INDYCAR Stars Visit White House, Revving Up Freedom 250 Grand Prix

Palou, Rosenqvist, Malukas Join President Trump To Preview Historic D.C Street Race

With anticipation building for the inaugural Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, D.C., set for Aug. 22-23, three of the NTT INDYCAR SERIES' biggest stars visited the nation's capital Monday, July 13 to preview the historic event that will bring North America’s premier open-wheel auto racing series to the streets of Washington D.C., to honor America’s 250th birthday.

Alex Palou, driver of the No. 10 Honda for Chip Ganassi Racing, four-time NTT INDYCAR SERIES champion, 2025 Indianapolis 500 winner and 2026 series points leader, along with Felix Rosenqvist, driver of the No. 60 Honda for Meyer Shank Racing and the 2026 Indianapolis 500 champion, and David Malukas, driver of the No. 12 Verizon Chevrolet for Team Penske who is fourth in the championship standings, all visited to rev D.C.’s engines for the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.

The drivers visited the White House and participated in a special press event just outside the West Wing with President Donald J. Trump, looking ahead to next month’s Freedom 250 Grand Prix – the first-ever NTT INDYCAR SERIES race held on the National Mall and the historic streets of Washington D.C.

With Roger Penske, Freedom 250 Grand Prix Chairman Bud Denker, FOX Sports CEO Eric Shanks and GM President Mark Reuss also in attendance, the White House event featured a live pit stop demonstration by Team Penske’s No. 12 Chevrolet crew (photo, above). With Malukas behind the wheel of the No. 12 Chevy that featured a patriotic red, white and blue Freedom 250 Grand Prix livery, the demonstration showcased the speed, precision and teamwork that define INDYCAR competition.

“Incredible day and one I’ll never forget,” said Malukas, the 24-year-old American driver who is having a strong debut season for Team Penske. “It was my first time getting to see the White House and truly see it, getting a special tour from the President. It was such a cool experience to do an INDYCAR pit stop for the first time at the White House. I think, for all the drivers, this is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience to celebrate America's 250th, and I can't think of any other better way to do it than here in Washington D.C., at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix.”

The turbocharged day concluded with an evening reception for Freedom 250 Grand Prix partners where the drivers and Denker recognized special guests and highlighted the unprecedented collaboration between government, industry and motorsports that has fueled the excitement for the unique two-day street racing festival.

During the reception, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy and Ambassador Monica Crowley, the Chief of Protocol of the United States, joined Denker on stage to talk about the impact and significance of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix. Shanks then hosted a conversation with Palou, Rosenqvist and Malukas as the INDYCAR stars talked about the challenge and excitement of competing on the new D.C. street circuit and their day to remember at the White House.

Set against the backdrop of the National Mall, the Freedom 250 Grand Prix will mark the first-ever NTT INDYCAR SERIES race on the streets of Washington, D.C., serving as a centerpiece of the national celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The free, two-day motorsports festival is expected to attract hundreds of thousands of fans to the nation’s capital, blending North America’s premier open-wheel racing series with historic pageantry.

The 1.7-mile, seven-turn Freedom 250 Grand Prix course will wind through the streets of Washington, D.C., circling the National Mall with cars racing alongside some of the most iconic landmarks in the world. The street circuit will feature a high-speed, 0.4-mile run down Pennsylvania Avenue, dramatically framed by the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Pit lane will sit just off the straight between Turns 1 and 2, keeping the crews and cars at the center of the action. The drivers will speed past landmarks that include the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, the National Gallery of Art and the National Archives, creating a course that blends technical challenge with an unmistakable and historic backdrop.

To learn more about the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, visit www.Freedom250GP.com.