president Dana White dismissed concerns that a planned White House fight card marking America’s 250th anniversary would be “too political,” saying “almost everyone on the roster” wants to compete.
In an interview with Bloomberg’s Romaine Bostick on Friday, White was asked if he thought it would be a challenge to get fighters to participate in the UFC event scheduled for June, fearing it would be “too political” or have “too many political overtones,” a notion he shot down.
“I mean, I don’t know how that would be too political other than it’s in the White House,” he replied with a laugh. “Listen, if you look back through history, I think [former President] George Bush was a big baseball fan, [former President Barack] Obama was one NBA fan and Trump is a UFC fan. I don’t think any of the guys who are fans made any sport too political.”
UFC CEO Dana White (left) speaks with President-elect Donald Trump ringside during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
The NFL has also partnered with America250, which has had its logo on footballs since Week 18.
