OAN Staff Katherine Mosack
8:15 AM – Tuesday, July 14, 2026
President Donald Trump showcased IndyCar vehicles at the White House alongside IndyCar star Álex Palou, racing team owner Roger Penske and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., next month.
On Monday, at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix showcase, the president settled the debate about whether professional racecar drivers were athletes.
“Next month these exceptional sportsman drivers, athletes, they’re great athletes,” Trump said. “Nothing nobody can do. They’re born with something special. They’re born with the ability to press that pedal all the way down to the ground. Most people can’t do that. Very few people can.”
He continued, “They’re beautiful cars. They’re going to make freedom roar. This is going to be a freedom that’s roaring like never before.”
The showcase on Monday featured a live pit stop. Trump’s guest, Palou, is currently the top-ranking driver in the Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation (NTT) IndyCar Series.
Penske gifted Trump his own helmet at the showcase, joking that he should wear it while riding in the Beast, his custom presidential limousine.
The grand prix event takes place on August 22nd and 23rd this year. The track features a 1.66-mile drive around the National Gallery of Art, the National Archives, the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum and the National Mall, with seven turns.
Duffy said he hoped that the temperatures would be 75 degrees at the August event after heatwaves struck the most recent Freedom 250 events in D.C., including the Great American State Fair, earlier this month.
The event has two tiers of tickets to attend, which fans will be assigned through random drawing. The STARS Ticket Area will be located along 9th Street and 7th Street, south of Pennsylvania Avenue, while the STRIPES Ticket Area will be on the National Mall, between Pennsylvania Avenue and Independence Avenue, within the racetrack’s boundaries.
Tickets for general admission to the event are free, though the window to request them closed on June 7th. Those who submitted requests will receive a confirmation email about whether their request was fulfilled. Tickets are non-transferable and cannot be resold.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news alerts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
What do YOU think? Click here to jump to the comments!
Sponsored Content Below
Be the first to comment